Norm's Tasting Notes

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Tom Gore California Chardonnay

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I received a sample of the 2013 Tom Gore California Chardonnay, and had to do a little research about the wine since I had no previous knowledge concerning it. It seems that Tom Gore is a second generation grape farmer from Sonoma County, and is now having wine bottled under his own name. The label is fairly new to the market place, so of course the "Chardonnay Queen" was anxious to try it. Her comment after dinner was, "Pleasant".

We prepared an excellent dinner of grilled salmon, grilled zucchini and an avocado salad., to sample the wine with. The wine opens with a light breeze from the apple orchard in its nose. The opening flavors are of apple and peach with a strong presence of vanilla, and a nice buttery feel in the middle. The finish is clean, but needs a bit more acidity, as it fades away toward the end. The alcohol content is 14.5%, and there is no noticeable oak in the finish.

I would recommend this wine for light salad fare, or served cold, to be enjoyed on the back porch on a hot summer night. I would agree with the Chardonnay Queen, and describe the wine as pleasant.

score: 86

price: $12 - $15

Norm

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

2013 Acrobat Pinto Gris

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Acrobat Pinot Gris

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I had another delightful lunch the other day with my old friend the Wine Sales Manager, who works for one of the large wine distributors. We dined at one of Atlanta's better seafood restaurants, and enjoyed shrimp stuffed with crab, and Parmesan encrusted flounder. Of course the number one purpose of our meeting was to talk over old times, and discuss current trends in the Wine Industry. We always order a wine which is on his sales list, and I usually write about the wine, since he has a good palate and the wine is almost always a top scorer.

This selection was no exception, being a wine from the King Estates folks up in Oregon. It was the 2013 Acrobat Pinot Gris, a secondary label for King Estates. This one was scored a 90 by both "Wine & Spirits Magazine" as well as "The Wine Enthusiast". Because it is such a good value in its price range, I am going to up its score to 92. This a really good choice for most seafood dishes, and is a more polished wine than most of the Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris wines you may have enjoyed in the past.

The wine opens with a flowery bouquet laced with a lemony citrus breeze, and a hint of melon. The flavors swirl with an abundance of green apple and melon, with a complex background suggesting lemon zest and a trace of vanilla. The wine highlights the perfect balance between big fruit and crisp acidity, and sails on into a clean and lingering finish. The alcohol content is a perfect 13.5%

This wine would be a good partner for diverse flavors such as blackened fish, or poached trout. As I said before, Norm's score is 92.

score: 92

price: $13 - $16

Norm

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, April 30, 2015

2012 Franciscan Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2012 Franciscan Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

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Want to know how to make Wednesdays a lot better? Just grill a big thick steak out on the Barbie, throw in a fresh green salad, and add a quality bottle of Napa Cab, and you will forget that it is still the middle of the week! A good choice for your mid-week feast would be a bottle of the 2012 Franciscan Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I reviewed the 2011 vintage, and this one, though a little different, is still a mighty tasty Cab.

The Franciscan is a dark purple in hue, with good clarity, and the nose features the strong aroma of black cherry, which leads to an abundance of rich dark fruit, supported by a good balance between fruit and acidity. The fruit flavors showcase the black cherry, with a strong contrast of plum, and subtle hints of cassis and vanilla. The finish is long and lingering with a subtle background of mild oak. The alcohol content is an almost perfect 13.5%.

We paired this Cab with a thick medium rare fillet, accompanied by planks of grilled zucchini, and a fresh avocado and tomato salad on a bed of baby spring mixed greens, which was the right combination to forget the hump-day blahs. This is a solid Napa Cab, and would be great with an array of dishes ranging from linguine bolognaise to grilled venison. Norm's score is 89.

score: 89

price: $19 - $25

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, April 23, 2015

2013 Ferrai-Carono Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes
by: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Ferrai-Carono Chardonnay

Tasting Talker attached

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Best dinner in paradise so far, consisted of steamed Pine Island clams, shrimp, and fried calamari. with a bottle of 2013 Ferrai-Carono Chardonnay at Red's Fresh Seafood. The "Chardonnay Queen" loves Pine Island Clams, and she loved the Ferrai-Carono Chardonnay which we enjoyed along with the clams.

The aroma bursts out of the glass and grabs you by the nose with the scents of apple and honeydew. The flavor is complex, and yet simple, with the basic components of Chardonnay, which explode with apple and pear, with a little peach and a mild citrus breeze. The balance is almost perfection, as the wine finishes with bold fruit and good acidity in a harmonious union of pleasure leading to a crisp and clean ending, which begs for another sip! The wine is 100% Chardonnay from Sonoma, with an alcohol content of 14.2%. Norm's score is 91.

Great with Pine Island clams, and shrimp, this Chardonnay would stand well with any seafood dish, and would also make an excellent companion for an array of cold salads to match against a hot summer evening. My choice would be grilled chicken salad with Roquefort dressing.

score: 91

price: $16 - $21

Norm

p.s. Best breakfast in Matlacha is the Weekend Brunch at the Blue Dog Bar and Grill (Crabcake Eggs Benedict)

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Friday, April 17, 2015

2013 Rodney Strong Sonoma Chardonnay

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net

Photo: HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Toast your New Year with a good glass of wine!

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-14-15

2013 Rodney Strong Sonoma Chardonnay

We are back in paradise at the little cottage by the sea in Matlacha, Florida, where the fishing is good, the fresh seafood is great, and we have managed a few good wines as well. The best so far is the 2013 Rodney Strong Sonoma Chardonnay.

I am starting to believe that 2013 was quite a good year for California Chardonnay, since most that I have tasted so far are excellent. The Rodney Strong Sonoma has good balance, and a bright and fresh nose to accompany an abundant array of flavors. Lots of apple and pear with a strong crisp finish, which begs for another sip.

Of course when you are in Florida you are enjoying a good Chardonnay like this with fresh shrimp or fish, but this one would also be great with a big plate of Fettuccine Alfredo, and a garden fresh salad. But, that's all for now, as I have a date with a Speckled Sea Trout.

Norm's score is 89.

score: 89

price: $12 - $15

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, April 9, 2015

2012 Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc

The North Georgia Wine Advisor
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2012 Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc

When I was in retail, I used to tell my customers that the best characteristic of an inexpensive wine was an absence of bad characteristics. A simple statement, but oh so true. Such is the case for the 2012 Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc. It has no really good characteristics, but is not offensive in any way. It is rather innocuous, but drinkable, and actually quite pleasant, which says a lot these days for an under nine dollar bottle of wine.

The wine opens with a faint scent of citrus. The flavors contain mild references to both lemon and lime, and perhaps a hint of melon. This is a light and clean wine with very little complexity, but it is balanced, and finishes with a touch of vanilla, which quickly fades away. The alcohol content is 13.5%. This is a pleasant, but un-assuming wine, with no bad characteristics.

We served the Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc with sesame-ginger chicken and a fresh green salad. The wine would be suitable for most foods, since it is non-competitive in taste. Norm's score is 85.

score: 85

price: $8 - $10

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, April 2, 2015

2013 Starmont Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-12-15

2013 Starmont Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

The Starmont Winery is located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, and the grapes from this excellent Sauvignon Blanc are sourced from various vineyards throughout the area. The composition for this wine is 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillon, which make it somewhat Bordeaux-like in character. The wine was aged in a combination of stainless steel and oak, and the alcohol content is 13.5%.

The Starmont Sauvignon Blanc opens with an array of flowers in the nose, backed by the fragrance of melon, and a mild citrus breeze. The flavors abound with the essence of melon framed by a touch of lime, lemon zest, and just a hint of apricot. The finish is fresh and crisp, with very little aftertaste, and begs for another sip. Norm's score is 90.

The Starmont would pair well with a variety of fish and fowl dishes, but for a special treat, serve it with an assortment of soft cheeses and a platter of sliced red apples. This wine is definitely a candidate for a "back porch sipper", so it would be wonderful on a warm summer night by itself.

score: 90

price: $14 - $18

Norm

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