2009 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net



2009 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay Chardonnay
#nb-14-11


My wife Mary is known as "The Queen of Chardonnay" because she loves Chardonnay wines and really has a discerning palate when it comes to these wonderful white wines, which are the number one selling grape variety in the world. Her favorite Chardonnays come from the vineyards of Rodney Strong, and we have enjoyed many wonderful vintages from several of the different Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards.

The Chalk Hill vineyard is located in Sonoma County, and is known for its chalky white soil, which is similar to Montrachet in Burgundy, home to some of the best Chardonnays in the world. The 2009 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay is clean and crisp, with a mineral background from the chalky soil, and a good representative of this style of wine.

The aroma of this straw colored wine is that of pears and melon, which lead into these flavors blending together with the taste of crisp green apples for a true chardonnay character. The wine was barrel aged for ten months and finishes with a hint of oak. Malolactic fermentation produces a creamy texture which compliments the aforementioned clean and crisp taste.

We wanted to pair this wine with an appropriate meal, so we went online at www.rodneystrong.com/recipes and borrowed a recipe for "Sauteed Honey Ginger Grilled Salmon", which helped us produce a delightful dinner. The wine and the salmon were a perfect match, and once again we enjoyed another treat from the folks at Rodney Strong.

Price: $15 to $20
Score: 87

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
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Wine - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2009 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon
#nb-13-11


My first experience with Concha y Toro wines from Chile was in the mid 80's when I was a wine merchant in Buckhead. I was delighted by the pleasure of such an in-expensive wine! Over the years Concha y Toro has continued to be a value leader, producing wines which are well worth more than their purchase price. They produce several labels at different price points, of which the Casillero del Diablo is always a best buy.

The 2009 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon is the latest in a series of vintages to receive solid scores in the wine trade, and I would give the 2009 a 90. The wine is a beautiful dark red color, which just looks pretty as you pour it. The nose opens with a burst of cherries, plums and cassis. The flavor abounds with the cherry and plum accents, and I confess that the cherry flavor in Cabernet Sauvignon is my personal favorite. The finish is strong and clean with mild tannin overtones obtained from 70% oak aging. The alcohol content is 13.5%, and releases no heat at all into the wine.

You would have a long search to find a better Cabernet Sauvignon in the $10 to $12 range. This one pairs well with steak or other grilled meats, and we enjoyed it with a meaty beef and Italian sausage spaghetti, "Oh Mama Mia!"


Price: $9 to $13
Score: 90

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
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Wine - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Castle Rock Willamette Pinot Gris

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2009 Castle Rock Willamette Valley Pinot Gris
#nb-12-11


The first time I enjoyed a glass of Pinot Gris, I was told that the grape was a dryer cousin to Pinot Grigio. Well not exactly; here is the definition from Wikipedia:

“Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety...Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (gris meaning "grey" in French) . The wines produced from this grape also vary in colour from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink. The clone of Pinot gris grown in Italy is known as Pinot grigio.”

Of course both of these grapes are grown in the United States, and the one I enjoyed most recently was the 2009 Castle Rock Pinot Gris from The Willamette Valley in Oregon. This Pinot Gris starts out with a subtle bouquet of flowers surrounded by ripe melon accents. The flavor is mindful of apples and peaches, with a hint of the melon presence in the background. This wine finishes strong with good balance between the fruit and acidity, and lingers on the palate with a crisp and dry aftertaste.

The "Wine and Spirits" magazine liked it enough to give it a 90, and commented, "Leesy, almost biscuity in aroma, this wine has ripe and round flavors and a broad middle palate, with just enough acidity to shore up those flavors. Serve as an aperitif."

We enjoyed the Castle Rock with a dinner of boiled shrimp, and it was excellent! I would recommend it with almost any seafood fare, and give it a score of 91.

Price: $10 to $14
Score: 91

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:

dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com














Wine - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Geyser Peak California Sauvignon Blanc

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2009 Geyser Peak California Sauvignon Blanc
#nb-11-11

I'm back from paradise (Matlacha, FL) and the report is, well, paradise is still paradise! The fishing wasn't great but I still managed to catch a few Speckled Sea Trout, and along the way there were air battles between bald eagles and osprey, and a chance to watch a couple of porpoises doing some fishing of their own. Temperatures were between 60 at night and 85 during the day, not bad for March, even in South Florida. The food was great as usual, with good seafood dinners at Red's and Toucan's. (which used to be Moretti's)

The most enjoyable meal was fresh shucked oysters on the half shell and a bottle of 2009 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc. The oysters were great and the Geyser Peak was the perfect companion. This wine has a fresh citrusy aroma, and opens into a pronounced flavor of lime and lemon zest, with just the slightest hint of melon. The finish is clean and crisp and that citrus appeal is there until the end. It takes a little acidity to compliment oysters, and this Sauvignon Blanc has just the right balance between fruit and acidity.

The 2009 Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc would be great with a seafood cocktail or steamed clams, and when the summer gets here, it would be a perfect back porch sipper!  Norm's score is an 88.

Price: $10 to $14
Score: 88

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:

dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com















WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

Wine Poetry

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net




I'm going down to our little cottage by the sea in Matlacha, Florida for a couple of weeks. There will be fishing and seafood dinners, and lots of wine. There will not be a Norm's Tasting Notes while I am gone, so below find some sustenance for the soul which should last until I am back. Upon my return I will convey the wine and seafood news from paradise, as well as the fishing report.


WINE POETRY

Wine is bottled poetry. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages. ~ Louis Pasteur

The best kind of wine is that which is most pleasant to him who drinks it. ~ Pliny the Elder, Natural History

Wine is the proof that God loves us. Benjamin Franklin

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
dawsontimes.com
cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com










WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2008 Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net





2008 Bogle Vineyards Old Vines Zinfandel
#nb-09-11

It takes old vines to produce good wines, and in California there aren't many vines older than the old Zinfandel vines. With its origins in Italy, Zinfandel is a wonderful wine with most pasta and other spicy dishes, and even barbecue. In the 1800's there were many Italian immigrants in California who planted Zinfandel vines, many of which still produce wine today.

The 2008 Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel is produced from grapes from Lodi and Amador Counties which come from vines ranging from forty to eighty years old. These old vines produce grapes which have heavily concentrated juice, with a full range of dark berry flavors. The flavors range from blackberry, to black raspberry, intermingled with pepper and a slight jammy nature. The wine has been oak aged for ten months and comes in at 14.5% alcohol. This is an intense wine with big fruit flavors, and is most enjoyable with a wide range of spicy foods.

We enjoyed the Bogle Old Vines Zinfandel with a big plate of pasta, with tomato sauce, including beef and and Italian sausage, and a lot of garlic. It would also be great with pizza, or some really spicy barbecue. Norm's score is an 87, which happens to be the same score from "The Wine Spectator".

Price - $10 - $15
Score - 87

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
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cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com

2009 Simi Sonoma Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley
North Georgia Wine Advisor
normwine@bellsouth.net




2009 Simi Sonoma Chardonnay
#nb-08-11

When you cook dinner for your sweetheart on Valentines Day, it had better be a good one, especially if your sweetheart is the "Queen of Chardonnay"! The dinner was lobster and shrimp, steamed and served with drawn butter, accompanied by fresh asparagus, and parslied new potatoes.

The wine was the 2009 Simi Sonoma Chardonnay. We have enjoyed every vintage of this wine for the past five or six years, and the 2009 was no exception. The previous vintages have always scored in the high eighties and low nineties, and this one was is consistent with those scores.

The nose is fragrant and graceful, suggesting peaches and pears, with a slight citrus aroma. The fruit is highly concentrated with swirls of apple and pear, with an overlying pineapple presence. The finish is crisp and clean, lingering with a flirtation of oak, begging for another sip. The grapes come from Russian River, Alexander Valley, and the Carneros growing regions of Sonoma County.

The wine just ripples with luscious fruit, and enough oak to be perfect with shellfish served with drawn butter. This was a Valentine present to the both of us. The 2009 Simi Chardonnay would also be my choice for Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, or most any other fowl or seafood dish. Norm's score is an 88.

Price - $12 - $16
Score - 88

Norm

Norm's Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his Blog: http: //normwine.blogspot.com

Norm's Tasting Notes available online at either:
dawsontimes.com or
pineisland-eagle.com