New Hampshire Wine-man

Monday, July 31, 2023

Shannon Ridge Wines "Urgency" 2019 Chardonnay

Shannon Ridge Wines "Urgency" 2019 Chardonnay, $6.34-$14.99, 83 points, was a dark straw-yellow color and clearing midway towards the rim.
Aromas of dusty orange peel, flinty minerality, and a hint of pine resin were uncomplicate and pleasant.
Urgency was a near full-bodied oaky white wine with fair acidity and dominated by flavors of wood and nuanced with hints of lemon oil and peach.
Finished very long on the trailing palate and a balanced 13.9% alcohol.
I did not like this wine; I think all big wine drinkers have proclivities, and mine is a distaste for "over" oaked wines.
I tried to pair this wine with a number of cuisines, but all failed to please me.

2019 Vintage California Chardonnay

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Saturday, July 29, 2023

Parusso Perarmando 2018 Barolo

Parusso Perarmando 2018 Barolo, $53.54-$62.99, 96 points, poured a brandy copper/red color with a very broad clear wine ring and copious fat and stained legs.
Aromas of strawberries, Harvey's Bristol Cream, tar, bog peat, and black tea were powerful and enticing.
This Barolo is a massive red wine, intense flavors, acidity, alcohol, and tannin: might not be for the soft merlot lovers out there. But if full throttled edgy Piedmont/Montalcino wines are your thing, then give this one a try.
Finished long, hot, and spicy with a bit of caramel and that big 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my beef and cheddar rolls.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Dry Creek Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc

Dry Creek Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, $16.14-$21.99, 90 points, was a light brass color and clearing towards the glass rim.
Grassy aroma dominated the nuanced floral notes, lemon zest, and white chocolate.
A light-bodied white wine with good acidity, crisp mouthfeel, and good flavors reflective of the aromas, which is typical for this well-established winery, and delivering excellent quality for a very competitive price.
Finished long on the fading palate, ginger notes, melon rind, and a well-balanced 14.1% alcohol.
Paired fine with our prosaic hotdogs.

Dry Creek Vineyard, why it's a "go to" winery.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Mayacamas Mount Veeder, Napa Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

Mayacamas Mount Veeder, Napa Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, $106.24-$124.99, 96 points, poured core black grading to an unfiltered rosewood red with a broad clear meniscus and a neckless of stained tears.
A bouquet of currant fruit, floridity, mulling spice, and hints of milk chocolate were outstanding.
Mayacamas delivers class, subtlety, flavor complexity, a luscious yet lean character, and an irresistibly drinkable red wine; showed good acidity, supportive tannins, a full-body, and perfect red wine pair ability.
Finished long, finished beguiling, and on a spot-on 14% alcohol.
An expensive Cali Cabernet Sauvignon can be presumed to be "good", but this Mayacamas Mount Veeder, Napa Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is an experienced Blue Ribbon celebratory wine (thirteen years of wine blogging), which was my intent when I bought this wine seven months ago.

2018 California Cabernet Sauvignon Wines Tasted

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Cristom Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, 2020 Chardonnay

Cristom Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, 2020 Chardonnay, $29.74-$41.99, 92 points, was a light yellow-gold color and clearing midway towards the glass rim.
Aromas of white chocolate, apricots, a hint of wood, mint thyme, and Chardonnay-specific grape were outstanding.
This Willamette Valley Chardonnay was medium-bodied, showed surprisingly good acidity, and crisp flavors of lemon oil, Granny Smith apples, and developing ginger notes (a very "clean" white wine).
Finished long, perfectly tart with an accented lemon zest flavor, and a building ginger with a well-balanced 13% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spanakopita and fried clams.
The Northwest is my go-to US producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Saturday, July 22, 2023

Chronic Cellars "Spritzy and Giggles" NV Sparkling Wine

Chronic Cellars "Spritzy and Giggles" NV Sparkling Wine, $15.29-$16.99, 84 points, was a medium straw yellow color and graying towards the rim, but the spritz was less than most of my Prosecco wines; now with NV wines it's hard to say how long the bottle sat in the store, but I had just purchased it last week.
Aromas were a bit woody and grassy with a hint of apricot, but little else.
The label described flavors of pear and citrus, but to me it reflected the aromas with a slightly sour note. The texture was a bit flat, and the flavors had a continuity through the whole palate, acidity was fair.
Finished as it began, and with a fair 11.5% alcohol.
Paired okay with my loaded hotdogs.
I can't remember ever NOT like a Chronic Cellars wine, but there's a first time for everything.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Friday, July 21, 2023

Antica Masseria di Sigillo 2014 Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy (Revisited)

Antica Masseria di Sigillo 2014 Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy (Revisited), $9.99-$19.99, 89 points, poured broadly black grading to a purple/red towards the thin clear meniscus and fat-stained legs.
Aromas of prunes, slightly sour black cherry, Bordeaux lily, and a hint of shoe polish were just okay (generally I'm not a fan of older Zinfandels).
This has become a full-bodied red wine with fair acidity, soft tannins, and rich flavors of raisins, anise, plums, and citrus notes.
Finished long on the fading palate, hints of cayenne and mint with a big 14.5% alcohol.
Paired fine with my pepperoni pizza.
Having had this wine five years ago, I would say it has held-up well.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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