2019 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2019 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir

#18-2022

We usually serve Pinot Noir with beef or salmon, but the other night we enjoyed the 2019 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir with our homemade baked lasagna, and it was a very good match.  Finding good Pinot Noir in the twenty dollar range can be a little IFie, but this one is a winner!

A bright cherry red in color, with a delightful nose, the flavors swirl in the glass, with black cherry and ripe plum being in the forefront.  The finish is long and lingering and begs for another sip.  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

Pair this one up with your cedar-planked salmon and you will be in culinary bliss!

score: 90

price: $19 - $23

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Simi Dry Rose Sonoma County

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2018 Simi Dry Rose Sonoma County

#17-2022

This year it was Ham and Rose for Easter Brunch with all the trimmings, including Deviled Eggs, and it was a great launch into Spring!  The 2018 Simi Dry Rose was a perfect companion for spiral-sliced Virginia Baked Ham.

The Simi is a collection of flavors, showcasing cherry and strawberry, and includes a bit of citrus, for a refreshing and dry finish.  The alcohol content is 13.5%, and Norm's score is 89.

It is time for picnics, and the Simi needs to be in your picnic basket beside the fried chicken and potato salad.  Viva La Spring!

score: 89

price: $14 - $17

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2018 Villa Antinori Toscana IGT

#16-2022

First you take a lean two inch thick fillet and soak it in red wine and garlic for a couple of hours, then you toss it onto a really hot grill for about five minutes per side, and then you set in on the table next to a really good bottle of red wine.  The choice this time was the Red Blend from Antinori, the 2018 Toscana IGT.  What a pair!

Sometimes called Super Tuscans, the designation Tuscana IGT identifies the wine as a blend of Sangiovese, and grapes more normally associated with Bordeaux, such as Merlot and Cabernet,  The blend produces a rich and mellow red wine which pairs well with a wide range of foods.  The flavors smack of cherry, blackberry, and a bit of blueberry, leading to a lingering finish with solid oak tones.  The alcohol content is 14%, and Norm's score is 92.

This wine is great with steak or any other grilled meat, but it actually begs for sauced fare, such as Veal Marsala, or Osso Buco. 

score: 92

price: $17 - $22

Norm

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2020 Ferrai-Carano Chardonnay

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2020 Ferrai-Carano Chardonnay

#15-2022

We had a big, thick Grouper fillet seasoned with El Biggero's Special Spice, which we grilled and served with Pasta Alfredo and a fresh garden salad.  The feast was completed with a bottle of 2020 Ferrai-Carano Chardonnay from Sonoma County.  Grilling season is looking really good, and its still early spring!

The Ferrai-Carano is a long time favorite which showcases a classic flavor spectrum of apple, pear, and apricot, with a mild citrus breeze drifting through to its lightly spiced finish.  It is bright and crisp, and begs for another sip!  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 90.

Great with grilled fish, it would be equally appreciated alongside a fried seafood platter, or a chilled shell-fish salad.

score: 90

price: $20 - $25

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2022 The Best of Pine Island

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2022 The Best of Pine Island

#14-2022

I don't need to wait for the votes to come in, since I already know that the "Best" Restaurant in Matlacha, Florida, or on Pine Island, is "The Blue Dog Bar and Grill"!  Whether it is Stone Crab or Mullet, or Shrimp Tacos or Soft-Shell Crab, this place does it all in the finest "Old Florida" tradition.

The owners, John and Jessie, are two guys you would like to call "Friend", and the food is worth coming back for.  There are a lot of good places to eat on Pine Island, but "The Blue Dog" is definitely number one!

Don't just take my word for it, go see for yourself. 

score: 100

price: $$ - $$$

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2018 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2018 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

#13-2022

Back in the day when they were more affordable, I really enjoyed the Clarets of Bordeaux, especially those from the Pauillac region, where the wines are predominately Cabernet Sauvignon.  One of the best, which still lingers in my mind is the 1985 Chateau Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, which I was reminded of the other night, when we paired a bottle of 2018 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with our grilled steak.  Like the Duhart, the Beringer is a blend which is mostly Cab, and also like the Duhart, it is most enjoyable!

The Knights Valley is located in Sonoma County about halfway between Healdsburg and St. Helena, over in Napa County, where the Beringer Winery is located. The meandering two lane highway which passes through the beautiful valley is one of the most picturesque vineyard drives in all of California. I think it is worth the drive to see this small agricultural gem, even if you aren't heading in that direction for any other reason.  The Chardonnay Queen and I made that excursion some years back.

The "Big Cab" flavors in this wine are black cherry, currant, plum and a bit of toasty oak toward the end.  The finish sails off into the night with the promise of more to come.  The alcohol content is 14.5%, and Norm's score is 93.

This wine is perfect for grilled meats, and would be wonderful with Chateaubriand!  The Beringer is a bargain in its price range, and I also understand that if you have the Bucks, you might be able to still order the Duhart.

score: 93

price: $23 - $28

Norm

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity

2019 Decoy Limited Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

 Norm's Tasting Notes

by Norm Bentley

The North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

normwine@charter.net

2019 Decoy Limited Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

#12-2022

Several decades ago Pinot Noir was not as well known as it is today, in fact once a customer came into my wine shop and asked if we had any of that "Peanut Nor".  Today there are those who refer to it simply as "Pinot", as though no other wines contained that one word.  I have enjoyed Pinot Noir, the treasured grape of Burgundy, for a long time, and enjoyed it the other night with homemade lasagna.  The Decoy Limited was quite a treat for a week day dinner!

This is a juicy and complex Pinot Noir with a bright color, and abundant flavors of cherry and plum, along with a touch of raspberry.  The finish is rounded with subtle tannins and a lingering presence.  The alcohol content is 14.2%, and Norm's score is 90.

This wine would be perfect for a thick slab of medium rare Prime Rib!

score: 90

price: $22 - $25

Norm

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AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

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ALSO AVAILABLE at: Dunwoody Patch

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Wine – God's Proof of His Love for Humanity