2013 Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes
by:Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

2013 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

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The Concha Y Toro Winery in Chile is one of that country's oldest and finest, and has been making wine for more than a hundred years.  The value priced label, Casillero del Diablo, has been a leader in the category for quite sometime, with consistent scores in the high eighties and low nineties.  Year in, and year out the Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon has always been a good choice in the ten dollar range.  We recently sampled the 2013 vintage, and thought it quite good.

 

The nose is powerful and brings forth the essence of blackberries and cherries against a background of currant. The flavors swirl with cherry being dominate, but there is also the presence of blackberry, with a slight dash of plum.  There is a tiny bit of oak in the finish, which is long and smooth, and leaves you questing for another sip.  The alcohol content is 13.5%.

 

We enjoyed the Casillero del Diablo Cabernet with a nice thick fillet grilled medium rare, accompanied by a fresh garden salad and warm sourdough bread.  This would also be a good choice for a hearty stew.  Norm's score is 88.

 

Score: 88

Price: $9 - $12

Norm

 

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Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

  

Also on AOL Patch sites in Dunwoody, Oconee and others:

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2011 Red Diamond Merlot

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

2011 Red Diamond Merlot

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Consistency always counts, and when it comes to wine, you can count on Chateau Ste. Michelle and its several secondary labels, to provide both taste and value in the same bottle.  The Red Diamond label Merlot from these folks is an excellent example of a really good bottle of wine for a value price.  This is a Washington State wine and is a blend of 93% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Malbec.  The alcohol level is 13.5%.

We paired the 2011 Red Diamond with grilled lamb chops, which are always great with Merlot, and we were not disappointed.  This is a big, fat juicy Merlot with an abundance of flavor dominated by cherry and blackberry, underscored by ripe plum.  It has a hint of spice with a touch of oak in the finish.  The finish is long and lingering, and is a perfect companion for lamb.  I like wines from Washington, and this one is very Bordeaux-like in character as well as structure, and reminds one of the classic taste of Saint-Emilion.

Other good choices to pair with the 2011 Red Diamond Merlot would be lasagna, grilled tuna or steak, or a platter of select cheeses.  If it is not dinner time, just sit out on the back porch and sip.  Norm's score is 89.

Score: 89

Price: $10 - $14

Norm

 

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

https://twitter.com/normswine

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

 

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

  

Also AOL"The Patch" at: Dunwoody, Oconee & others:

 dunwoody.patch.com/

 

 

 

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

2012 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages

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My wife, "The Chardonnay Queen", is becoming so well known for her passion for Chardonnay, that she is now receiving samples as well as me, as was the case for the 2012 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages. A friend delivered this one with the expressed intention that this was for the "Chardonnay Queen".  Jadot Macon-Villages is one that we have enjoyed for many years , and once again it is a "winner".  This is what the "Chardonnay Queen" had to say.

"What a treat to enjoy this fresh and fruity Chardonnay!  The Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay is lightly touched with the flavors of  green apple with just a smidgen of citrus.  It offers up a very clean finish on the palate that beckons another sip!   The House of Jadot has always been recognized for delivering a consistent product, and this 2012 Chardonnay is no exception to that rule.  I prepared a sea scallop dish sauced with citrus and fresh ginger that made a great pairing with the Macon-Villages Chardonnay."

 

Unlike many of the past vintages of Jadot Macon-Villages we have enjoyed previously, this one has no oak backing, but still it is a full-bodied Chardonnay.  It has an excellent bouquet and the flavors abound with a dominate taste of lemony apple, underscored with just a hint of tropical fruit.  The finish is refreshing with an alcohol content of 12.5%.  Norm's score is 88.

 

This selection was perfect for the "Chardonnay Queen's" citrus and ginger scallops, and would also make a great companion for Shrimp Alfredo or Coq Au Vin.

Score: 88

Price: $11 - $16

 

Norm

 

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

 

https://twitter.com/normswine

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

 

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

  

Also AOL"The Patch" at: Dunwoody, Oconee & others:

 dunwoody.patch.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Coppola Black Label Claret

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

2012 Coppola Black Label Claret 

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Crisp, cool fall weather with a great SEC football game on the television, a thick juicy steak on the grill, and a good bottle of California red wine ready to open, life just couldn't get much better!  The steak was a two inch thick rib eye cooked medium rare, and the California red was the 2012 Coppola Black Label Claret.  The football game does not matter since there were at least three great SEC games on last weekend.  In the South we love Sec football, thick steaks and California red wine, and not necessarily in that order!

 

I have always enjoyed the Coppola Claret, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot in the classic Bordeaux Claret style.  The British attached the name Claret to these great Bordeaux Chateau Reds many centuries back, and the name suits the Coppola offering as well.  The wine is an intense, dark ruby red in color, with a fragrance which leaps out of the bottle and attaches itself to your senses with a stronghold grip.  The flavors are succulent with the essence of cherry, plum and blackberry struggling with each other to achieve dominance against a background of chocolate and smooth tannins.  The finish is long and clean, with the black cherry taste drifting off into the night.

 

I love California Reds, but I have always had a place in my heart for  French Bordeaux Clarets.  Unfortunately I have not always had a place in my pocketbook for the French offerings.  At under twenty dollars per bottle the Coppola Claret helps soothe that longing for the classic blends of Bordeaux.  Excellent with grilled meats, the Coppola Claret would also make a great companion for Chateaubriand, or Rack of Lamb.  Norm's score is 91. 

Score: 91

Price: $15 - $20

 

Norm

 

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

 

https://twitter.com/normswine

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

 

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

  

Also AOL"The Patch" at: Dunwoody, Oconee & others:

 dunwoody.patch.com/

 

 

 

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity