2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon

#04-19

I love Cabernet Sauvignon, and even in the winter, I can be seen outside with the grill burning a thick steak to go along with a nice bottle of Cab inside.  You know the saying, "a Slab and a Cab".  I know it's not quite poetry, but it's nearly scripture!

We opened a bottle of 2015 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cab to go with our latest winter steak burn, which happened to be a New York Strip.  The nose on this Cab was powerful with scents of cherry and other dark fruit.  The flavors swirled through the glass in a tango of black cherry, dark berries and touch of plum.  This is a big, thick, fruit wine, with enough oak in the finish to carry it through the night.  The taste begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 14.5% and Norm's score is 90.

The Indian Wells Cab is great with a Slab, and would make a good companion for Italian veal dishes as well.

score: 90

price: $16 - $19

Norm

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/normswine

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

Also available at AOL's Dunwoody Patch:

Dunwoody, GA Patch

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2015 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2015 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT

#nb-03-19

The wine world keeps evolving. I read some reviews of a recent vintage of the Villa Antinori Toscana IGT which I wrote about eight years ago, and decided to compare notes.  Here is what was said recently, and below that are my comments from back in 2011 on the 2009 vintage.

An intense ruby red in color, the wine shows a complex nose of ripe red berry fruit along with cherries and plums, all well integrated with the spicy sensation of vanilla and pepper created by the aging in oak barrels. Supple on  the palate with soft and velvety tannins, it is firm bodied and endowed with a long and tasty finish. - WM

JS90 - James Suckling

A linear and fresh red with citrus and dried berry and hints of cedar. Medium body, light tannins and a savory finish.

Norm’s Tasting Notes 

2009 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT 

 (2011)  By Norm Bentley

Dating back past 1385 when the house of Antinori joined the Italian wine maker’s guild, the Antinori family has helped define the history, as well as the wines of Tuscany.  Tuscany is a beautiful countryside famous for its beautiful wines, and the 2009 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT is a classic example of Italian wine making art.

Like most Super Tuscans, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese, and a favorite style of wine for me, as well as many others.  The color is a deep and intense red, with a bouquet as large as the sky itself, filled with the scent of cherries and dark berries.  The flavor explodes from the glass with a burst of cherry and currant highlighted by chocolate and spice.  The finished sails on, like a clipper ship on an around the world voyage.  Needless to say, I found this wine to be most enjoyable  and I will join other critics with a rating of high praise.  Norm’s score is 91.

The wine is perfect with most meat and game dishes and would be a wonderful choice for a true Italian dish like veal Marsala, with a side of spaghetti marinara.

Score 91

Price: $19 – $ 24

Norm

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/normswine

Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

Also available at AOL's Dunwoody Patch:

Dunwoody, GA Patch

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity