2021 Frei Brothers Russian River Chardonnay

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

2021 Frei Brothers Russian River Reserve Chardonnay

#04-2023

The wines from Russian River in Sonoma County California never let me down,  This Chardonnay from Frei Brothers and Russian River, is another good example of an excellent wine from the region, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which seem to thrive there.

Fresh tastes of apple and pear, with an orange citrus background, highlight a lush wine with a smooth mouthfeel, and a clean finish.  There is a creamy texture and a hint of buttery, for a most satisfying glass of wine!  The alcohol content is 14.2% and Norm's score is 89.

Great with grilled salmon, as we enjoyed it, this one would also pair well with Chicken a L'Orange, or Fettuccini Alfredo.

score: 89

price : $14 - $17

Norm

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Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2020 Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

2020 Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel

#03-2023

The Dry Creek Vineyard has always been a favorite choice for good wine, and also a great place to visit, if you are in the area.  This Heritage Zinfandel is sourced from old vines averaging 100 years old.  The grapes are mostly Zinfandel with a generous smattering of Petite Surah.  It reminds me of my childhood in Napa, when we ate at an Italian steak house which served an Italian favorite Californian wine made from Zinfandel grapes brought over by Italian immigrants in the old days.

The Dry Creek Heritage Zin has classic  Zinfandel flavors of blackberry, cherry, and plum with a dry and silky finish, which begs for another sip.  The alcohol level is high, but not hot, but rather pleasing at 14.8% and Norm's score is 91.

Great with a medium rare steak from the grill (our way), it can be enjoyed with a variety of foods including most Italian pasta dishes, and would be fantastic with Bouillabaisse!

score: 91

price : $19 - $24

Norm

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Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2022 Oyster Bay Pinot Gris

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2022 Oyster Bay Pinot Gris

#02-2023

This Pinot Gris hails from Hawks Bay in New Zealand, and is a good companion for the Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs which are usually associated from that down-under country.  We sampled a bottle the other night with grilled salmon, and thought it quite nice.

The nose is flowery, with subtle scents of citrus and fruit in the background.  The flavors are true to Pinot Grigio, and are a combination of stonefruit, apple, and a gentle hint of lemon zest, which adds crispness.  The finish is pleasing and clean, and the alcohol content is 12.5%, with Norm's score being 88.

A good back porch sipper, and also an excellent companion for fish and fowl, I would recommend it as good choice for Lobster Bisque or Shrimp Gumbo.

score: 88

price : $12 - $15

Norm

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Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

2018 Schramsberg Brut Rose

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

2018 Schramsberg Brut Rose

#01-2023

Well, we have successfully rung in the new year, and we did our part of the ringing with a bottle of Schramsberg Brut Rose from northern California, which is fine champagne in every language, except of course French, where they insist on geography to describe excellent Bubbly.  Be that as it may, the French cannot produce a bottle of Champagne as good as this one for a mere fifty bucks!

A tight bead of tiny bubbles, coupled with a creamy texture, are showcased in a beautiful spectrum of colors which comes across as a brilliant blush pink.  The flavors are a mix of cherry, strawberry, peach and citrus, which lead to an extremely pleasant finish.  The alcohol content is 12.6% and Norm's score is 93.

Great with celebrations, this is a wine which also would be perfect with any cold shellfish dish, or even oysters on the half shell.

score: 93

price : $40 - $50

Norm

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Dunwoody, GA Patch

Wine - God's Proof of his Love for Humanity

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

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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

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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