2012 McManis Family Vineyards Viognier

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                         

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-07-15

2012 McManis Family Vineyards Viognier

 

The McManis Family Vineyards was founded in 1990 by a family of grape farmers who had been growing grapes in California for more than fifty years before bottling their first bottle of wine.  In the last twenty five years they have established themselves as a solid winery producing mostly value priced wines.  One of the stars in their lineup has for many years been the Viognier.  Viognier grapes, which originate from the Rhone region of France, can often be described as similar to Chardonnay, but more aromatic in nature, with a slightly lighter finish, but often can be just as full-bodied as Chardonnay.

 

This Viognier opens with a delicate nose of apricot and pear, which leads to an abundant presence of fruit which is highlighted by melon, peach and a touch of the apricot.  The wine is full-bodied, but smooth, with the fruit being well-balanced with the acidity, ending in a clean finish containing a hint of grapefruit zest.  The McManis Voignier was fermented in stainless steel, and has an alcohol content of 13.5%.  This is a dry wine, but also possesses gobs of big fruit.

 

We enjoyed our bottle of Viognier with grilled salmon and a fresh garden salad.  However, I have found that Viognier is an excellent companion for spicy Thai foods such as Mango Tango Shrimp, or hot and spicy Basil Chicken.  Norm's score is 87. 

 

score: 87

price: $10 - $13

Norm

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

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Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-06-15

2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay

 

 

For Valentine's Day this year I prepared Shrimp Scampi for the "Chardonnay Queen", and of course, I served it along with a chilled bottle of Chardonnay.  The Chardonnay which I chose for this special meal was the 2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay.  The name Chateau St. Jean is pronounced "Gene", rather than the French pronunciation "John", because the original founder of the winery, Kenneth Sheffield, had named the winery after his wife, Jean Sheffield.  Isn't that a romantic thought for Valentine's Day?

 

The secret to good shrimp scampi is lots of butter and lots of garlic.  The wine which is chosen to pair with these powerful flavors must be able to hold its own with a strongly assertive dish such as this.  The Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay was up to the task.  The nose is attractive, with a hint of citrus breeze leading to flavors of apple and pear, with a touch of tropical fruit.  There is a creamy mouth-feel, and the finish is clean and crisp, with a lingering taste of vanilla and lemon zest.  The wine is well balanced with enough acidity to cut through the strong presence of garlic and butter.

 

An almost perfect choice for my Shrimp Scampi,  this wine would also be a great companion for Veal Piccata, or Chicken Marsala.  Norm's score is 89. 

 

score: 89

price: $11 - $15

Norm

 https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/normswine

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2015 Winter Vacation in Paradise

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-05-15

2015 Winter Vacation in Paradise

 

This time while visiting the little cottage by the sea in Matlacha, Florida, we decided to try a new restaurant on the island called "The Blue Dog Bar and Grill".  Well, all I can say is that this is old Florida at its best with an extra touch of more modern times.  I confess that I often judge Florida restaurants by the quality of their fried shrimp, and the ones which I had that night, may be the best I have experienced in many years.

 

The Blue Dog is a fine example of an old Florida seafood house, grill and tavern, where you will find many of the "local" islanders enjoying a good meal.  Blue Dog features a fair sized array of locally brewed craft beer, and a decent wine list.  To pair with the fried shrimp I would suggest the H3 Heaven Hills Chardonnay made by the folks at Columbia Crest in Washington state.  The Wine Spectator scores the H3 at 90.  It is medium bodied with the typical apple and pear flavors accompanied by a touch of honey.  The finish is clean and crisp, and makes a good companion for most seafood dishes.

 

If you get a chance to visit the Blue Dog, and you don't want the excellent fried shrimp, try the cracked conch with a bottle of the Columbia Crest H3 Chardonnay.  You are in for a treat!

 

Link To Blue Dog:

Blue Dog Bar & Grill

www.bluedogfl.com/

 

score: 90

price: $11 - $15

Norm

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/normswine

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity