IL Carbonaione Podere Poggio Scalette Alta Valle Della Greve 2007 Red Wine (Sangiovese), $42.49-$49.99, 94 points, is beautiful, lush, and very big. Want a special wine? Don't mind a slight premium? Then there she is. Recommended by Jim at the Salem, NH State Liquor Store (Thank you Jim). Wished I'd bought two of them.
The color is very deep ruby with purple tones, and nearly black at the core.
The aroma is very nice and distinctive with hints of asparagus, plum, and sweet cooking spices.
The nearly full body carries layers of smooth tannin and food enhancing acids. Flavors of rich fruit, black currant, blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry, and plum are adorned with violets, and the finish is splendid, having a long expression of licorice and menthol, with spice as a garnish.
I found that this wine needed no time to breathe, but was great on first pouring, and still great the next day. The 13.5% alcohol was unnoticeable.
This is a special wine, and certainly the price is a bit expensive, but for wine lovers, especially Chianti lovers, don't miss this at least once in your life-time.
Paired perfectly with a spiced rib-eye.
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Castle Rock Dry Creek Valley 2007 Zinfandel, $6.11-$14.99, 88 points, is a "Last Chance" wine I bought at the Bedford NHLS, but after I bought this on Saturday there was only one left, and Jim said they had been flying off the shelf; I'm glad I got one!
This Zin has a light ruby color.
The aroma begins with a bit of funk (gave me some concern), yet I was able to stir that away and bring out some rather nice sweet cherry.
A medium body carries good acidity and back-ground tannin.
While flavors of red cherry and tangy bramble-berry fruit were good, this is not a particularly complex wine. However the finish was quite long on peppery spice.
Castle Rock Dry Creek Valley 2007 Zinfandel is the near perfect beverage with that New York style pizza, and my guess is that at this price you could afford a second pizza.
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BAREFOOT California MOSCATO, $6.99-$8.99, 85 points, has gentle pear and citrus on the nose. The color is light lime. The flavors of intensely tart citrus (almost sour) and overly sweet pome fruit made for a less than pleasant aperitif, but paired okay with our Chinese cuisine.
The finish? Sweet!
The alcohol is 9% and unnoticeable.
This is a "bare-bones" review ;-)
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Jacob's Creek 2010 Moscato, $6.99-$8.99, 87 points, speaks volumes as to why so many especially new wine drinkers are snapping-up these 'bargain' sweet wines.
When drinking cold, this Moscato offers a splendid sensation of gentle sweetness, crisp, yet lush, with flavor hints of pineapple, orange fruit, and citrus.
The color is light lime, with citrus on the nose.
As this wine lost its chill it lost me too; with the "sweet" becoming too sweet, its appealing refreshment was replaced with a cloying quality.
The trick is to pour cold just what you intend to drink within a few minutes.
Keep in mind that the alcohol is only 8% (typically low) and unnoticeable.
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Murphy-Goode 2010 The Fumé Blanc, $10.99-$13.99, 89 points, was bought at Market Basket in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
The very light lemon/lime color is almost transparent.
The aroma is lemon-grass with just a hint of honey-suckle.
With a buoyant body carrying light-plus acidity and wispy hints of kiwi, pineapple, lemon-grass, and a nice ginger spice finish, this Sauvignon Blanc more than met my expectations.
Paired perfectly with butter/wine sauteed scallops, I'm confident that this wine will accompany most shell-fish, white fish, and crab/lobster cuisine.
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EOS Taylor's Block Paso Robles 2007 Zinfandel, $21.99, 89 points, was bought at The Wine Studio.
EOS has a dark ruby color with orange tints, as well as a broad transparent rim.
A smokey cherry, cooking spice, earth, and a hint of cedar on the nose is quite nice.
Flavors of wild-bitter blackberries, plum, licorice, and (with much air) mocha-espresso are rich and delicious. Finishes nicely with black and white pepper.
This near full bodied wine has a balance of acidity and tannin, and continues to commend Paso Robles as a trusted AVA for quality wines at fair prices.
http://nhwineman.blogspot.com/2011/02/index-of-reviewed-wines.html
Copyright 2012 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger
Bonny Doon CA' Del Solo Estate Vineyard Monterey County 2007 Dolcetto, $16.99-$19.99, 91 points, represents another rare find in domestic Dolcetto wine, and this one is slightly better than the former, in my humble opinion, but with an easier price to boot.
CA' Del Solo has a deep ruby-cranberry color and an obvious transparent rim.
The spiced plum, tart cherry aroma begins quite nicely but fades after some time and with lots of air.
A medium to heavy body carries medium acidity and tannins, with cherry/plum flavors embued with violets, all on its layered, but smooth texture.
The finish is refined, and the spice continues at length.
Bottom dollar? This maybe a best buy Dolcetto! Are you interested in going outside of the box, are you exploring wines (Red), then if you've wanted to taste a Dolcetto, why not give this one a try? Look, my friends chide me about my pairings, but this was great with a meatball onion green pepper sub, and will go with most pizza and pasta dishes.
http://nhwineman.blogspot.com/2011/02/index-of-reviewed-wines.html
Copyright 2012 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger
