Norm's Tasting Notes

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2011 Layer Cake Primitivo

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There is a California winemaker by the name of Jayson Woodbridge, who has a traveling team which he takes on the road to other countries to make wine there from their grapes. He calls these wines Layer Cake since when he was little, his grandmother always made a big layer cake for special occasions, and his grandfather always poured everyone a glass of wine for the celebration as well. One of his first visits some years back was to Italy to make Zinfandel which is called Primitivo there.

The other night we opened a bottle of the 2011 Layer Cake Primitivo to accompany our grilled steak, and it was delightful. The wine s well rounded and contains gobs of juicy fruit suggesting blackberry, black cherry, and raspberry. It is smooth and complex with enough acidity to cleanse the palate after each bite of the steak. The finish is lingering with a bit of chocolate toward the end.

We enjoyed the Primitivo with a big, thick, medium rare New York strip with baked potato and fresh green garden salad. It would pair well with almost any meat, including a big old dressed up hamburger! Norm's score is 88.

price: $13 - $18

score - 88

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

2013 Louis Latour Macon Villages

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Louis Latour Macon Village

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The Macon Villages near Pouilly Fuisse produces some of the better and more attainable Chardonnays from the Burgundy area of France, and the 2013 vintage from Louis Latour is no exception. The region abounds in chalky white mineral soils which bleed through into the taste of the wine itself. Maison Louis Latour has a long history of bringing quality wine to the table for a reasonable price, and the Macon Village is always a first choice in the marketplace.

The Latour Macon opens with a bright nose with floral and citrus aromas combining for a sensory explosion. The fireworks continue as the taste buds are assailed with bouncy flavors of apple and plum , with just a slight touch of grapefruit. The finish is crisp and clean with a lingering steely mineral finish which is subtle and satisfying. The alcohol content is a pleasant 13%. One notable comment would be that this wine is more "California" in style than previous offerings, which is a little less steely with a touch more ripened fruit.

Enjoy this one any way that you normally like Chardonnay, but to arrive at its most desirable location, set it next to an abundant plate of any kind of shellfish, particularly crab. Norm's score is 89.

price: $12 - $16

score - 89

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, September 3, 2015

2013 Ruffino Piniot Grigio Lumina

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina

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The other night we had a neighbor over for dinner, and the Chardonnay Queen prepared her world famous Special Shrimp Scampi, made with lots of garlic and butter. The neighbor presented us with a bottle of 2013 Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina, which paired extremely well with the shrimp. As many of you know Ruffino is one of my longtime favorite wineries, and has a rich history spanning hundreds of years.

The Ruffino Pinot Grigio opened with a luscious aroma of wildflowers, backed by a ripe basket of fruit from the orchard, and a bit of citrus breeze. The fruit flavors abound with peaches, tropical fruit, and a bit of apple in the mix as well. The finish is clean and crisp and begs for another sip. The alcohol content is a pleasant 12%.

The wine was an excellent companion for the Shrimp Scampi, and would also pair well with most summer salads. For a special treat serve this Pinot Grigio with a plate of assorted fruit, including grapes and apples, and an array of soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. It also is quite suitable as a "Back Porch Sipper". Norm's score is 88.

price: $10 - $12

score - 88

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

2013 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay

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We had a special seafood dinner the other night with our cousin, which featured fresh caught sea trout and a bottle of one of the Chardonnay Queen's most favorites, the 2013 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay. I wrote about this wine about six months ago, but I must confess it has gotten even better, and I now score it at 93. The rich buttery, apple-pear flavors just knock your socks off! Below is what I wrote some months back.

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2013 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay

Sometimes it is good to visit an old friend, and such was the case the other night when we opened a bottle of Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay, which happens to be one of the Chardonnay Queen's favorites. I have not written about the Chalk Hill in three or four years, and the 2013 vintage is one of the best in a long time! The wines from the chalky white soil in the region remind me of the great white burgundies from Montrachet, with their strong mineral character and crisp, and somewhat steely taste.

This is a classic Chardonnay for an everyday price. The bouquet reminds one of a basket of apples fresh from the orchard, accompanied by a spray of wildflowers. The flavors are abundant with apple being the most assertive, with a touch of tropical fruit, graced by a hint of citrus in the background. This is a well rounded Chardonnay which has the mineral backdrop characteristic of the chalky soil, and has a creamy mouth-feel leading into a crisp, but lingering finish. The alcohol content is 14%.

Adding the Rodney Strong Chalk Hill to a plate of Shrimp Scampi and fresh asparagus was delightful. This Chardonnay tastes like Chardonnay, which is not as common as it once was, and means that it would pair well with anything you enjoy with Chardonnay. Norm's score is 91.

The Score of 91 has been raised to 93 after an additional six months in the bottle, and a wonderful dinner of Trout Caribbean and Maryland Crab cakes. This wine will be terrific with anything you would drink Chardonnay with!

score: 93

price: $ 15 - $19

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

2012 Chateau Greysac

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2012 Chateau Greysac

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We had a little family dinner the other night and threw a couple of thick ribeyes on the grill and seared them a perfect medium rare, and opened up a red Bordeaux to complete the feast. It turned out pretty good. The Bordeaux was a bottle of 2012 Chateau Greysac from the Medoc, which I have enjoyed in the past, and the 2012 was a great companion for our steaks. The Greysac is still a little young at three years old, so we let it breathe for about thirty minutes before pouring, and even then the first glass was still a little closed in.

When the wine did open up, it displayed a rich aroma of cherry and black currant, with a bit of spicy note in the background. The flavor was well rounded with a heavy dose of currant coupled with black cherry, and mild toasty oak. The finish is long, and the wine continues to develop in the glass, with the last taste over-shadowing the first. The wine is a blend of Merlot and some Cabernet Sauvignon, and also splashes of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

This is a good example of an affordable Bordeaux, but it is still a little young, and will probably be best in another year or so. Let it breathe a little and it will be excellent with your steak, or pair it with Veal Scaloppini and a side of Spaghetti Marinara.

score: 88

price: $ 17 - $23

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, August 13, 2015

B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2013 B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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Just as good as ever, the 2013 B Side reminds me a lot of the 2009 vintage that I wrote about a few years back, so here is a copy of that article:

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

2009 B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
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When I first got in the wine business, I loved Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa, California so much, that I hardly ever drank any other red wine. After a few decades in the wine business, I have learned to enjoy wonderful wines from all over the world. However, when I open a really good bottle of Napa Cabernet, its like coming home. After all, I was born there many long years ago, back when there were more fruit orchards than grape vineyards in the Napa. Valley.

The history of the Sabastiani family also goes back quite aways in California, and the winery of Don Sabastiani and Sons has continued a fine family tradition. The 2009 B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an extension of that tradition in its finest. I have sampled a few of the previous vintages and have enjoyed them all. The 2009 is a big tasting Cab for a reasonable price, and I enjoyed this one as well.

The B Side opens up with a nose as dark and intense as its vibrant deep purple color. The aromas of black cherry and currants lead into flavors of dark cherry and plum with a strong over-riding blackberry influence. There are gobs of fruit accompanied by a slight chocolate whisper, which finish with sturdy tannins for a refined oak finish. This is the real deal, we ain't in Kansas Toto! I love Napa Cabs and this is a very good example of Napa's "Bottled Poetry", and at around twenty dollars it is comparable to a lot of Cabs costing twice as much.

We enjoyed this wonderful bottle of wine with a two inch thick New York strip cooked a perfect medium rare. I don't know what could be better! Norm's score is 92.

Price: $19 to $24
Score: 92

Norm

2013 B Side:

Norm's score is 91. Mike, a member of Norm's Tasting Panel had this to say: "I agree with the previous review. Though I can't identify the fruit and wood involved, I did notice the tannins and dryness. I felt it was smooth and lacked any bitterness. I enjoyed it and would give it a 93. It certainly is a great wine."

score: 91

price: $ 23 - $28

Norm

Available online at:

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

Thursday, August 6, 2015

2014 Franciscan Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Norm's Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

2014 Franciscan Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (A Split Decision)

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When I first started judging wines at wine festivals and other venues years ago, we used a fairly regimented criteria. First, the wine had to conform to the recognized character of the variety which it represented. For instance, Chardonnay usually contains the essence of apple and pear as a basic platform. As the art of winemaking has progressed throughout the years, flavors have become more varied and you can no longer look to Bordeaux or Napa to find standards for the variety you are sampling. One of the hardest to judge or describe, has always been Sauvignon Blanc. At one time you had two basic styles. Grassy flavors from California, and Steely or Mineral flavors from Bordeaux or Loire. I always preferred grassy, with apple and lemon zest in its makeup.

About a dozen years ago Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand began to appear in the market place with a distinct grapefruit presence. I am not a winemaker, but I believe that one technique used to enhance this characteristic is letting the fruit over ripen a touch before harvest. Whatever the method, this "grapefruit" aroma and flavor has become quite popular in the market place, but I must confess that it is not a personal favorite of mine. However, commenting on wines is an objective adventure, and the challenge is to identify good wines regardless of personal preference. I recently received a sample of the 2014 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Franciscan, who produces a lot of wines which I enjoy. The Chardonnay Queen and I did not agree on the score for this wine, so in a "Split Decision", I am providing the reader with both responses. I might add, that we both enjoyed the wine.

The Queen's description is; "a distinct grapefruit nose with lemon undertones. The flavors suggest lemon, and lemongrass, which linger to the finish, which is clean with citrus, and a slight mineral back note." The score is 90.

Norm's description is; "a distinct aroma of grapefruit with a little lime, leading to flavors of grapefruit, lime, and a touch of melon. The finish is clean and refreshing with an herbal hint toward the end." The score is 87.

The Franciscan Sauvignon Blanc would be a good partner for Thai Shrimp Mango Tango, or Mexican Shrimp Fajitas. For a special treat, try it with an avocado and grapefruit salad, and you will have your grapefruit fix for the whole week!

Chardonnay Queen's score is 90.

Norm's score is 87.

score: 87 (90)

price: $ 13 - $16

Norm

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