2023 J Lohr Estate Riverstone Chardonnay

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor 

2023 J Lohr Estate Riverstone Chardonnay

Dos November – 2025

The other night we enjoyed a Bodacious Seafood Salad with sauteed shrimp and scallops combined with avocado, tomato, and mixed lettuces, with a spicy Rémoulade dressing. We added a bottle of J Lohr Chardonnay and had a feast suitable for the Chardonnay Queen and all of her Minions!

The 2023 J Lohr is a welled rounded, and buttery Chardonnay with tons of big juicy fruit, and a complex and satisfying finish. The flavors feature apple, peach, and a burst of lemon zest toward the end. The alcohol content is 14%. and Norm’s score is 91.

Some suggestions for your upcoming Thanksgiving Day Dinner:

• 2023 J Lohr Estate Riverstone Chardonnay

• 2023 Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

• 2023 Louis Jadot Macon Villages

• 2023 Ferrari-Carano Sonoma Fume Blanc

• 2022 Acrobat Willamette Valley Pinot Gris

• 2023 Decoy California Sauvignon Blanc

• 2021 Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Now, that’s just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here’s looking at you Kid!

2023 Decoy California Sauvignon Blanc

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2023 Decoy California Sauvignon Blanc

Uno November - 2025

This is not the first vintage we have sampled from Decoy, which is a secondary label of Duckhorn Vineyards, But, like two previous vintages of their Sauvignon Blanc, it is a big, lush and juicy wine with an enveloping presence.  We paired it with an end of the season, steamed artichoke, and a shrimp and avocado salad.

The flavors abound with the presence of green apple, Myer lemon, and melon, rounded out with a bright and crisp citrus rush at the end.  The wine is bursting with flavor, and begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 14.1%. and Norm's score is 90.

Th1s Sauvignon Blanc is a winner in the under twenty price range, and an excellent choice for most seafood and fowl dishes.  It would also make a good companion for Fettucine Alfredo as well.

score: 90

price : $16 - $21

Now, that's just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

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AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

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ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2022 Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2022 Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Dos October - 2025

Having Rodney Strong for dinner, is like sitting down with an old friend you haven't seen for quite some time.  Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cab, and a two inch slab of prime tenderloin is just such an occasion!  Both were superb!

This big, bold Cab is long on flavor, and has great legs, well earned by its eighteen months in the barrel.  The flavors are impressive, with Black Cherry, Currant, and a touch of Plum.  The tannins are assertive, yet mellow, and the finish sails off into the night.  The alcohol content is 14.5%. and Norm's score is 93.

This Cab is so good with a Slab, that you might be convinced that it costs a lot more, proof that you don't have to spend fifty, and up, to get a really good California Cab!

score: 93

price : $20- $27

Now, that's just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Pine Island Eagle.com

ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2023 Cline North Coast Sauvignon Blanc

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2023 Cline North Coast Sauvignon Blanc

Uno October - 2025

Summer may be almost over, but its not too late to savor this excellent summer wine, now, or at any time of the year.  We celebrated the end of summer with a delicious steamed artichoke, with some three cheese ravioli and a bottle of Cline Sauvignon Blanc, which was superb!

The Cline North Coast Sauvignon Blanc is clean, crisp, and refreshing.  The flavors are both simple, and yet complex, with an abundance of apple and lemon zest, backed by a clean mineral, and somewhat austere finish  The alcohol content is 13%. and Norm's score is 91.

The choice of Sauvignon Blanc and artichokes was spot on, but as stated earlier, this is a great summertime wine which begs for a fresh salad, or chilled shellfish.

score: 91

price : $14 - $18

Now, that's just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Pine Island Eagle.com

ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2019 Cakebread Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2019 Cakebread Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Uno September - 2025

For us the Labor Day Weekend, was a Good Friend, Good Football, a Good Steak, and a Great bottle of wine, brought to us by the Good Friend!  The wine was Cakebread Cab and the steak was a two inch thick Slab of fillet, and the football was the kick-off of the NCAA (SEC) season.  It don't get much better than that, Buddyroe!

This wine jumps out at you when you get even close to the glass.  The nose is bursting with the aromas of black cherry and dusty dark chocolate.  The flavors assault your senses with currant, blackberry, and black cherry in the forefront.  The complex array leads to a finish with big fruit and toasty tannins, begging for another sip.  The alcohol content is 14.8%. and Norm's score is 94.

The Slab and a Napa Cab routine always works for me. and I can't think of a better way to enjoy a bottle of Cakebread Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Even better when you can indulge in a bottle which is more than fives years old, and a Slab of Prime Beef!

score: 94

price : $90 - $105

Now, that's just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Pine Island Eagle.com

ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

"Timeless"

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

Timeless

Dos August - 2025

I have been writing Norm's Tasting Notes for about twenty years now, and looking through my files, I ascertained that the one review which drew the most attention from my readers, was of course, a review of a Napa Cab.  You do know that I love a "Cab and a Slab", particularly if its a Cab from Napa! Below is the write-up:

2010 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
#nb-06-13

I must be slipping. This is my sixth article of 2013, and yet only my first review of a Cabernet Sauvignon. I have often confessed that Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite of all wines, and especially the Cabs from the Napa Valley. So it is only fitting that the first Cab reviewed this year should be a good one, and this is the case with the 2010 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

This, like many Cabs today, is a blend featuring 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 3% Syrah, and a 1% pinch of Malbec. The color is a dark garnet red with a fragrant nose displaying plums and dark berries. The flavors abound with currant, blackberry, and a touch of cherry. The wine was aged for twenty months in oak, so the finish is accented by rich tannins which may need a little breathing time, so as not to over-power the lingering big fruit ending, which sails off into the night.

You cannot ask for a better wine with steak than the Franciscan, with its big, rich, full-bodied character asserting itself with any grilled meat. This is a good example of a quality Napa Cab in the under thirty dollar range, and it will rival many Cabernets costing more. While it is very good right now, it will be even better by 2015, if you can wait a couple of years.  Norm's score is 89.

Score: 89
Price: $19 - $27

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog:
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Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

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ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2023 Louis Jadot Macon Villages

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2023 Louis Jadot Macon Villages

Uno August - 2025

Sometimes called the "Poor Man's Poulliy-Fuisse". Macon Villages is an excellent entry level White Burgundy, and this one from Louis Jadot is a great choice, and a favorite of the Chardonnay Queen!  We served it with Shrimp and Three Cheese Ravioli with steamed artichokes, for a most delightful dinner!

Aromas of citrus, wildflowers, and fresh fruit escape into the room as the cork is released.  The flavor spectrum includes apple, tropical fruit, and a hint of lemon, with a rounded profile, and a bright and luscious finish.  The alcohol content is 13% and Norm's score is 90.

The Chardonnay Queen, and I enjoyed our Shrimp and Three Cheese Ravioli, but I could also imagine this one served with Cioppino, or crab cakes.

score: 90

price : $14 - $19

Now, that's just the way I see it, and you can tell them I said so!

Here's looking at you Kid!

Norm

normwine@bellsouth.net

Facebook/Norm's Tasting Notes

normwine.blogspot.com

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

Pine Island Eagle.com

ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity