2012 McManis Family Vineyards Viognier

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                         

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-07-15

2012 McManis Family Vineyards Viognier

 

The McManis Family Vineyards was founded in 1990 by a family of grape farmers who had been growing grapes in California for more than fifty years before bottling their first bottle of wine.  In the last twenty five years they have established themselves as a solid winery producing mostly value priced wines.  One of the stars in their lineup has for many years been the Viognier.  Viognier grapes, which originate from the Rhone region of France, can often be described as similar to Chardonnay, but more aromatic in nature, with a slightly lighter finish, but often can be just as full-bodied as Chardonnay.

 

This Viognier opens with a delicate nose of apricot and pear, which leads to an abundant presence of fruit which is highlighted by melon, peach and a touch of the apricot.  The wine is full-bodied, but smooth, with the fruit being well-balanced with the acidity, ending in a clean finish containing a hint of grapefruit zest.  The McManis Voignier was fermented in stainless steel, and has an alcohol content of 13.5%.  This is a dry wine, but also possesses gobs of big fruit.

 

We enjoyed our bottle of Viognier with grilled salmon and a fresh garden salad.  However, I have found that Viognier is an excellent companion for spicy Thai foods such as Mango Tango Shrimp, or hot and spicy Basil Chicken.  Norm's score is 87. 

 

score: 87

price: $10 - $13

Norm

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-06-15

2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay

 

 

For Valentine's Day this year I prepared Shrimp Scampi for the "Chardonnay Queen", and of course, I served it along with a chilled bottle of Chardonnay.  The Chardonnay which I chose for this special meal was the 2013 Chateau St. Jean North Coast Chardonnay.  The name Chateau St. Jean is pronounced "Gene", rather than the French pronunciation "John", because the original founder of the winery, Kenneth Sheffield, had named the winery after his wife, Jean Sheffield.  Isn't that a romantic thought for Valentine's Day?

 

The secret to good shrimp scampi is lots of butter and lots of garlic.  The wine which is chosen to pair with these powerful flavors must be able to hold its own with a strongly assertive dish such as this.  The Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay was up to the task.  The nose is attractive, with a hint of citrus breeze leading to flavors of apple and pear, with a touch of tropical fruit.  There is a creamy mouth-feel, and the finish is clean and crisp, with a lingering taste of vanilla and lemon zest.  The wine is well balanced with enough acidity to cut through the strong presence of garlic and butter.

 

An almost perfect choice for my Shrimp Scampi,  this wine would also be a great companion for Veal Piccata, or Chicken Marsala.  Norm's score is 89. 

 

score: 89

price: $11 - $15

Norm

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Available online at:

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2015 Winter Vacation in Paradise

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-05-15

2015 Winter Vacation in Paradise

 

This time while visiting the little cottage by the sea in Matlacha, Florida, we decided to try a new restaurant on the island called "The Blue Dog Bar and Grill".  Well, all I can say is that this is old Florida at its best with an extra touch of more modern times.  I confess that I often judge Florida restaurants by the quality of their fried shrimp, and the ones which I had that night, may be the best I have experienced in many years.

 

The Blue Dog is a fine example of an old Florida seafood house, grill and tavern, where you will find many of the "local" islanders enjoying a good meal.  Blue Dog features a fair sized array of locally brewed craft beer, and a decent wine list.  To pair with the fried shrimp I would suggest the H3 Heaven Hills Chardonnay made by the folks at Columbia Crest in Washington state.  The Wine Spectator scores the H3 at 90.  It is medium bodied with the typical apple and pear flavors accompanied by a touch of honey.  The finish is clean and crisp, and makes a good companion for most seafood dishes.

 

If you get a chance to visit the Blue Dog, and you don't want the excellent fried shrimp, try the cracked conch with a bottle of the Columbia Crest H3 Chardonnay.  You are in for a treat!

 

Link To Blue Dog:

Blue Dog Bar & Grill

www.bluedogfl.com/

 

score: 90

price: $11 - $15

Norm

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Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2012 Vanderbilt Reserve Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-04-15

2012 Vanderbilt Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Yes, The Vanderbilt Biltmore House is in North Carolina, but no, this cabernet sauvignon is not made in North Carolina.  It is made at their winery in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California from grapes from the Dry Creek area.  And, yes, the 2012 Vanderbilt Reserve Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is a solid California style Cab, and at the risk of repeating myself from other previous articles about California Cabs, it is great with steak.

 

The Vanderbilt Reserve opens with a heady nose full of blackberries and a bit of black cherry.  The color is excellent, and is a very dark purplish red, with good clarity.  The flavor has some cherry, but showcases the blackberry against a background of mild oak and a hint of peppery spice.  The finish is long and clean with a touch of oak which holds until the next sip.  The alcohol content is 14.7%

 

As I said before it is great with steak, a comment heard often enough to make the reader believe that we have steak almost every other night, which of course we don't.  However, when we do sear one on the grill, I do love to set a glass of good California Cab on the table beside the steak.  Like most good reds this Dry Creek cab would be great with almost any grilled meat, including venison.  Norm's score is 88.

 

 

score: 88

price: $22 - $27

Norm

p.s.  I tried to restrain myself from saying this, but I read  a review of this wine which said that the aroma contained the presence of banana blossoms and boysenberry pie a la mode, which just might be the most hilarious description of the smell of a Cabernet that I have ever heard.  Funny, I did not notice those aromas when I sampled it.

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Available online at:

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WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-03-15

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay

 

I thought I would provide my readers with an insight into the Chardonnay favorites list of my wife, the "Chardonnay Queen".  First, her favorite winery for Chardonnay is Rodney Strong, with some prejudice, since she met the King of Sonoma County Chardonnay, himself, back in the late eighties.  She prefers the Russian River Reserve, but enjoys most of the other Rodney Strong labels as well, particularly the Chalk Hill.  However, her favorite "every day" Chardonnay is not even from Sonoma County, but instead the state of Washington.  She, and I both have been raving about the Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay for years.  It is clearly number one for us in the ten dollar category for consistency over the years, and has become the yardstick to measure other Chardonnays in that price range.

 

I last wrote about the Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay a few years back when describing the 2010 vintage, which I had scored a 90.  Recently, I read a review of the 2012 vintage by the Wine Spectator, which had given it a score of 89.  Since we have enjoyed several bottles of that vintage during the past year, I thought I would voice my opinion, since I would score it a 90.

 

I would say the style is a little French and a little California, being neither too austere, nor too fruity.  It is full bodied and flavorful, without a sense of over powering the taste buds, but quite satisfying with a clean, and yet lingering finish.  The basic Chardonnay flavors of apple and pear are present in abundance with added traces of citrus and tropical fruit.  There is a touch of oak, and a bit of buttery mouth-feel to put you in quest of another sip.

 

Like most of the previous vintages, the 2012 is a great "back porch sipper", and also makes an excellent companion for a vast variety of table fare.  For a treat for friends, invite several over and open a few bottles of the Chateatu Ste. Michelle, and serve with slices of apple and pear and some soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert.  You will love it, and so will all of your guests!  That is, if you enjoy Chardonnay as much as the "Chardonnay Queen". 

 

score: 90

price: $9 - $12

Norm

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Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity

2012 Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Norm’s Tasting Notes

by: Norm Bentley

normwine@bellsouth.net                        

                                              

 

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

#nb-02-15

2012 Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Somewhat quietly over the last ten years, Waterstone has been making a solid reputation for their Napa Cab, with consistent scores in the ninety and up category.  The 2012 vintage is said by some to be the best yet.  This is a fine example of a Napa wine labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, being more aptly described as a Bordeaux style blend. The Waterstone's make-up is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, with 2% each, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, and 1% each, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  The alcohol content is 14.8% and the wine was aged for twenty-one months in French oak.  Norm's score is 91.

 

This Cab opens with a nose full of cherries and other dark berries.  The flavor is a robust and hardy presentation of cherry and currant.  It is underscored by a layer of plum, with a touch of wild berry, which drifts into a rich and concentrated finish, highlighted by a hint of spice and mellow oak.  This wine does not fade away, but continues to make its presence known until the next sip.

 

The Waterstone Napa Cabernet Sauvignon would be good with a steak fresh off the grill, like most Napa Cabs.  But in addition, this wine would make a great companion for Chateaubriand, to accentuate the French characteristics of the meal, at a price much lower than a comparable red Bordeaux. The Waterstone Napa Cabernet would also make an excellent choice for Beef Bourguignon, which is the way we enjoyed it.

 

score: 91

price: $23 - $28

Norm

https://www.facebook.com/NormsTastingNotes

http://normwine.blogspot.com/

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Available online at:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

WINE – God’s Proof of his Love for Humanity