2018 Conundrum Rose

2018 Conundrum Rose

#48-2021

Since we had ham instead of turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner, we chose a bottle of Conundrum Rose to go with our big feast this year,  It was a very good choice.

The Conundrum is a dry style of Rose with good balance between the fruit and acidity.  The flavors are a delicate mix of cherries and strawberries with a clean finish begging for the next sip.  The alcohol content is 13.1%, and Norm's score is 90.

While good with ham, it also would have been good with turkey, and would make a suitable companion for duck a l'orange, or even a big platter of fruit and berries sided with Brie or Camembert.

score: 90

price: $18 - $22

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2019 Oberon Carneros Chardonnay

2019 Oberon Carneros Chardonnay

#47-2021

The other night we had a fillet of Sockeye Salmon, sauced and smoked from the grill, which we paired with a bottle of Carneros Chardonnay from Oberon for a great Fall Feast!

The grapes are sourced from the Carneros Region in Napa County, and have traditional flavors of apple, pear, and a touch of toasty tannin in the finish.  The wine is rich and well rounded, with a crisp finish which lingers until the next sip.  The alcohol content is 13.7%, and Norm's score is 90.

This one would be a good companion for most fish and fowl, and would be great if placed next to a platter of grapes and soft cheeses.

score: 90

price: $15 - $20

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2021 Thanksgiving Special

2021 Thanksgiving Special

#46-2021

It is always difficult to select the perfect wine for Thanksgiving, because the table has such an array of aromas and flavors, but here are a few guidelines which will help make this dinner more memorable than ever.

If you like Chardonnay, choose one which is not bone dry, but rather one with a strong fruit presence. Sauvignon Blanc is also a good choice if you like dry white wine with your meal.  The fruity, but dry finish of a good Pinot Grigio is perfect for that dry white meat turkey which did not turn out as juicy as you had hoped for. If you like red wine with your meal, choose a lighter style Merlot, or a Pinot Noir. Other choices in whites, are Riesling and Viognier, both excellent with turkey. If you are having Ham this year as we are, try a Rose or a Pinot Grigio.

Below is a list of wines which I have written about during the year which would be good choices for your Thanksgiving Dinner.

2018 Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay

2019 Rodney Strong Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc

2018 Francis Coppola Blue Label Merlot

2018 King Estates Pinot Gris

2018 Kim Crawford Hawke's Bay Rose

2019 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc

2018 Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay

2018 Maso Canali Pinot Grigio

2018 Erath Pinot Noir

2018 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Norm

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2019 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Pinot Gris

2019 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Pinot Gris

#45-2021

It's always dinner time when shrimp are involved, so last night's dinner of spicy broiled shrimp over rice was right on time.  We paired our shrimp with a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris, and dinner became a feast!

This Pinot Gris has a nose full of melon and pear which lead to swirling flavors of peach, pear, melon and a little spice toward the end.  It was aged in stainless steel for three weeks and has a crisp finish.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 89.  

A bottle Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris would be a good companion for almost any seafood dish, and would be great with an assortment of soft cheeses.

score: 89

price: $11 - $15

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2018 Estancia Monterey Chardonnay

2018 Estancia Monterey Chardonnay

#44-2021

I read several reviews of this wine with descriptions such as; orange marmalade, coconut cookies, apple strudel, and "shades of hints of pineapple".  I found none of these flavors in the wine, and I feel sorry for the reader, if this is the only kind of information available when trying to choose a wine for dinner.  This is not a complex wine, but it is a very good choice for an everyday wine.  It is flavorful, clean and enjoyable, and is in a very reasonable price range.

No matter the expertise of the reviewer, our taste buds can be different, and most of us have different opinions about what tastes good to us.  However, many of those who review wine today feel compelled to use the most descriptive terminology available in order to make their review seem more professional.  Let me just say that the wine has the flavor of ripe yellow apples, stone fruit, and maybe a little Myer Lemon.  It is clean, and a little fruity, with a crisp finish.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 88.  

A bottle of Estancia Chardonnay would be a good choice for chicken, seafood, or a variety of salads.  It would also be a candidate for a "Back Porch Sipper".

score: 88

price: $11 - $14

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2018 J. Lohr Merlot

2018 J Lohr Merlot

#43-2021

The 2018 Merlot from J. Lohr is a great choice for an every day red wine, which also stands up well on the weekends.  We sampled a bottle with a medium-rare New York Strip straight from the grill, and it was delightful.

The wine is dark red in color with a bright nose of plum and blackberry.  The flavors swirl in the glass with black cherry and plum being the most evident.  The finish is well rounded with only a suggestion of mild tannins.  This Merlot also has some Malbec in the blend to add a few earthy tones to its structure.   The alcohol content is 13.9%, and Norm's score is 88.  

Merlot flourished in the eighties, but has lost some of its prestige in the market place in the last few years, which is a shame since there are many really good choices out there, at under twenty dollars.

score: 88

price: $16 - $20

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2020 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

2020 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

#42-2021

The Chardonnay Queen whipped up a new recipe the other night for shellfish which was really good.  She prepared shrimp and scallops in a lemon-cream sauce along with angle hair pasta, which "knocked my socks off".  Beside it on the table was a bottle of 2020 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay, which completed the picture!

Granny Smith green apple is in the flavor mix, along with a little tropical fruit and a touch of spice, which may be attributed to the 2% Gewürztraminer, which is blended with the Chardonnay.  The finish is clean and crisp with that hint of spice lingering toward the end.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 88.  

Wente is one of the older California wineries, and continues to produce good affordable wines, like this Chardonnay which is great with shellfish, hot or cold.

score: 88

price: $13 - $16

Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity