2018 Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay

2018 Cakebread Napa Valley Chardonnay

#23-2020

In my life there have been many great cooks, including my mother who became famous at the Church Suppers for her version of Chicken Divan, which she advertised as "Chicken Divine".  For our Wedding Anniversary, another great cook, The Chardonnay Queen, adapted this recipe for shrimp, and it became "Shrimp Divine".  For a divine dinner, we had to have a divine Chardonnay, so we chose a bottle of 2018 Cakebread Chardonnay, and the result was Heavenly!

This is a classic, old style California Chardonnay which does just about everything right, from the nose, to the balance between the fruit and acidity, and finishing with a crisp finish, which highlights the oak, without over-powering you with it.   The nose broadcasts its array of aromas throughout the room with the scent of a bushel of ripe apples.  The flavor is Granny Smith, with a sidecar of Bartlett Pear.  The finish has a bit of citrus breeze and a touch of toasty vanilla.  The alcohol content is 13.7%, and Norm's score is 92.

A bottle of Cakebread Napa Chardonnay, and a dish involving shrimp, which is called "Divine", can have no other effect than to create memories, as well as recall dreamy ones from the past!

score: 92

price: $37 - $43

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

Norm's Tasting Notes

22-2020

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Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2018 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc

#21-2020

There was a time when I could name all of the wineries in the Napa Valley, as well as all of the grapes grown there.  That was a long time ago!  The wine world has gotten quite large in the last forty or fifty years, and the term "Wine Connoisseur", or "Wine Expert" has taken on new meaning.  One thing which has not changed in the last few decades, is that I am still enjoying Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc, and have been for more that thirty years!

The nose broadcasts an array of fragrant notes throughout the room, with the pronounced emphasis on citrus and apple.  The flavors are rich and complex with apple and lime, and a touch of juicy ripe peach.  There is an overlying layer of lemon zest and a very refreshing, clean finish  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 89.

A bottle of Mondavi Fume Blanc and a piece of grilled salmon make a mighty fine repast!  We enjoyed both, alongside a fresh avocado and tomato salad.

score: 89

price: $18 - $23

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2016 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2016 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

#20-2020

In the late 1970's, I spent the better part of a year in Northern California, and one of my most pleasant memories was going to the Safeway with a five dollar bill and coming home with an eight ounce fillet and a bottle of Louis Martini Napa Cab.  Man, those were the days!  The 2016 Louis Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon might be a tad better, and it is definitely a tad more expensive, but it is a high quality Napa Cab, and still great with a juicy, thick fillet!

This is a big, bold, and yet sophisticated California Cab with a rich heritage, and a rich taste to match.  The flavors are black currant and dark cherry, with a bit of spice mixed in.  The oak gives it a long and luxurious finish which sails off into the night.  The alcohol content is 15.1%, and Norm's score is 92.

A bottle of Louis Martini Cab and a fat steak are a good reminder of the good old days in the Northern California Wine Country!

score: 92

price: $32 - $37

Norm

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AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2016 Rodney Strong Blue Wing Vineyard Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2016 Rodney Strong Blue Wing Vineyard Chardonnay

#19-2020

Coq Au Vin, is it chicken and wine?   Or is it wine and chicken?  Either way, if you add enough butter, garlic, and especially wine, to the chicken it is a delightful dinner!  It is also especially good when you select a quality Chardonnay, like the 2016 Rodney Strong Blue Wing Vineyard from the Sonoma Coast as a companion.

I asked the Chardonnay Queen to describe this one, and she stated. "the nose is a mix of pear, with a touch of citrus, and also a hint of tobacco.  The initial taste imparts a lemony, apple flavor, which opens into a mix of apple, citrus and herbs, and a rounded mouth-feel, finishing with a lingering mineral crispness."  The Chardonnay Queen's score is 90-91, but I liked it enough to bump it up a little,  The alcohol content is 14.2% and Norm's score is 92. 

Of course Coq Au Vin is a chicken stew with more than just wine, butter and garlic, but those are the only ingredients we added to our boneless chicken thighs, and they were great! 

score: 92

price: $20 - $25

Norm

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normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Pine Island Eagle.com

Cumming Home.com

Dawson Times.com

ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody,Ga Patch

Wine - God's Proof of His Love for Humanity