Top Twenty Wines for 2022

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

Top Twenty Wines for 2022

#51-2022

The year of 2022 was a good one for wine, and I was fortunate enough to have sampled some really nice ones during the past twelve months.  The following list contains twenty wines which I scored 90 or above.

2017 Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon- 92

2018 La Crema Russian River Pinot Noir- 90

2016 Castellani Chianti Classico Reserva - 91

2019 Jean Louis Grande Reserve Cotes-du-Rhone - 90

2018 Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 92

2019 Decoy Limited Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir - 90

2018 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 93

2020 Ferrai-Carano Chardonnay - 90

2018 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT - 92

2019 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir - 90

2017 Ruffino Reserva Ducale Oro - 93

2016 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay - 91

2019 Rutherford Hill Napa Merlot - 91

2021 La Crema Monterey Pinot Gris - 90

2021 Head High Sonoma County Chardonnay - 91

2015 Vina Ardanza Rioja Reserva - 94

2021 Cakebread Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc - 90

2018 Beaulieu Vineyards Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - 93

2020 J. Lohr Arroyo Secco Chardonnay - 90

019 Edna Valley Central Coast Chardonnay- 90

score: 90+

price: $15 - $125

Merry Christmas !   and   Happy New Year !

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2021 Maso Canali Pinot Grigio

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2021 Maso Canali Pinot Grigio

#50-2022

I love Ceviche, but its preparation can be time consuming, so we don't have it often.  When we do though, it always seems worth the effort.  The perfect wine to pair with Ceviche is Pinot Grigio, and the 2021 Maso Canili from Trentino, Italy we had with ours, made for a great dinner.  The mix of flavors of lime and cilantro, with peppers and onions, and the dry fruity flavor of Pinot Grigio, was quite heady!

The nose is bright and inviting with a mix of citrus and flowers in its bouquet.  The flavors swirl in the glass with notes of peach and apple, and a lemony kiss at the end.  The finish is big on fruit, but dry, with a lingering effect.  The alcohol content is 12.5%, and Norm's score is 89.

We enjoyed our Ceviche with a bowl of Shrimp Gumbo, for a hot and cold delight, made even better with the addition of the Maso Canali!

score: 89

price: $15 - $19

Norm

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

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

2019 Edna Valley Central Coast Chardonnay

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2019 Edna Valley Central Coast Chardonnay

#49-2022

I put a lot of stock in a winery's ability to consistently produce good quality wines, and in the last fifteen or so years, the folks at Edna Valley have had one better than average Chardonnay after another.  The 2019 Central Coast Chardonnay is an excellent example of how to make a good Chardonnay for less than twenty dollars.

The scent is predominately apple, while the flavor is mostly pear, with a little citrus and a hint of peach.  The finish is clean with a little bit of fruit lingering on the palate until the next sip.  The alcohol content is 13.9%, and Norm's score is 90.

We really enjoyed this one with a seafood combo of bay scallops and cubed cod fillets, tossed with tomatoes, peppers and cilantro over a bed of jasmine rice.  A Greek salad rounded out the affair, with a resounding applause for both the food and the wine!

score: 90

price: $12 - $15

Norm

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

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