This delivery is pretty awesome as Pahlmeyer makes some impressive wines.

I'm torn with the Proprietary Red. Pahlmeyer has been producing this for 30 years. What I'm torn between is opening it now and being patient, letting it sit a few years. This wine has an amazing aging potential. 80% cab the rest merlot, cab franc, petit verdot and malbec. It's also pricey ($200) and not something I want to uncork with takeout on a Tuesday. This one deserves to be shared with special friends.

Decisions Decisions

Wine Wednesday; Lobetia

I went to Spain for Wine Wednesday and didn't even have to buy a plane ticket. Although that would've been kind of nice.

I actually went to the grand opening of the new Butterfly Gardens at the Shell Factory Nature Park and was introduced to a "butterfly wine"; well kinda. It has a butterfly on the label.



Lobetia is a Spanish wine made from organic and biodynamic farming practices. We sampled two as we participated in the release of dozens of beautiful butterflies.


Tempranillo is Spain's signature red grape. This one was nice and light on a warm afternoon; with flavors of plums, cherry and mocha

The Chardonnay was unoaked, bright and fresh with flavors of tropical fruits and pineapples.  Both wines are in the $10 range and perfectly suited for the festivities of the day.

Cheers!

Wine Wednesday, It's a Steel

I'll be the first to admit that Chardonnay is typically last on my list when it comes to picking a white wine for the night. However,  I'm  always open and constantly looking for ones that I can embrace.

I just so happened to find one from Louis Jadot that is perfect for summer in Southwest Florida; Steel Chardonnay. This white burgundy is not weighed down by oak. It is bright with a lot of minerals on the nose, and a lot of pineapple on the palate.

It's acidic, with fruity apples. I want to call it "spunky". The Steel is a steal in the $15 range

Rare Find-Good Wine

I went to The Twisted Vine Bistro in downtown Fort Myers, FL, for a late lunch yesterday. And also to taste some new wine with owners Steve and Denise Hollister. Steve couldn't wait to share his latest acquisition, Allamand Cuvee Saint Jeannet. 

He explained that Saint Jeannet is a French grape that was thought to have been completely eradicated. That is until the owners of Allamand found it growing on a hillside of their property in Mendoza, Argentina. They had the strange grape with thick skin genetically tested to determine its origin.

There aren't many vines but vintners harvest what they can and in this case, blended it 50/50 with Chardonnay from 90 year-old vines. The result is a fresh and creamy blend, with some spice on the finish. I could pick out the rich Chardonnay immediately but it did not overpower the citrus and tropical fruits in the Saint Jeannet. OK for sipping in this hot weather but I liked it best with food.

After the wine rep told Steve there were only three cases in Florida, he said, "I'll take them all (waving his hands in the air)." The shipment should be in next week. As of yesterday he had planned to serve it by the glass and the bottle, $12/$48.

If you like to try different, unique and hard to get wines, you have to stop by and try this one a go, before I drink it all!

Wine Wednesday, Chateau Montelena

It's Wine Wednesday! So excited to have Steve Hollister from Twisted Vine Bistro in downtown Fort Myers stop in for a visit. Especially when I saw what he was packin'?

Today we tasted a delicious, 2010 Chateau Montelena Chardonay (one of my favorite wineries). I thought it was especially appropriate considering the death, less than a week ago, of Jim Barrett. Barrett was the winemaker whose 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay is credited with putting Napa Valley and California wines in general, on the international map. His story was the subject of the movie "Bottle Shock".

This wine had a floral nose, a little citrus on the tongue and some steel rather than that buttery, oaky bomb that is signature of many CA Chards. It's still creamy and very food friendly. Twisted Vine has it both by the glass ($22) and by the bottle ($85). Stop by for some of the best food and wine you will find downtown Fort Myers. Plus Steve and his wife Denise are extremely fun hosts with great wine events!

Bottles and Boobies

We all know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink is everywhere, even on the football fields, as the push is made to raise funds for research and resources to help those fighting the disease.

ONEHOPE Winery donates to the National Breast Cancer Foundation year-round; half of all profits from the sale of its Chardonnay. This month, the winery has a goal of raising $100,000. In addition, for every eight cases of wine sold, one mammogram will be donated as part of the "1 in 8" campaign. The slogan represents the stats that 1 in 8 have a chance of developing breast cancer.

