2009 Frescobaldi Remole Toscana

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






2009 Frescobaldi Remole Toscana
#nb-32-11


Tuscany, Italy conjures up visions of sun-bathed rolling hills covered with grape vines, and smothered with romance. This area of Italy has been producing wine for more than 2000 years, and the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi has been making wine in Tuscany for more than 700 of those years. The 2009 Remole Toscana is a fine example of these wonderful wines, and is in the value priced category. This is a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and comes in at 12.5% alcohol.

The Remole is a pretty ruby red in color, with a nose of cassis and blackberry. The flavors swirl in the glass with hints of blackberry, currant, and cherry, which sail into a clean, yet lingering finish. This is an easy drinking wine which is still young, and opens up considerably in the glass, so breathing it for a half hour before drinking would be suggested.

We enjoyed this Tuscan Blend with a big plate of spaghetti marinara with meat, and a green garden salad. This wine would pair well with almost any pasta dish, and would be a good substitute for Chianti. It would also be perfect with Chicken Caccciatore. Norm's score is 87.

Price: $10 to $12
Score: 87


Norm


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

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WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2010 Big House Unchained "Naked" Chardonnay

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






2010 Big House Unchained "Naked" Chardonnay
#nb-30-11


The weather forecast said hot and humid for the next three days, and the Chardonnay Queen said, "might as well be, that's the way its been for the last three months." The "dog days" are upon us and have been for it seems, forever. Because of the heat, we have been eating a lot of salads for dinner, which are better than hot meals these days.

Last night we had a chilled seafood salad and a bottle of 2010 Big House Unchained "Naked" Chardonnay. This is a 100% Chardonnay which was fermented in stainless steel tanks with no oak, and no malolactic fermentation. It showcases the fruit, and is clean and refreshing, and a good companion for cold salad on a hot night.

The aroma is fresh and fruity, as is the taste of the wine, with tropical fruit overtones. The finish is crisp with a hint of citrus and literally fades away into the heat of the night. The alcohol content is 13%. I would not choose this wine for a heavy dinner like lobster and drawn butter, but it goes well with lighter fare such as our chilled salad. Norm's score is 84.

Price: $9 to $12
Score: 84

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

2010 Bodegas Callia Alta Malbec

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






2010 Bodegas Callia Alta Malbec
#nb-28-11


Over the last five or six years, I have sampled some pretty nice Malbec wines from Chile, but last night we tried a Malbec from Argentina, and liked it quite a lot. It was the 2010 Bodegas Callia Alta Malbec from the Tulum Valley in Argentina.

Malbec is one of the original Bordeaux grapes from France and has a history of being blended with other grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, to add an earthy backbone to some of the great Chateau wines. The grape seems to thrive in the mountains and valleys below the equator and is becoming a single variety wine of some stature on its own.

This wine hails from the province of San Juan where the Tulum Valley is located. The climate is moderate with low rainfall, and rich soil which produces grapes with intense juicy flavors. The Callia Malbec opens with a fragrant aroma of plums and currants which transition into big flavors of plum and currant, with undertones of cherry. The wine feels good in your mouth with long legs of glycerin, leading to a lingering finish suggesting a slight vanilla oak presence. The alcohol level is 13.5%

I had sampled a previous vintage of Callia a couple of years ago, but had not found it to be as outstanding as this 2010 vintage. We enjoyed this bottle of wine with braised beef tips in a rich brown mushroom gravey, and found it to be delightful. It would pair well with most any grilled meat or spicy sauced pasta dish. Norm's score is 89.


Price: $9 to $12
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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WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Danzante Pinot Grigio

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






2009 Danzante Pinot Grigio
#nb-28-11


My wife Mary (the "Chardonnay Queen") and I, have several wines which we call "house favorites". These are wines which we have enjoyed over several years, and several vintages, and are consistent winners for taste and value. Our house favorite Pinot Grigio is Danzante, whether for light fare meals, or just back porch sipping.

The 2009 Danzante Pinot Grigio comes from grapes grown in the northeastern region of Italy know as Le Venezie. The climate is a little cool in the summer and produces some of the best Pinot Grigio in the world. This Danzante is a light yellow in color with an aroma of flowers and citrus. The flavors are typical of Pinot Grigio with pronounced swirls of pineapple, mixed with citrus and tropical fruit. The alcohol level is 12%.

As I said before this wine pairs well with light fare from seafood to Santa Fe chicken salad. We enjoy it often as a before dinner glass of wine, or as an evening refresher with a bowl of grapes. Its clean crisp finish is perfect for these hot summer evenings. Norm's score is 87.


Price: $7 to $10
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

2008 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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






2008 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
#nb-27-11



Over the years I have been fortunate to have consumed many wonderful vintages of the Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. There is nothing like a steak hot off the grill and a bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon The 2008 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon certainly fits that bill, as we found out just the other night. This was a terrific bottle of wine with our steak dinner!

The following quotes are from The Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate, which each scored this wine with an 89. I enjoyed this vintage enough to increase those scores to a 90.

"Notably herbal, showing bay leaf and mint notes, along with plenty of currant, earth, mineral and dried berry flavors to fill in the gaps. Full-bodied and firmly tannic, ending with complex black licorice and wet stone flavors. Best from 2012 through 2020. 93,000 cases made." - 89 Points - Wine Spectator

"The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, Mondavi's least expensive Cabernet Sauvignon, is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and other grapes. It has a healthy deep ruby/purple color, with a pleasant nose of black fruits intermixed with hints of charcoal and spice, delicious, sweet fruit, medium body, and nice suppleness and flesh. Given that discounters will probably price this wine in the low twenties, this could be an outstanding bargain. It is no doubt a tribute to the talents of their director of winemaking, Genevieve Janssens. Drink it over the next decade. " - 89 Points - The Wine Advocate.

Our steak was a perfect medium rare, and the 2008 Napa Cab stood right up to it with fragrant aromas of dark berries and cassis, which transfered into flavors of cherry, plum and cassis. The flavors intermingled, and then flowed into a full-bodied finish with subtle tannins, and a dry whisper, which denied the 15% alcohol content. If you like Cab and steak, you would have to search long and hard to find a better pair than this! From Napa, where "wine is bottled poetry".   Norm's score is 90.


Price: $20 to $25
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 Irony Monterey County Pinot Noir

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






2009 Irony Monterey County Pinot Noir
#NB-26-11



Grilled salmon and Pinot Noir, what a combo! Now, I will drink white wine with salmon at the drop of a hat, but as far as I am concerned, nothing beats Pinot Noir with salmon. Last night we opened a bottle of 2009 Irony Monterey County Pinot Noir to accompany our grilled salmon, and it was a great match.

Monterey is a good area to grow Pinot Noir, with warm days and cool Pacific breeze nights to nourish the delicate Pinot Noir grapes. The Irony opens up with a light nose of jammy berries and hints of cherry. The flavor starts out with a slight strawberry nuance, a favorite of mine in a Pinot Noir. It continues into a pronounced cherry flavor which remains solid into the finish, which lingers with a bit of vanilla. The wine was aged in oak for three months, which was just enough to impart a little of the oak into the finish.

The Irony is 89% Pinot Noir, 5% Petite Sirah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% other. The alcohol content is 13.5%. This is not an over-powering Pinot Noir and is a touch on the light side, which to me makes it the right style for salmon. It made our grilled salmon a wonderful meal, and I would pair these two any time. Norm's score is 87.


Price: $12 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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WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity

2009 Hess Select Chardonnay

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





2009 Hess Select Monterey Chardonnay
#nb-25-11


The 2009 Hess Select Chardonnay, from Monterey, California, is a continuation of a long line of impressive vintages from the folks at Hess. It is 100% Chardonnay, which has been aged in French oak for nine months, and comes in at 13.4% alcohol. The connerstone for the grapes in this bottle come from the Shirttail Creek Vineyard in Monterey.

Flavor highlights include pear, apple, and a touch of pineapple. The nine months in oak show through in the finish, which is clean and crisp. Fruit and acidity are well-balanced, making the finish mindful of another sip. This is a true Chardonnay in the value price range, and would pair well with a full meal, or just a bowl of fruit.

We enjoyed our 2009 Hess Select Chardonnay with a chicken pasta dish loaded with cheese and garlic. It was delightful!. This wine would also be a great companion with almost any lighter seafood dish, including Shrimp Alfredo. Norm's score is 88.


Price: $9 to $12
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
thecherokeeconnection.com







WINE - God's proof of his love for humanity