2009 St. Supery Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

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




2009 St. Supery Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
#nb-24-11


I recently had lunch with an old friend of mine who is in the wine business. We have known each other in the wine trade for over twenty years, and he is one of the good guys, an "honest salesman". We met for lunch at Ray's On The River, which is right on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The heat was in the nineties and that river sure looked inviting on such a hot day.

I have been to Ray's many times in the past, but not for several years. I am happy to report that the lunch was as good as in the good old days, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I had grilled Georges Bank Scallops and they were terrific The wine also was a great choice for the scallops, it was the 2009 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley.

St. Supery has been in operation for several decades, and produces highly renowned estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery is family owned by the Skalli's of France, who planted the vineyards in Bordeaux grapes in the early eighties. This Sauvignon Blanc is somewhat Bordeaux - like, although it is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, rather than a Bordeaux style blend, and possesses some of the California "grassy" characteristics found in Sauvignon Blancs from Napa.

The 2009 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc opens with a heady bouquet, which transfers into mixed flavors of citrus and green apple, with the aforementioned grassy overtones. It is delighfully flavorful with a clean dry finish, and was an excellent accompaniment to my Georges Bank Scallops. The wine is well balanced between the fruit and the acidity and would be a good pair for almost any seafood dish.

I enjoyed my lunch with my old friend, and I enjoyed the wine so much, that I stopped on the way home to pick up a bottle to share with the "Chardonnay Queen" the next time we have Gulf Shrimp, which won't be too soon for me! (I really enjoy Sauvignon Blanc more than Chardonnay, but don't tell my wife.)

Norm's score is 90.


Price: $16 to $20
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 Big House Cardinal Zin

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





2009 Big House Cardinal Zin
#nb-23-11


Happy Independence Day everyone! Its almost 4th of July weekend, and that means barbecue, and there is hardly any other wine that goes as well with barbecue as an old vine zinfandel. I just sampled the 2009 Big House Cardinal Zin, and I think it would make a great companion for almost anything you take off of the grill.

The Cardinal Zin is a blend of 80% Zinfandel, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Carignane, and 2% Petite Sirah. The alcohol content is 13%. This is a big tasting Zinfandel with a jammy array of dark fruit flavors dominated by blackberry. It is a little peppery, with spice and subtle tannins in the finish. The finish is "lip-smacking good".

This is definately a barbecue wine, but would also be great with anything from pasta to burgers. If you like ribs for your 4th of July, this is the one for you!  Norm's score is 87.


Price: $9 to $12
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 Root One Carmenere

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




2009 Root One Carmenere
#nb-22-11



I really love spaghetti, and at our house that may mean many different styles and sauces. The traditional Marinara with meat is my favorite, and we usually open a bottle of Chianti. The other night however, we chose the 2009 Root One Carmenere from Chile to pair with our spaghetti dinner. We have enjoyed several vintages of this wine in the past, including a few which I have written about.

Carmenere is the "Lost Grape of Bordeaux", which was wiped out in France in the 1880's due to Phylloxera, and was thought lost to the world. Originally grown in the Medoc of France, cuttings had been taken to Chile in the mid 1800's and were growing along with Merlot, and thought to be a Merlot clone. A few decades ago the grape was re-identified in Chile as Carmenere rather than a strain of Merlot. Since then its popularity has continued to grow around the world.

This wine is a dark purplish red, with a heady nose and a solid backbone. The flavors suggest spice and plum, but are dominated with an intense blackberry presence which is absolutely delightful! The wine finishes strong with a peppery nuance sailing into mild vanilla flavored tannins. It is 90% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah, and it comes in at 14% alcohol. This Carmenere was aged for ten months in a combination of French and American oak.

This wonderful bottle of wine could easily pass for a thirty dollar Bordeaux, and compliments almost any spicy meat or pasta dish. Norm's score is 89.


Price: $10 to $14
Score 89
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
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WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2010 Louis Jadot Macon Blanc Villages

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





2010 Louis Jadot Macon Blanc Villages
#nb-21-11



The house of Louis Jadot, founded in 1859, has been providing the world with good French wine at a decent price for about one hundred and fifty years now. While I haven't been around that long, I have been around long enough to have sampled a few hundred of their wines over the years, and the Macon Villages has always been a personal favorite.

There are forty three communes within the Maconnais which are allowed to use the term Macon Villages for the Chardonnay which they produce. The soil there is rich in limestone, which imparts a distinctive mineral flavor to the wine. The Louis Jadot Macon Blanc Villages is made from grapes sourced from these forty three different areas.

The 2010 Jadot Macon is typical of the Chardonnay produced there. The nose is bright and delicate with floral notes. The wine has been fermented in stainless steel to bring out the zesty fruit flavors of apples, melon, and a hint of citrus. The finish is clean with no cloying aftertaste, and no oak presence, of course, because of the stainless steel fermentation.

We enjoyed this bottle of wine with a delightful shrimp and pasta dish, served with a sauce of wasabi and ginger. The Jadot Macon was an excellent companion with enough backbone to stand up to the wasabi and ginger, and a finish which was not overbearing.

This would also be a great back porch sipper on these hot summer nights. Norm's score is 87.

Price: $11 to $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
thecherokeeconnection.com







WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2008 Castle Rock Central Coast Chardonnay

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




2008 Castle Rock Central Coast Chardonnay
#nb-20-11


One of our favorite meals is Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, which is very simple to make, since it is just shrimp, fettuccine, and Alfredo cheese sauce, oh, and a lot of fresh garlic, about three cloves worth. A few weeks back we enjoyed this "favorite" with fresh Gulf Shrimp, and a bottle of 2008 Castle Rock Central Coast Chardonnay.

The Central Coast of California is producing some very good wines at value prices. The warm sunny days with cool evening breezes from the Pacific Ocean are accounting for some good Chardonnays, and the Castle Rock is no exception. The wine opens with a delicate nose suggesting flowers interwoven with fresh melon. The flavors are ripe pear and melon, with citrus undertones, which lead to a crisp finish and a touch of vanilla toasty oak. This wine has been barrel fermented, but is not over powering with oak, but rather just the right touch. The alcohol content is 13.8%.

This is a delicious summertime Chardonnay, and can be enjoyed with fish or fowl, or as an afternoon treat served with a bowl of fresh ripe fruit and cheese. Norm's score is 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:
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cumminghome.com
pineisland-eagle.com








WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Robert Mondavi Napa Fume Blanc

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




2009 Robert Mondavi Napa Fume Blanc
#nb-19-11


The fishing in Matlacha, Florida in May of 2011 was only fair, but the dining was superb!
We of course consumed great quantities of seafood and numerous bottles of really good wine, and an occasional cold beer with oysters on the half shell. We even provided ourselves with a terrific dinner of fresh spotted sea trout. However the biggest treat of all, was being invited to dinner with our neighbors for a feast of home cooked Chicken Milanese with lemon, butter and garlic sauce. It was fabulous, and so was the bottle of 2009 Mondavi Napa Fume Blanc which we enjoyed along with this wonderful Italian dish!

Several decades ago when California Sauvignon Blanc was having personality problems, a number of wineries began to designate their Sauvignon Blanc as Fume Blanc, in order to emphasize the dry nature of the wine. One of these wineries was Robert Mondavi, and we have enjoyed many vintages over the years of their Napa Fume Blanc.

The 2009 Napa Fume Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon and has a delicate pale straw color, with an alcohol content of 13.8%. The nose is bright and sunny with notes of flowers, pineapple and citrus. The flavor is complex, and yet simple, with the pinneaple and citrus being complemented by nuances of apple and melon, leading into a crisp lingering finish. The flavor is not to bold, but sturdy enough to stand up to the garlic and butter sauce in the Chicken Milanese.

Our Neighbors provided us with a delightful feast, which was highlighted by the Napa Fume Blanc. This wine would pair well with almost any seafood or fowl dish, and would make an excellent accompaniment to Shrimp Scampi! Norm's score is 90.


Price: $13 to $17
Score: 90


Norm

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

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

2008 Ruffino Chianti Classico Aziano

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





2008 Ruffino Chianti Classico Aziano
#nb-17-11


In 2007 Ruffino celebrated its 130th anniversary of making wine in Tuscany, Italy, after their founding by Liario Ruffino in 1877. They produced their first reserve Chianti in 1947. They now produce several different levels of Chianti, including Aziano, which is my favorite in the value priced range.

I have been in love with Ruffino Chianti since long before I can remember! Maybe its because when I was a little boy in Napa, California, the family's favorite Italian restaurant was a place called Ruffino's, in downtown Napa, where I occasionally got a "sip" of Chianti with my spaghetti. I last visited Ruffino's in Napa in 2000, but I do not believe it is still there. Later when I was about twelve, we used to visit Spano's Italian-Seafood Restaurant in downtown Columbus, Georgia. Spano's was opened in the 1880's and lasted until the 1990's. Visits there for a Saturday plate of spaghetti often included a three ounce glass of Ruffino Chianti to accompany my lunch. So you might understand that I am well acquainted with Ruffino Chianti.

My last glass of Ruffino was this past Tuesday night, with a big plate of homemade spaghetti with marinara sauce with meat. The wine was the 2008 Ruffino Chianti Classico Aziano and as expected, it was delightful! The color is a deep ruby red with good clarity, and just looks tempting as you pour it. The fragrance is a blend of red berries and cherries which transition into flavors of berries and herbs with a trace of spiciness. This Chianti finishes strong with enough tannin to cut through the acidity found in tomato sauce. Aziano is primarily Sangiovese with small amounts of Cannaiolo and Merlot blended in to round out the flavors. The alcohol content is 13%.

This is a rich tasting Chianti with a value price, and will complement any pasta dish, and would be especially good with veal Marsala. Norm's score is 89.



Price: $12 to $16
Score: 89

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