Many of you buy products simply based on the cause, not the quality. I'll vouch for both in this case. The wine by Rob Mondavi, Jr, is worth the $18.99 price tag, if you like a Chardonnay that has less oak and more acidity. It is blended with a little Chenin Blanc and Muscat to round out the flavors; citrus and honey, good for Southwest Florida cuisine and sipping. The wine is distributed in Florida through Southern Wine and Spirits.

ONEHOPE Wine not only donates to breast cancer but also autism, aids and the troops to name a few. To see all of the wines, the exact amount donated and to purchase, click here.

Wines that "Rock", and Wines To "Roll"

While researching wines for a TOTI Media piece on famous winemakers, I was told to check out Wines That Rock. Inspired by rock legends such as Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones, the winemakers also obtained the rights to use artwork from the albums, on the labels.

Being in the radio business I thought the whole idea of these wines was very cool and  found two of the five varieties to try; The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet and Grateful Dead Red Wine Blend. As cool as they looked on the outside, it didn't translate to the inside for me. They were tight and I just didn't find a lot of depth to them. But for under $20 I would still give them to my rock-n-roll lovin' friends as gifts. 

Rock star wine that I would recommend comes from Dave Mathews. He teamed up with winemaker Steve Reeder and formed Dreaming Tree. The Dreaming Tree Chardonnay smells a lot thicker than it tastes. It was full of citrus and apricot with balanced acidity. The Dreaming Tree Cabernet is herbal and tannic with lots of blackberry and cherry. Also under $20 each, they are good bargains.

Check out more on famous winemakers in my latest wine column for TOTI Media. You can find it on the news-stands now (July/August).

As for Mathews, he is currently on tour and just passed through Florida.

Charitable Chow

Two wine dinners in 3 days! How lucky can a girl get! Last night’s soiree at The Grill Room in Coconut Point was also a benefit for Eden Florida and Autism Speaks. The chef put out a great spread heavy in protein with healthy pours of Clos du Bois Reserve wines.

Of course we began the evening with some festive bubbles and light hors d’oeuvres while perusing the silent auction items. First course was baked Grouper with toasted almonds and Limoncello cream with micro greens. The wine was a 2007 Reserve Chardonnay from Russian River Valley. I didn’t like the nose at first, woody and a bit chemical but it was nice on the pallet, even better with food and perfect with the dish! The fish had great texture and the flavors were fabulous. I would order it again in a heartbeat!

The next dish was something I would love to have again for the holidays; Cornish Hen stuffed with pork and prunes, butternut squash and cranberry sauce. Another great pairing with an ‘06 Sonoma Ranch Reserve Alexander Valley Merlot. The Merlot was blended with a touch of Malbec to add color and complexity. It drank more like a Cabernet with a peppery finish. I would like to have it again with a little more age (the wine, not me).

The final dish was a Tenderloin Au Poivre with Dijon brandy cream and a 2006 Sonoma Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine filled my nose and mouth with spice and cocoa. It was full bodied and velvety! I asked for a little more, “just to be sure” I liked it, hahaha!

I have to say I was a bit relieved that there was not a dessert course. Cheers to the chef and wine reps who made the magic of food and wine pairing come to life!

Viva Spain

Last night my friends and I braved a raging thunderstorm to drink wine at Austin's Wine Cellar. It was time for Frank's monthly tasting and we just couldn't miss it no matter how fierce the lightening was. The wines were from TransAtlantic and Stacole and two of my favorite were from Spain.

We started with an '09 Shaya, Bodegas Vinedos Shaya. It was an Old Vines Verdejo that was so refreshing. The combination of minerals, fruit and a slightly spicy finish was right on target for summer consumption! One of my favorite red's of the night was an '08 Xiloca, Granacha (Ribera del Jiloca). It was juicy and good with food and for under $15 a great bargain!

So much goodness! You should also look for Syrose', Rose' de Syrah. It is a fabulous French Rose' made from Syrah of course. It has the nose of Champagne but no bubbles. It's crisp and dry and even the manly men said they would take the chance of being spotted with a glass of something pink in their hands, it was that good! A nice surprise for me was the '06 Women of the Vine Chardonnay from Napa. It was just slightly buttery (not heavy at all) with pineapple, melon and passion fruit. This wine has a great story! You may have seen the book "Women Of The Vine" about the inside world of women who make and taste wine. The author was so inspired that she gathered award winning female winemakers to create this label. That alone should make you buy a bottle or two!! I bought a bottle and can't think of a better way to drink it then while reading the book!