2017 Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel

2017 Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel

#09-2021

It was pizza night at our house, and we broke out a Zinfandel to go with our pie.  The 2017 Bogel Old Vine Zin might just be a little too good for a mere pizza, but why not live it up, even though I still maintain that the best wine for pizza is Beer!  I might also say that Zinfandel goes well with Southern BBQ, but then again, I think the best wine for "Q" is Iced Tea!  However, if you prefer wine with these spicy dishes, you can't go wrong with Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel.

This is a hearty, rich and jammy wine which holds its own with anything from spaghetti to steak.  The flavors are black cherry, and dark berries straight from the briar patch.  The finish is powerful, and fetches you back for yet another sip.  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 89.

Grab a hot pie and un-cork a bottle of this compelling Zinfandel, for a great mid-week evening meal.

score: 89

price: $12 - $15

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2017 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

#08-2021

In the world of wine, very few wineries have been held in more admiration over the last two centuries than the Concha y Toro Winery in Maipo, Chile.  They produce wines from eight up to two hundred dollars a bottle, and there is a consistency un-rivaled in the marketplace. Their twenty to thirty dollar line, labeled Marques de Casa Concha, can always be relied on to be among the best in their class.  So when I chose this Cab to pair with our two inch thick fillet, grilled a perfect medium rare, for our Valentine's Day dinner,  I knew it would be a good match!

This is a big, fat, juicy Cab, with abundant flavors of dark berries, plum, and currants, which lead you to a finish with rich tannins, and a lingering presence just begging for another sip!  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 91.

A bottle of this wonderful Cab, placed alongside a Caesar Salad, and a fillet from the "Best Butcher Shop in the Southeast", which we are lucky to have right here in our little town, Thomaston, just a few miles south of Atlanta, made for a terrific  Valentine's Day!  I hope yours was good as well!

score: 91

price: $20 - $26

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 King Estates Pinot Gris

2018 King Estates Pinot Gris

#07-2021

We had some old friends over for dinner recently, and we decided to serve our famous "Ma and Paw Seafood Chowder", invented by Chef El Biggerero some years ago.  It is actually a seafood stew, with enough saffron to remind you of Bouillabaisse.  Of course, this requires a wine strong enough to stand up to this very spicy dish.  We chose the 2018 King Estate Pinot Gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley, and it was a good match!

This Pinot Gris has a tantalizing bouquet of ripe pear and fresh peach.  The flavors backup the pear and peach with the addition of apple, and a little tropical fruit, then the wine sails off into the night with a lingering hint of citrus in the finish.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

A bottle of King Estate Pinot Gris would be a welcome companion for almost any seafood dish, and would also pair well with a big platter of soft cheeses surrounded by sliced apples.

score: 90

price: $15 - $19

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Root One Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Root One Cabernet Sauvignon

#06-2021

The Root One Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is the bargain hunter's dream come true.  This ten dollar Cab from South America drinks like a fifteen and up Cab from California!

It is not a great wine, but it sure was good with a dish of Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara on the side.

It is a pretty dark red in color, with a nose which broadcasts the scent of ripe berries.  The flavors are dark berries, mixed with black cherry, and a taste of toasty oak toward the end.  The finish lingers on the palate, awaiting another sip.  The alcohol content is 14%, and Norm's score is 88.

Not only good with Chicken Parm, this Chilean Cab would pair well with a hearty stew, or grilled chops.  The best thing, is that it is available almost everywhere in the market place, including your local supermarket.

score: 88

price: $10 - $12

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity