2010 Waterstone Napa Valley Merlot

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Waterstone Napa Valley Merlot

#nb-37-13

"Tasting Talker" attached

 

 

 

 

Decent red wines from Napa, in the under twenty dollar range, are hard to come by, but the 2010 Waterstone Merlot is an exception. This is a firm and supple Merlot with a lot of Cabernet character, and a modest price range.  The grapes are 100% Merlot and come from both Carneros, and the Chiles Valley., which represent both the north and south of Napa.  The wine was aged in oak for 24 months, and is not a large run, with only 1232 cases being produced.

The nose opens up with a heavy punch to the senses full of blackberry and cherry aromas, which immediately announce that this is a wine of substance.  The flavors abound with cherry, blackberry and plum, leading into a lingering finish, highlighted by a touch of vanilla, and a hint of oak.  The wine finishes long and clean, suggesting another sip.  The alcohol content is a healthy, but mild 15.1%.

The Waterstone Merlot is an excellent choice for grilled meats, such as steaks and chops. If you really enjoy red wine, you may want to just sip this one, and maybe add a piece of aged sharp cheese.  Norm's score is 90.

 

 

Score: 90

Price: $16 - $19

 

Norm

 

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

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

 

Also on "The Patch" at Oconee, Dunwoody and others:

oconee.patch.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2012 Oyster Bay Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Oyster Bay Chardonnay

#nb-36-13

 

Wines from Marlborough, New Zealand rank with some of the best wines in the world.  The 2012 Oyster Bay Chardonnay is a good example of the wines from Marlborough, and was an excellent companion for the "Chardonnay Queen's" world famous Shrimp Scampi.  Alas this was the last of the gulf shrimp which we brought back from Florida a few weeks ago, so I guess we will have get back down to the "Cottage by the Sea" for more.

The Oyster Bay has an excellent aroma of pear and apricot, with a little apple to guide the senses toward its full-bodied flavor.  The flavors are in sync and contain tropical fruit and pear. with apple undertones leading into a clean and crisp finish.  There is a mild presence of vanilla and oak at the end which highlights the creamy texture of the wine.  The alcohol content is 13%.

This is a solid example of a New Zealand Chardonnay, and was good with our special shrimp scampi.  It would also pair well with a host of other seafood fare.  You might want to try it with lemon chicken, or grilled turkey breast.  Norm's score is 86

 

Score 86

Price: $11 - $15

 

Norm

 

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

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

 

Also on "The Patch" at Oconee, Dunwoody and others:

oconee.patch.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2012 Clean Slate Riesling

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Clean Slate Riesling

#nb-35-13 

 

It is not too early to start thinking about Thanksgiving, and I have just sampled a wine which would be a good choice for your Thanksgiving turkey.  The 2012 Clean Slate Riesling from the Mosel Region of Germany is a typical German Riesling which pairs well with both fish and fowl.

The nose is fresh and clean with aromas of apple and citrus.  This is a fruit- forward style wine, with flavors of peach, apple and tropical fruit.  The finish is clean and simple with a hint of citrus, and no real aftertaste.  The wine is 100% Riesling, and was aged in stainless steel for four months, and has an alcohol content of 10.5%.

Riesling is always a good choice for Thanksgiving, since it pairs well with a variety of foods, and its slight fruity characteristic is a good companion for turkey.  This wine would also be nice with spicy Asian or Mexican fare.

 

 

 

Score: 85

 

Price: $10 - $13

 

 

Norm

 

 

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

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

 

 

Also on "The Patch" at Oconee, Dunwoody and others:

oconee.patch.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2011 Root One Carmenere

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

2011 Root One Carmenere

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Root One Carmenere has been a house favorite for several years now, and 2011 will be at least the fourth one which I have sampled.  I think of Carmenere as an in-between flavor, possessing the best of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The "lost grape of Bordeaux" seems to have captured fans from both of those two more famous grape varieties.  It is rapidly achieving the status in Chile, which Malbec has already claimed in Argentina.  If you really enjoy red wines, and have not as yet sampled a Carmenere, then you are in for a treat.

 

The 2011 Root One Carmenere has a nose which leaps out of the bottle as soon as the cork is released.  The aromas of dark fruit and summer blackberry vines are prevalent.  The flavor is just as powerful, with big gobs of fruit suggesting blackberry and plum, with gentle under currents of vanilla and spice.  The finish is long and lingering and begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 13.5%

 

We enjoyed the Root One with a big thick fillet from the grill, combined with a big salad containing everything from the garden, and a hot baked potato.  This is also a great wine for lasagna and other rich sauced pasta dishes.  Norm's score is 88.

 

 

 

Score: 88

Price: $10 - $13

 

Norm

 

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

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

Also on "The Patch" at Oconee, Dunwoody and others:

oconee.patch.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2012 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay

#nb-33-13

"Tasting Talker" attached

 

 

After two  weeks of catching a few fish, and eating a lot of fish and shrimp, we are back in the big "A".  It was wonderful at our "Little Cottage by the Sea" in Matlacha, FL, and we certainly enjoyed the local cuisine, along with several good bottles of wine.  The standout was the 2012 Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay.

The Coppola Chardonnay opens with an intense bouquet of tropical fruit and a hint of honeysuckle.  The flavor is abundant with gobs of big fruit tasting of ripe apples and some pear, which is enhanced by tropical fruit and a hint of orange zest.  The finish is strong and clean with a crisp lingering aftertaste of vanilla, imparted by its six months of aging in French oak.  The alcohol content is a perfect 13.5%.

We enjoyed this Chardonnay with a big platter of shrimp, but it would pair well with almost any seafood dish, including grilled grouper, or even steamed clams.  Norm's score is 89.

 

Score:89

Price: $11 - $15

 

Norm

 

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

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

Also on "The Patch" at Oconee, Dunwoody and others:

oconee.patch.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity