2011 Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Fume Blanc

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2011 Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Fume Blanc

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During the last few years I have sampled a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc, which are the same wine with different names, but they are both made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, which happens to be my favorite white wine.  Just as the names are different the taste of a lot of these wines can vary from grassy, to steely, to fruity, and as is the case in many from New Zealand, the taste of grapefruit.

The 2011 Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc from Sonoma County, California is what I call a "tweener", as it is a little fruity, a little grassy and has a citrus breeze, but not quite grapefruit in flavor.  The nose is full of apples, peaches and citrus and opens into an array of flavors suggesting its multiple personalities.  This is a clean wine on the palate with a crisp citrus finish.  I have had many vintages of the St. Jean over the years, and while this is not the best ever, it is still a solid performer , and would be a good addition to any table.

This wine is delightful with soft cheeses and fresh fruit for an informal gathering.  For dinner fare, it would pair best with roasted herb chicken or poached flounder, and would be excellent with a fresh Cobb salad.  Norm's score is 87.

 

Score: 87

Price: $11-$16

 

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 Dunwoody, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and others:

dunwoody.patch.com/‎

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2011 Geyser Peak Uncensored Red

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

 

 

2011 Geyser Peak Uncensored Red

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During the holidays, the "Chardonnay Queen" and I had the pleasure to spend a few days at a friend's beautiful retreat at Seaside Florida.  There were six of us, with a mixture of palates from sophisticated, to those who just enjoy an occasional glass of wine.  One of the wines which we all enjoyed was the 2011 Geyser Peak Uncensored Red from California.

The Uncensored Red is a blend of seven different grapes, some well known, others not so much so.  Wines like this at one time were called "field blends" since they contain all of the grapes from out in the fields.  When the wine maker does his job well, the result is an easy to drink mix of the best qualities of all of the grapes used.  The folks at Geyser Peak did a good job with this one.

The wine is a pretty purple red, with a nose that creates a breeze of plums and blackberries.  The flavor smacks of cherries and spice, and everything nice!  The taste of dark fruit flows into a finish smooth in texture, with a lingering hint of spice, which begs for another sip.  The wine is off-dry and easy to drink, with an alcohol content of 13.5%

You may not be at a beach resort, but you can enjoy a small vacation by sharing a glass with friends.  The wine would also make a good companion for burgers, or even a loaded up burrito.  Norm's score is 88.

 

Score: 88

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 Dunwoody, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and others:

dunwoody.patch.com/‎

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity

2011 Vina Quintay Tolol Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

 
 

 

 

2011 Vina Quintay Tolol Cabernet Sauvignon

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Cabernet with chili?  Why not?  They both taste good in cold weather, so why not pair the two for a wintertime meal?  If you are going to pair Cabernet with chili, then you might as well use a Cabernet from Chile.  So we paired a bottle of 2011 Vina Quintay Tolol Cabernet Sauvignon from Curico Valley in Chile, with a big bowl of Norm's special Homemade Chili, and created a cold weather powerhouse.  My homemade chili has a lot of spice and heat, so it needs a sturdy wine to go with it. This was a great combination!

The Tolol opens with a fragrant nose of dark berries and black cherry, which mirrored its dark ruby red color.  The flavor is a combination of black cherry and blackberry, with a slight hint of plum.  The finish is clean but lingering, with a soft nuance of tannin, and a slight touch of pepper.  The alcohol content is a perfect 13.5%.

While this Cabernet was really good with Norm's Homemade Chili, it would also be good with spaghetti, or grilled chops.  This is a good value wine in the value price range.  Norm's score is 88.

 

Score: 88

Price: $9-$12

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 Dunwoody, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and others:

dunwoody.patch.com/‎

 

 

WINE – God’s Proof of his love for humanity