2010 Kenwood Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2010 Kenwood Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc
#nb-08-12


My wife, the "Chardonnay Queen", just came up with another great recipe for shrimp, so I had to come up with a good bottle of wine to compliment the meal. I decided against Chardonnay in favor of the 2010 Kenwood Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, which is a centerpiece for the Kenwood Winery. My choice worked well, and we enjoyed both a good meal and a good bottle of wine!

The Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc grapes hail from several areas within the Sonoma County including Russian River, Dry Creek, and Carneros. The varied growing climates within the valley create a complex wine with an array of flavors, which produce a clean wine with a crisp finish. The predominate taste is melon and citrus with a grassy overlay, followed by hints of tropical fruit. The alcohol content is 13.5%

The dinner was Matlacha Shrimp Creole served over jasmine rice, with warm bread and a tossed salad. The food contains some fire, which was well paired with the Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc. The combination of heat and the wonderful taste of the wine almost made you gulp it down, but this is a wine to be savored. This is a good example of what a really good California Sauvignon Blanc should taste like.

Norm's score is 89.


Score: 89
Price: $10 - $14

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
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WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

Mumm's Napa Brut Rose

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net






Mumm's Napa Brut Rose
#nb-07-12

The color for Valentines is pink,so for Valentine's Day we had a bottle of Mumm's Napa Brut Rose, which was a tasty treat, and a beautiful pink color. This sparkling wine is 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay and hits a pleasant alcohol level of 12.5%. It was also a perfect match for our Valentine's Day Sushi dinner!

This entry from the Mumm's California winery has received high accolades from the wine press with most scores in the 90 plus range. The "Wine Spectator" gave it a 90 and described it as "sleek and lively, with rose petal and raspberry aromas and crisp, layered citrus, strawberry, and vanilla spice flavors that are wrapped up with vibrant acidity."

I found the wine to be delightful with abundant strawberry flavors awash in a sea of black cherry, drifting into a slight citrus finish. The mark of a good sparkling wine is it's bead, and this one was an array of tiny bubbles exploding in the glass, for a beautiful effect for this clean and crisp sparkler!

It was great with sushi and would be wonderful with shrimp scampi as well!
Norm's score is 91.

Score: 91
Price: $16 - $20


Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com
thecherokeeconnection.com








WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon
#nb-06-12


This year for the Super Bowl, we went to school. Liberty School, that is. Good football, good food, and good wine made for a very enjoyable Super Bowl evening. The wine was the 2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon, and it went all the way for a touchdown.

Located in Paso Robles, in San Louis Obispo County, California, the Hope family has been producing Liberty School wines since 1990. Paso Robles is a warm inland climate shielded from Pacific Ocean breezes by the coastal mountain ranges. The Liberty School wines have been consistent in quality for the last two decades and are marked by their traditional style, at a value price.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was scored a 90 by the "Wine Enthusiast" with the comment, "Elegantly constructed, it is one of the best Cabernets of the vintage at this price." The wine has abundant fruit which smacks of black currant and black cherries, which flow into a lengthy finish, showcasing sweet and mild tannins, which sail on into the night. It was really too good for a Super Bowl party, but it was a real treat.

The Liberty School Cabernet would pair well with any grilled meat, or would be excellent after dinner, with fruit and extra sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese!  Norm's score is 87.


Score: 87
Price: $12 - $16


Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com
thecherokeeconnection.com







WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2010 Meridian Vineyards Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net






2010 Meridian Vineyards Chardonnay
#nb-05-12


Meridian Vineyards produces an excellent Chardonnay, for a value price, from grapes grown in Santa Barbara County, California. The climate there is warm during the day and cooled at night by incoming Pacific Coast breezes. The 2010 Meridian Vineyards Chardonnay is a great choice for a wine typical of California Chardonnay, with lots of fruit and a clean finish.

We enjoyed a bottle of the Meridian Chardonnay recently with some broiled cod and a side of pasta Alfredo, accompanied by warm bread and a tossed salad. The Meridian is a pale straw color, and is bright and crisp with lots of good fruit suggesting apples and pears, with a mellow and toasty oak finish. There is a slight citrus taste in the finish which complements the fruit and oak flavors.

This wine would also pair well with cold fried chicken, or some cheese and a bowl of fruit. It also gets my recommendation as a "Back Porch Sipper", to be enjoyed by itself. Norm's score is 86.

Score: 86

Price: $8 - $10

Norm


Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com
thecherokeeconnection.com








WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity