Norm's Tasting Notes

Norm’s Tasting Notes

By: Norm Bentley

North Georgia Wine Advisor

normwine@bellsouth.net

2011 Vina Quintay Tolol Cabernet Sauvignon

#nb-02-14

Cabernet with chili?  Why not?  They both taste good in cold weather, so why not pair the two for a wintertime meal?  If you are going to pair Cabernet with chili, then you might as well use a Cabernet from Chile.  So we paired a bottle of 2011 Vina Quintay Tolol Cabernet Sauvignon from Curico Valley in Chile, with a big bowl of Norm's special Homemade Chili, and created a cold weather powerhouse.  My homemade chili has a lot of spice and heat, so it needs a sturdy wine to go with it. This was a great combination!

The Tolol opens with a fragrant nose of dark berries and black cherry, which mirrored its dark ruby red color.  The flavor is a combination of black cherry and blackberry, with a slight hint of plum.  The finish is clean but lingering, with a soft nuance of tannin, and a slight touch of pepper.  The alcohol content is a perfect 13.5%.

While this Cabernet was really good with Norm's Homemade Chili, it would also be good with spaghetti, or grilled chops.  This is a good value wine in the value price range.  Norm's score is 88.

Score: 88

Price: $9-$12

Norm

Norm’s Tasting Notes can also be accessed at his blog: http://normwine.blogspot.com/

Norm’s Tasting Notes available online at either:

http://pineisland-eagle.com/

http://cumminghome.com/

http://dawsontimes.com/

Also on "The Patch" at Dunwoody, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and others:

dunwoody.patch.com/‎

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