2015 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Tan

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2015 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Tan

#35-19

I have been in love with Ruffino Chianti since long before I can remember!  Maybe its because when I was a little boy in Napa, California, the family's favorite Italian restaurant was a place called Ruffino's, in downtown Napa, where I occasionally got a "sip" of Chianti with my spaghetti. I last visited Ruffino's in Napa in 2000, but I do not believe it is still there.

The 2015 Riserva Ducale is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, with the balance in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The nose is an aromatic burst of cherries and violets against a backdrop of brilliant ruby red color.  The flavor is complex, with abundant cherry, highlighted by plum and red raspberry leading to a finish featuring soft and smooth tannins.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

We loved this wine with our dinner of both Chicken and Eggplant Parmesan, sided by angle hair pasta.  Ohh, Mama-Mia!

score: 90

price: $18 - $23

Norm

www.facebook.com/Norm'sTastingNotes

www.normwine.blogspot.com/

Available online at:

Pine Island Eagle.com

Cumming Home.com

Dawson Times.com

Also Available at AOL”s Dunwoody Patch:

Dunwoody, GA Patch

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2017 Joel Gott Oregon Pinot Gris

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2017 Joel Gott Oregon Pinot Gris

#34-19

The 2017 Joel Gott Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley in Oregon proved to be just the right choice to pair with the Chardonnay Queen's "Special Shrimp Scampi".  The wine is crisp and clean, and just right for this tasty garlic and butter concoction!

The nose is fragrant with the scent of fresh citrus and melon.  The flavors abound with apple, melon, and a little peach, and the wine is well balanced with good acidity, to play off the big fruit flavors.  It has a clean, yet lingering finish which begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 13.2%, and Norm's score is 90.

I really enjoyed our feast, and felt this Pinot Gris might be one of the best ones I have sampled this year!  Of course, any wine tastes great with the Chardonnay Queen's Scampi!

score: 90

price: $13 - $17

Norm

www.facebook.com/Norm'sTastingNotes

www.normwine.blogspot.com/

Available online at:

Pine Island Eagle.com

Cumming Home.com

Dawson Times.com

Also Available at AOL”s Dunwoody Patch:

Dunwoody, GA Patch

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2017 B-side North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2017 B-side North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

#33-19

We are fortunate, in that we have a superb butcher shop in our neighborhood, where we get really great custom cut steaks. My favorites are New York Strips and Fillets, thick and juicy, and cooked medium rare.  As I have said many times in the past; "There is nothing like a Slab and a Cab!"  So we treated ourselves to a big New York Strip and a bottle of 2017 B-side North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon.

B-side Cab is a great buy at less than twenty dollars per bottle, and drinks like a much more expensive wine.  The nose is heady with aromas of ripe cherries, berries and a dusting of mocha.  The flavors are rich and jammy, with a good presence of black cherry, highlighted by blackberry and a subtle oaky background.  This is an easy to drink Cab with a lingering finish, which begs for another sip.  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

If you don't enjoy steak as much as I do, you might try it with sausage and mushroom pizza, as suggested by noted wine writer Wilfred Wong who scored the B-side an 89.

score: 90

price: $17 - $20

Norm

www.facebook.com/Norm'sTastingNotes

www.normwine.blogspot.com/

Available online at:

Pine Island Eagle.com

Cumming Home.com

Dawson Times.com

Also Available at AOL”s Dunwoody Patch:

Dunwoody, GA Patch

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity