Best Italian Dining in the Fort Myers Area

It's so funny.....when I first updated this list over a year ago for 10Best, a travel and tourism division of USA TODAY, I excitedly told a restaurant owner the next time I went in, that he made the top 10. He sneered "ya, but #7!"

He obviously thought he should've been higher. I said YES #7! Out of the hundreds of Italian joints in our area YOU were in the top. Still not good enough for him. And after looking at the list a second time, he was right.....I moved him to #5. HA!

But this is new list (click to read). Yes, some of the longtime local favorites are still on there but there are some new contenders in town. MANGA!

Linguini and clams, restaurant bumped from the list ;-(

Music and Wine at Twisted Vine

Former Bad Company Bassist, turned wine maker and guitar player, Paul Cullen, is making a swing through his old stomping grounds in Southwest Florida this week.

I was fortunate enough to taste Cullen's wine and interview him for Times Of The Islands, the issue will be on news-stands in July. I also blogged about Sonata wines here, all but the Rose' which I'm hoping to taste this week. In addition, Cullen is debuting a brand new wine on his visit; Jazz Freak, a Barbera from the Sierra Foothills.

Cullen and his wine will be featured at a special dinner Wednesday (5/23) at Twisted Vine in downtown Fort Myers. Thursday (5/24) he'll be performing at Yabo, on the way to the islands and back at Twisted Vine Saturday (6/26) night.

Support live music, local restaurants and great wine!
Click here for more info on Cullen's appearances this summer.

You can find a review of the wine dinner here.

Rockin' Wine

Lot's of "famous" people own vineyards, or more often than not, wine labels. I don't buy a wine because I like the owner's music, movies or sports teams, however, many fans do. But I admit to having a certain curiosity about the quality of wine in the celebrity bottle.

Former Bad Company bassist, Paul Cullen makes wine from grapes grown in California's Sierra Foothills called Sonata. He developed an appreciation of wine while touring and drinking it with guitarist Mick Ralphs. At one point in his post-band career, he even sold wine for an Italian distributor. Wine and music are a natural fit to me; Cullen as well. He married the two by forming Unplugged and Uncorked, making "wine friendly" music and selling it at wine events, rather than through big record labels.

I love the concept, but what about the wine? The Sonata Bianco is a refreshing, clean blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Its an acidic wine with citrus and apricot flavors. I'm not sure I would've guessed there was any Chardonnay in there had I not known. It was just enough for some extra body but thankfuly no oak Very enjoyable!

The Sonata Rosso is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Cab Franc. I tasted allspice, clove and some creamy vanilla and caramel. I shared some with another wine lover who picked up the bottle, peered in with one eye, then put it back down with a pout declaring, "I'm so sad it's all gone." I felt the same.

I interviewed Cullen for an upcoming story in Times Of The Islands Magazine (more to come on that). He told me he was most excited about his Rose', the only one of the three I haven't tried yet. It's an interesting blend of Petit Syrah and Fiano, a rare Italian grape. Cullen says it is refreshing but still dry with watermelon undertones. Sounds perfect for summer. Sonata wines aren't widely distributed but you can get them. Retailing around $15 each, they are more than worth the hunt. Sip a glass while listening to his new music for double the pleasure. It's a fabulous combination!

Cullen will be pouring wine and performing live in Fort Myers in May, Labor Day week. Look for him at Yabo and Twisted Vine. I'll keep you posted on other appearances and remind you Southwest Floridians when the time nears. Cheers.

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

Last month I was researching wine for a story on labeling and how it effects our perception of wine and our purchasing. Steve, my handsome mate from Unfiltered Unfined Wines, showed me a beautiful photo of La Garnacha Salvaje Del Moncayo from Spain. I was drawn to the art, the image of those old vines running deep.

I imagined lots of character and flavor in this bottle so I couldn't wait to order it when I saw it on the wine list of one of my favorite Fort Myers restaurants, Yabo.

Moncayo is part of oenologist Raul Acha collection of "Garnachas of Spain". His mission is to show the different characteristics of this once very popular grape, along with the different growing regions of Spain. The wines all come from old vines.

Staring at the label, hoping the wine had as much depth as the roots, I took a sip. This garnacha is nicely balanced with flavors of tobacco, dark berry and a little cocoa.; a great value for around $15 retail. You'll find it for $50 on the wine list at Yabo, now open in their new location on Summerlin and Bass Roads in Fort Myers. More on their new space, to follow soon.