Federal Wine & Spirits

29 State Street, Boston, MA 02109

Read about the wines in this tasting

Read our notes

Holiday Wines

The inimitable Bob Zohn conducted a lively tasting. He reported: "Everybody really had all positive comments on all six wines.""
April 13, 2022

 

Bob continues,

People used elegant and finesse descriptors to talk about the 2020 Deux Roches St Veran. A great value was the words of everybody who tasted tonight.

Tornatore Etna Bianco was delicious, a cross between Chablis and Loire was a comment, exceptional minerality was another; one taster left, bottle in hand, in quest of a plate of oysters

People liked the Fragile Rose because it had weight and structure and showed much more stuffing than usual in roses. It was not a porch slurper.

People loved the weight and structure.

Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Pinot Noir was a big hit; people knew Paul Hobbs and praised his wine's exceptional balance. They found it quite impressive, with its elegant, not jammy fruit.

, Two, people called the Parusso Nebbiolo a pure winner," wow, this wine has structure, weight balance, an exceptional price," people loved the complexity and enticement of the Nebbiolo. Three people said it was the perfect partner for the Easter lamb.

Coloma Malbec, gimme a nice barbecue steak was the comments of the four women, 

The wine to hang out with at the grill.

2020 Deux Roches St.Veran; Aroma: heady, relatively dense, clean, fleshy, pretty rounded apple; Mouth: juicy, intense, rather firm, succulent, appley finish, long; Very Good Plus 21; Case, 17.99

2020 Tornatore Etna BiancoBright straw with green highlights. Pear, green apple, and other primary aromas are balanced with mineral salinity and vibrant acidity. Touches of herbs and white pepper in the finish. Very Good to Excellent 28.99/bottle, Case 24.99

White

2019 Deux Roches St. Veran Tradition

An excellent chardonnay from one of our favorite Maconnais producers, Nicely rounded, fleshy, and fruity.

; Aroma: heady, relatively dense, clean, fleshy, pretty rounded apple; Mouth: juicy, intense, rather firm, succulent, appley finish, long; Very Good Plus 21; Case, 17.99

2020 Tornatore Etna Bianco

 A great introduction to the quality and character of Etna wines. The vines are at very high elevation with a long growing season. Carricante is a very noble white grape grown only there. 

Bright straw with green highlights. Pear, green apple, and other primary aromas are balanced with mineral salinity and vibrant acidity. Touches of herbs and white pepper in the finish. Very Good to Excellent 28.99/bottle, Case 24.99

Rose

2020 Department 66 Rose Fragile

Orin Swift winemaker, Dave Phinney, does his rendition of a southern French rose. Mainly from Grenache Roussillon, the wine is nicely bright with lots of depth, not fragile.

Color: very pale; Aroma: fresh, rather dense, heady & ripe, fragrant; Mouth: juicy, forward, rather sweet intense, big and robust, long on the tongue; Very Good Plus 18.99; Case, 15.99

Red

2019 Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Crossbarn

 A Sonoma master's, very nicely balanced with rich strawberry fruit. Lots of rounded fruit and depth

 Color: rather deep, very dense, purple; Aroma: plump low toned, low toned, plum, reserved; Mouth: clean, bright, spicy wood note, clean acidity, resiliently textured fruit, bright berry, long; Very Good - Excellent 35; Mixed Case, 31.5; Case, 29.99

2019 Colume Malbec Estate

Most Argentine Malbec is from Mendoza's high desert. This comes from cooler Salta and has a balance not often found in them. One customer who thought she didn't like malbec thought this a revelation in more graceful balance.

Color: Black; Aroma: heady rather dense, thick, very dense, rich and dense; Very Good Plus 25.99; Case, 21.99

2019 Parusso Armando Langhe Nebbiolo

Over the past 50 years, Barolo has become considered one of the world's greatest wines. Its grape variety is Nebbiolo. Producers there bottle a wine called Nebbiolo to give one easy to drink young and more affordable. The 2019 Parusso Armando Langhe Nebbiolo gives us a balance between tannic structure, fruit, spice, and freshness. One could say the best of both worlds.

Color: Ruby. Aromas and flavors of dark cherries, violets, Asian spice, and forest floor. Very good tannic balance and a long fresh finish. Very Good to Excellent 29.99/bottle, case 25.99

 

Mix any 12 bottles of the above at their case discount prices

Take 10% off the individual bottle price for 6-11 bottles mixed 

or

Holioday Case,

If purchased separately, $239

two bottles of each wine $275

Holiday Pack

one bottle of each $149

 

Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com

 

Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!

 

           - Len Rothenberg

 


 

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