More Than A Mouthful

Thanks to the nice gentleman at the bar in Cru who shared this delicious wine with my friends and me! The 2007 Buccella Cabernet has consistently received ratings in the mid to upper 90’s since its release and now I know why!

The nose was toasty. The wine was full-bodied with some smoke, licorice and black fruit! The finish lingered in luscious layers! I wish I could’ve sipped and swirled a little longer! Like many big Cabernets the flavors were just starting to explode when I got to the bottom of my glass. The wine definitely needs to open so be patient if you buy a bottle. If you can really be patient, cellar it! With more time in the bottle this wine will REALLY knock your socks off!

There were only 1,110 cases produced and a bottle will cost you about $150 retail. Buccella is Latin for “mouthful” and it certainly is!

Cabernet The South African Way

I was having a late dinner last night at Bistro 41 when Kimberly Christenson came bouncing up to the table with a laptop and a bottle of wine. Just having returned from South Africa she was bursting with stories, amazing photos and of course a delicious bottle of wine; a 2006 Cabernet by Rudera.

Always up for trying something new I pushed my glass over for a splash! Kimberly works for Select Brands and was in South Africa on a wine tasting trip, life is rough! She warned us the wine would be a little tight at first and asked us to be patient.

Have you ever been in the kitchen of a Southern woman when she is cooking Sunday dinner? Do recall the smells of vegetables cooking in bacon fat? That’s the first thing I smelled when the wine was first poured. It was also hot on my tongue, not temperature hot. But as it sat in the glass it opened and mellowed and began displaying some of the typical Cabernet traits like tobacco, dark fruit and mocha. I love how wines change and evolve once poured!

Rudera received a 5-star rating from Decanter Magazine. Get a couple of bottles. Drink one and put one up. I can definitely see it aging well

Glen Ellen Inn

Nothing like a nice big meal following an afternoon of wine tasting! Our party had grown to ten throughout the day so we were a little concerned about finding a locally owned establishment that could accommodate us without a reservation. The staff at Glen Elen Inn didn't even bat an eye when we swept in with our boisterous laughter and empty bellies!

A 10 minute drive from the Sonoma Square, Glenn Ellen Inn is a 1940's wine country cottage with intimate indoor dining and shaded garden tables outdoors. It's known as the "smallest restaurant with the biggest wine list" in Sonoma Valley! Besides having an outstanding wine list, the impressive martini menu also offers mini martini's for those who still have their training wheels on!

There were too many mouth watering creations on the menu to choose just one. I was sitting at the head of the table with Dinah and Heather so we pooled our cravings and had one heck of a feast. We started with a raw oyster sampler. The oysters were a little on the small side but had three different sauces to tempt the taste buds. The Watermelon and Arugula Salad was killer with Pancetta, hazelnuts, Chevre and a Port dressing. The bread basket was hot, fresh and included a slightly sweet scone with a hint of rosemary!

The Spinach & Feta Ravioli was a huge hit with it's chipotle paste and red bell pepper cream sauce! Another big hit was the Chicken Breast. Sounds boring right? WRONG! The chicken was brined in buttermilk and served on sauteed corn succotash with caper lemon cream sauce. Also on the table was a perfectly cooked Halibut with Asian spices and a juicy Kobe Flat Iron Steak!

Fresh, local ingredients were used in all the dishes!

We brought in a couple of bottles of wine from our purchases earlier in the day and for a small corkage fee were able to enjoy them with dinner!

If you travel to Sonoma and need a place to stay, the Glen Ellen Inn really is an "Inn"! There are so-called secret cottages just steps from the restaurant. They have fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs and are situated along a creek. Don't miss this gem of a place for lunch or dinner during your Wine Country travels!

Charles Creek

The Charles Creek Vineyard tasting room is on the plaza in downtown Sonoma and it's open late! I've had Charles Creek in the past but wasn't really that familiar with all the winery had to offer. Gracing the middle of the tasting room was Ms Moo-lot; a giant cow made of corks. Talk about a conversation piece!

We started with an '08 Rose that was a crazy blend Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon with some Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, White Riesling and Grenache. It was raspberry and cherry and delicious! Don't be scared to drink pink!!

Everyone in our group was keen on the '08 Riesling, a dry wine from El Dorado County chalked full of exotic fruits! We had Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, an award winning Merlot and several others. The other big hit was the La Sonrisa del Tecolote Cabernet. It smelled like figs and tasted like plum and spice. I could also taste some dark chocolate and toasty oak. The name means "The Smile of the Owl" after the winemaker's Grandma! I love anything that pays homage to Grandma's!!!

The bomb was La Bomba Chocolate, a rich port wine of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, fortified with brandy and infused with flavors of dark chocolate. The infusion process is a highly guarded secret. It was chocolate cake in a glass. Someone else referred to it as drinking a Tootsie Roll. Forget the dessert just drink this!

B.R. Cohn

Just around the corner from Valley of the Moon in Glen Ellen is the tasting room for B.R. Cohn. Owner Bruce R. Cohn is the long time manager of the Doobie Brothers so this winery is famous for events that involve live music and other fun! We just missed the Fall Music Festival! Of course the winery has a signature Dobbie Brothers wine. It's called Doobie Red and is a blend made with Bordeaux style varietals. A portion of the proceeds from this $20 bottle go to veteran and other charitable organizations.

2007 produced some great wines in California and all of them we tried at B.R. Cohn are worth purchasing. The Petite Sirah was dark, toasty, spicy and rich with tannins. My favorite of the tasting was the 2007 Petit Verdot. The grapes are grown at the Olive Hill Estate Vineyard and are said to receive "the same care and attention" as B.R. Cohn's well known Olive Hill Cabernet Sauvignon which totally rocked! The Petit Verdot was full of black-cherry and vanilla and got a gold star on my tasting notes!

They were making room for the new vintage and had great sales on these wines by the case. Another fabulous perk for visiting the tasting room in person!

By the way, if you are thinking about a wine country wedding B.R. Cohn hosts them and will soon be home to a culinary center.

Valley of the Moon

I just returned from five days of soaking myself in giant barrels of wine during the first days of harvest in California. Harvesting is late this year because of the cool summer they've had. The grapes have just begun to ripen enough to pick. I was asked why I didn't blog while on the trip. I was so immersed in what I was doing, so caught up in the moment that I just couldn't stop to write. I tasted literally hundreds of wines. So I thought I would blog a little at at time so I don't overwhelm you or myself!

Our first stop after landing at SFO was Valley of the Moon in Sonoma, Glenn Ellen to be specific. When I think of Valley of the Moon I usually think of an affordable, light Pinot Blanc. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg of what the winery has to offer. We started with a Rosato Di Sangiovese that smelled like raspberries. It was hot pink and full of pomegranate, cranberry and citrus. I was surprised at how long the finish was. A great wine for Florida! We tried some delicious sparkling wines, a tobacco filled Barbera, a spicy old vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernets, some blends; about a dozen wines total.

Some of the wines we tried were only available at the winery or through the wine club so I stocked up on those and had them shipped home. Valley of the Moon also bottles Lake Sonoma wines. If you can find the 2007 Alexander Valley Cab you have to get it! It was full of blueberry and cassis, a little cinnamon for some spice and nicely balanced overall! The staff was great and the tasting room had one of the best gift stores! I had no idea Valley of the Moon had so much to offer!

A bad day at the beach is better than a good day at work

You've heard the saying before and nothing could be more true, especially if food and wine are involved! Another Women's Wine Dinner on a Tuesday night with torrential rains did not keep more than 100 lovely ladies from crossing the bridge to Bayfront Bistro on Fort Myers Beach for an evening of food, wine, charity and networking! We began the evening with passed appetizers of Bruscetta, chicken Satay, crab cakes and Shramsberg Brut Rose. Seafood was the highlight of the night with the next course being a seared scallop topped with Boursin cheese, Truffled tomato and Montrachet cream sauce. I wanted to lick my plate! It was paired with a Swanson Pinot Grigio full of honey and pear. If you think Pinot Grigio's are on the wimpy side, you haven't tried this one!!

Next was a mixed green salad with roasted roma tomatoes that I could've had entire plate of on their own! The main course was a Poached Triple Tail with a mandarin buerre blanc. The Axis Sauvignon Blanc cut right through that rich sauce with grassy, citrus!

Dessert was a tropical foster mousse served with a Taylor Fladgate First Estate Port. I found some frozen berries in my mousse but the roasted pineapple and creme anglaise made me forget about all my problems.

We kept hoping for a break in the clouds to see the nearly full moon rise over the back bay. No such luck. The setting, the chef, the food and the wine make Bayfront Bisto one of, if not THE BEST places for fine dining on Fort Myers Beach!

Argentina's Flagships

When I think of Argentina I think of Malbec first then Buenos Aires! Malbec is a wonderful grape that is best described as being somewhere between a Cabernet and Merlot as far as taste. I just tried an '08 from Jelu Estates and it was full of black plums and spice. It filled the glass with a beautiful, deep purple color and was moderately tannic. For only $16 it gives a lot of bang for the buck!
Another grape synonymous with Argentina is Torrontes. It has become one of my favorites over the last several years. It's a great alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, a little smoother. The '09 Jelu has won some awards and there is good reason why. The nose is full of honey; the pallet is bright with white peach, lychee and slight acidity. It's another bargain at only $16!

Not only does Jelu Estates make amazing juice but also the owners are environmentally conscious. The wines are all organically grown and winery has gone "green"! No pesticides huh? I think I'll have another glass!

Mi Sueno

I got to drink a bottle of Pinot Noir last night from a little winery in Napa that has a story as big as the flavors in the bottle: a 2007 Mi Sueno Pinot Noir from Russian River. The wine is earthy and full of red fruits. As it opens there is a nice balance of fruit, tannins and oak.

Mi Sueno means my dream in Spanish. Rolando Herrera came to California from Mexico as a boy. His family was searching for a better life. As a teenager Herrera washed dishes at the famed Auberge du Soleil, worked as a “cellar rat” at Stag’s Leap and from there spent the next 20 years learning the ins and outs of the wine business before becoming his own boss. Herrera now owns Mi Sueno and even purchased the winery’s bottling equipment with cash! Talk about a dream! His wines have also been served multiple times at the White House!

Herrera’s wines aren’t always easy to find but they are worth the hunt!!

Austria meets California

Last night I went to a wine tasting at a coffee shop! If you didn't know, Bennett's Fresh Roast in downtown Fort Myers also has a nice selection of beer and wine and occasionally hosts wine events that attract the "see and be seen" crowd. The summer wine soiree featured vintners from Spain, Chile and of course California. One in particular that stood out was a Darcie Kent Gruner Veltiner, Rava Black Jack.

The Gruner Veltiner grape comes from Austria and Darcie Kent claims to be one of the few if not the only winery to grow it in California. The nose was full of lime, the palate was full of minerals and fruit. The two things I pictured drinking this wine with were ceviche and a dessert with white chocolate and keylime! It is definitely food friendly and retails for about $18!

Bennett has never been one to let his guest go hungry so he delighted us throughout the night with cured meats, hummus, impeccable cheese trays and of course his signature donuts!











He rolled out miniature versions of his homemade, hand-cut treats then made sure they were perfectly frosted with chocolate. The wine was great but this is what the crowd had been waiting for! Right out of the fryer and into our mouths! You MUST try these donuts! And while you're there see if Bennett has a bottle of the Domaine Napa Cabernet or the Montgras Carmenere. The chocolate donuts were great with both wines. Yes I had two, they were small!!!

Women's Wine Dinner: Angelina's

I enjoy getting dressed up and going out in the summer storms in Florida as long as there is valet parking! Last night's torrential downpour did not dampen the spirits of the ladies who attended this month's Women's Wine Dinner at the award winning Angelina's in Bonita Springs. We filled the bar with lively conversation, posed for photos, then filled the private dining room to capacity!

Angelina's is an Italian restaurant so the first course was appropriately enough an antipasto tray filled with cheeses, cured meats, fresh olives and marinated vegetables served with an '08 Icardi, Cortese. I was surprised to find a white wine so full of raisin! I admit that all week I was hoping maybe even praying that this next dish would be served and I was NOT disappointed: Angelina's signature Butternut Squash Ravioli. The ravioli is hand-rolled, filled with roasted butternut squash and mascarpone cheese then topped with a decadent citrus tomato butter. It was exquisitely paired with a 2007 Soave Classico, Monte Grande. "Sexy" was the best description I heard for the dish!


I was also hoping for a nice big Tuscan red and once again my desires were fulfilled with a 2007 Brancaia "Tre". A female winemaker produced this smooth gem and landed in Wine Spectators Top 100 List. The Filet Mignon it was served with had a brilliant red center and was so tender I barely picked up my knife to cut it.

The best pairing was definitely saved for last, a Vanilla-Mascarpone Cheesecake with homemade strawberry jam accompanied by a glass of Brachetto. The wine was a sparkling, pink dessert wine that went down way too easy! Thankfully the bubbles helped to dissipate the sweetness. The last course was pleasing to eye and the palet. It was one of those combinations that danced!

Kangaroo Chili???

My first experience at judging a Chili Cook-Off was on the beach in July!! Sounds a little out of season but Mother Nature blew some tropical winds our way to cool us down and blow things around quite a bit! After the sand settled the five judges settled in to a banquet table by the pool at the Pink Shell Resort and Spa on Fort Myers Beach. 17 different chili's were brought out one-by-one and passed down the table with lightening speed. We had to score on our first impressions with no information on what was in the chili. Each bowl was rated on things like appearance, smell, consistency, flavor, after-taste, etc.

I tasted spices like cardomon and nutmeg and of course lots of heat! The bowls were creatively adourned with things like hush puppies, queso blanco, sour cream, jalepeno's and scallions. I later learned that I ate chili's made of beef, pork, seafood, sausage, wild boar and KANGAROO!!! I kept eatting when I got home; a handful of Tum's!

The compeitors came from 3 counties. Some were restuarant chefs or employees,some were head chefs in their home but when all was said and done the top prize went to Heath Higginbotham from Bistro 41. His chilli was made with andouille sausage, fresh beans and chocolate! Chocolate, he must've known there would be women on the judge's panel!

The Great American Chili Cook-Off was the first event put on by Southwest Florida's Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. It was also a fundraiser for the Harry Chapin Food Bank! I love a party with a purpose!

Good Grillin'

If you are grilling out this summer, here is a wine that you HAVE to try: 2006 Heartland Shiraz from Dulwich, South Australia. My first impression was BBQ in a glass!!! I closed my eyes and could just see a nice, heaping plate of ribs dripping with tangy BBQ sauce. The wine was smoky, meaty, spicy and with just the right amount of fruit (plum and blackcurrant). I found it this weekend at a tasting at Austin’s Wine Cellar for $18.75! Pick up a bottle and let me know how it goes with your grilled goodies!

When in Rome....

We’ve all heard the saying “When in Rome, do as the Roman’s do”! The Roman’s drink Frascati! Frascati is synonymous with Rome having been produced in the region for nearly 2000 years. It also boasts of being the most often mentioned wine in Italian literature.

I just tasted a delicious 2007 Piero Constantini, Frescati Superiore DOC from Lazio. The blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes produced a light, citrus, floral delight with hints of fig and walnut! You should be able to find it for around $20. It’s a wonderful treat during these hot summer months!

Sweeeeet Sake

I love sushi anytime of the year but something about cool cucumbers and spicy tuna is particularly appealing in the summer. Sushi puts wine drinkers in a bit of conundrum; what really works with spicy sriracha and ginger, salty soy, raw fish and miso? Rice Wine, Sake of course!

I found myself at Blu Sushi this week with a glass of flavor infused cold sake from Moonstone. Moonstone’s sake brewery or Kura is in Oregon. They brew premium Junmai Ginjo styles. I had a glass that was blended with Coconut Lemongrass. It was sweet, slightly creamy with a spicy finish and kind of reminded me of a delicious men’s cologne. The strange combination went perfectly with the crab stuffed jalapenos! The sake is unfiltered so the milky looking appearance might be a bit off-putting for some. As good as it was one glass was enough for me because of the sweetness.

Moonstone’s other infused sake’s include Asian Pear, Plum and Raspberry. You’ll pay $32 for a bottle at Blu but if you find it in your favorite liquor store it’ll cost about $12.