2017 Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel

2017 Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel

#09-2021

It was pizza night at our house, and we broke out a Zinfandel to go with our pie.  The 2017 Bogel Old Vine Zin might just be a little too good for a mere pizza, but why not live it up, even though I still maintain that the best wine for pizza is Beer!  I might also say that Zinfandel goes well with Southern BBQ, but then again, I think the best wine for "Q" is Iced Tea!  However, if you prefer wine with these spicy dishes, you can't go wrong with Bogel Old Vine Zinfandel.

This is a hearty, rich and jammy wine which holds its own with anything from spaghetti to steak.  The flavors are black cherry, and dark berries straight from the briar patch.  The finish is powerful, and fetches you back for yet another sip.  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 89.

Grab a hot pie and un-cork a bottle of this compelling Zinfandel, for a great mid-week evening meal.

score: 89

price: $12 - $15

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2017 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

#08-2021

In the world of wine, very few wineries have been held in more admiration over the last two centuries than the Concha y Toro Winery in Maipo, Chile.  They produce wines from eight up to two hundred dollars a bottle, and there is a consistency un-rivaled in the marketplace. Their twenty to thirty dollar line, labeled Marques de Casa Concha, can always be relied on to be among the best in their class.  So when I chose this Cab to pair with our two inch thick fillet, grilled a perfect medium rare, for our Valentine's Day dinner,  I knew it would be a good match!

This is a big, fat, juicy Cab, with abundant flavors of dark berries, plum, and currants, which lead you to a finish with rich tannins, and a lingering presence just begging for another sip!  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 91.

A bottle of this wonderful Cab, placed alongside a Caesar Salad, and a fillet from the "Best Butcher Shop in the Southeast", which we are lucky to have right here in our little town, Thomaston, just a few miles south of Atlanta, made for a terrific  Valentine's Day!  I hope yours was good as well!

score: 91

price: $20 - $26

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 King Estates Pinot Gris

2018 King Estates Pinot Gris

#07-2021

We had some old friends over for dinner recently, and we decided to serve our famous "Ma and Paw Seafood Chowder", invented by Chef El Biggerero some years ago.  It is actually a seafood stew, with enough saffron to remind you of Bouillabaisse.  Of course, this requires a wine strong enough to stand up to this very spicy dish.  We chose the 2018 King Estate Pinot Gris from Oregon's Willamette Valley, and it was a good match!

This Pinot Gris has a tantalizing bouquet of ripe pear and fresh peach.  The flavors backup the pear and peach with the addition of apple, and a little tropical fruit, then the wine sails off into the night with a lingering hint of citrus in the finish.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

A bottle of King Estate Pinot Gris would be a welcome companion for almost any seafood dish, and would also pair well with a big platter of soft cheeses surrounded by sliced apples.

score: 90

price: $15 - $19

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Root One Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Root One Cabernet Sauvignon

#06-2021

The Root One Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile is the bargain hunter's dream come true.  This ten dollar Cab from South America drinks like a fifteen and up Cab from California!

It is not a great wine, but it sure was good with a dish of Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara on the side.

It is a pretty dark red in color, with a nose which broadcasts the scent of ripe berries.  The flavors are dark berries, mixed with black cherry, and a taste of toasty oak toward the end.  The finish lingers on the palate, awaiting another sip.  The alcohol content is 14%, and Norm's score is 88.

Not only good with Chicken Parm, this Chilean Cab would pair well with a hearty stew, or grilled chops.  The best thing, is that it is available almost everywhere in the market place, including your local supermarket.

score: 88

price: $10 - $12

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 McManis Family Vineyards Lodi Zinfandel

2018 McManis Family Vineyards Lodi Zinfandel

#05-2021

Sometimes nothing beats a big plate of spaghetti, a bottle of wine, and a football game!  And that just what we did last weekend, with a bottle of 2018 McManis Zinfandel from Lodi, California and a really good NFL playoff game.  I have always liked Zinfandel with Spaghetti, and this one from McManis Family Vineyards was just right.

A big nose, dark color, and big juicy flavors of blackberry and black plum highlight this really good spaghetti wine.  It is robust without being heavy, and has a pleasant lingering finish.  The alcohol content is 14%, and Norm's score is 89.

A bottle McManis Zinfandel is not only great with spaghetti, but it would also be a good companion for grilled meat, or barbecue.

score: 89

price: $11 - $15

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Kim Crawford Hawkes Bay Rose

2018 Kim Crawford Hawke's Bay Rose

#04-2021

In the near future you may need a bottle of pink wine to help celebrate Valentine's Day, and I think the Kim Crawford Rose from New Zealand might just be the right choice. This is an easy to drink wine with a bright color, a bright nose, and a bright and clean taste.

A lively pink in color, this 2018 Kim Crawford Rose also broadcasts a fragrant nose, with the scent of strawberries, and a little cherry for finesse.  The flavor is mostly strawberry, with a touch of watermelon, and a bit of tropical fruit.  The finish is lush and fruity, with just a hint of sweetness.  The alcohol content is 13%, and Norm's score is 89.

The Kim Crawford Rose was a good match for our sautéed shrimp and Fettuccine Alfredo, and would pair well with a seafood salad for Valentine's Day.

score: 89

price: $14 - $18

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 J Lohr Riverstone Arroyo Secco Chardonnay

2018 J Lohr RiverstoneArroyo Secco  Chardonnay

#02-2021

About two years ago, I wrote about a Chardonnay which both I, and the Chardonnay Queen were just raving about, the 2016 J Lohr Arroyo Secco from Monterey.  Well a few weeks ago we put a bottle of the 2018 vintage out with a few others, for friends to enjoy, and even though a few of the other Chardonnays were more expensive, the Arroyo Secco is the one which caught everyone's attention.  So, I would say that this 2018 J Lohr would be a "go to bottle", when you are looking for a California Chardonnay below $15.00 per bottle.

This wine has a heady nose of fresh apples, with a touch of lemon.  There are really big fruit flavors bursting with apple, pear, and peach.  The balance is just about perfect, with just enough acidity to highlight the lush fruit flavors.  It finishes clean, and absolutely begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 13.95%, and Norm's score is 91.

A bottle of J Lohr Arroyo Riverstone Secco Chardonnay would be an excellent companion for both fish and fowl, and perfect with Fettuccini Alfredo.

score: 91

price: $11 - $15

Norm

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity