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.

Fleming's Summer Treats

I recently went to a preview of the new Summer dishes being served at Fleming's Steakhouse and was so impressed that I had to create a slide show so you could see also. First two dishes we sampled were the roasted mushroom ravioli and the lump crab Louis wraps. the ravioli had delicious chunks of portobello and shiitake mushrooms and was paired nicely with an earthy Ponzi Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Tavola. The crab wraps were a perfect summer treat, light and tasty!

Next up were small plates of the Tillamook Bay Petrale Sole served with crab beignets that I could've eaten all night and the new Salmon Nicoise which I could eat every day! This dish truly had everything; broiled salmon, roasted Yukon Potatoes, French green beans, truffled deviled eggs, roasted sweet baby peppers and a lemon-balsamic vinaigrette. We enjoyed it with a Mer Soleil Chardonnay full of honey and spice from Santa Lucia Highlands. It was wonderful to have so many light and delicious choices at a restaurant known for its big juicy steaks.

Speaking of steaks, we could not dine at Fleming's without having some and it was so tender I didn't even need a knife to cut it. Truly spectacular and pictured above. We were then treated to the most expensive wine poured by the glass at the restaurant, 2006 Kelly Fleming Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. The founder's wife wanted to make a wine that would stand up to the "cult" classics so she called in some big guns and got some land next to another cult winery you may know called Araujo. The result is a comforting, full, balanced, velvety, peppery wine. It's nose had a hint of popcorn. The wine had been decanted for about an hour and a half and a glass costs $30.

Just when I said, "Put a fork in me, I done!" a tray of desserts was festively placed in the middle of the table beckoning us to take a bit of each; cheesecake, chocolate lava cake, creme brulee and walnut turtle pie. Any bit of restraint that was left was thrown out the window and I dove in to a sweet, decadent dessert coma! When you go to Fleming's, no matter how much you are enjoying your steak, put some aside to take home so you can save room for one or all of these mouth watering desserts!

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!

Women's Wine Dinner: Cru

Not so surprising, I belong to a women's wine club. We meet every month at a different restaurant for wine dinners. It is not completely self-indulgent since each gathering has some kind of charitable tie-in.

This month 80 fabulously dressed women gathered at Cru in Fort Myers for an amazing pairing by chef Harold Balink. Chef started us out with a spicy crab, avocado and cucumber Napolean that was to-die-for. It had everything; creamy, crunchy, sweet and spicy and went perfectly with the Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling. As the story has it, Smith was a big fan of Chinese take-out and German Riesling. One night while enjoying the combo and watching the movie "Kill Bill" he decided it was time to make his own Riesling and the name (Kung Fu Girl) was so inspired.

Next up was a delicious Spanish Botani, Malaga Blanc paired with a dish chef's Grandma used to make: spinach stuffed chicken with a tomato Ciabatta salad. The winemaker recently passed-on so this his last vintage(crisp, dry, floral). As soon as the third course was put on the table the power went out and the hot waiters got even hotter! We dined by candle light on a pepper grilled Ribeye with Cru sauce and crispy onions. Another phenomenal pairing with a Block 9 Pinot Noir from Sonoma, California. The Pinot had a traditional nose and was a little tight at first but opened up with more fruit, a bit of cocoa and a lingering finish. A little chill on the bottle took out the bite and rounded it out. Loved it!

Finally a dessert course without a dessert wine! We had a Dark Chocolate Bomb; white chocolate mousse and roasted banana sauce, served with a Turnbull Old Bull Red from Napa. I love a big red wine with chocolate for dessert and was not disappointed. The wine had lots of cherry but not lots of tannins. The dessert caused much discussion. It was comforting, like some "old school" cookie or cake treat. I heard the word "Moonpie" a couple of times but that wasn't it....maybe Malamar??? I'll keep working on it and let you know.

It really doesn't matter because the entire event was awesome. The pairings were spot on! Good job Chef! By the way, the power did come back on.....just in time for dessert.

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!

Umberto Cesari Wine Dinner

I did some teasing in my blogs about the Umberto Cesari wine dinner planned for Bistro 41 in Fort Myers and finally the day arrived! Last night Umberto's cousin Ricardo showed up with his thick Italian accent to showcase the family wines and enjoy a spectacular food pairing created by Executive Chef Reiner Drygala and Executive Sous Chef Heath Higginbotham (featured in the photo to the left). Look at these guys! You know it's gonna be a good night!
First course was thinly sliced prosciutto with pecorino Romano tuile, cantaloupe ice cream, Saba balsamic drizzle and chives. THe dish was paired with an '08 Moma White. The wine was a blend of Trebbiano, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and it was so clean and velvety! What a great balance of fruit and minerals, peach, pear and herbs! It was a perfect match to the sweet and salty dish! And who would've ever thought to substitute the fruit with ice cream on the first course. Bravo!!

Next up was a phenomenal plate of Wild Boar ravioli over wilted spinach, finished with pancetta, garlic, olive oil and crispy leeks. The wine was one I already bragged to you about the '06 Liano! It is Sangiovese with a 30% blend of Cabernet aged in Yugoslavian Oak. Cherry, balanced tannins, give me more! The ravioli had just the right amount of Wild Boar, nothing was overpowering. Every plate at my table appeared to be licked clean!

With the bar already set pretty high the third course knocked it over-the-top! Oak grilled Elk lolly pop with white bean Swiss chard eggplant ragout finished with a demi glace, beurre monte and gremolata. It was paired with a delectable 2004 Tauleto> The award winning vino is 90% Sangiovese, huge, tannic, inky and impressive!! The Elk was extremely tender, cooked perfectly!

The final surprise was a dessert made with honey thyme polenta, mandarin oranges, white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin mandarin orange olive oil, candied fennel leafs and a strawberry garnish. Talk about unique! We drank an Albano Passito dessert wine that was late harvest with the grapes dried in racks. I would love this wine with some cheese and dark chocolate also!

Congratulations to the chefs, the wine maker, Opici (the distributor) and everyone involved! Another amazing pairing. It totally put to rest my fears of eating big, gamey food in the hot summer! Bring it!!!

Sassy Sauv Blancs!

I love drinking a great wine out of a brown bag! How ghetto fab! We have a "brown bag" group that is hosted by a different person every other month. We decide on a theme or a grape, everyone makes an appropriate purchase and puts it in a brown bag. With the identity of the wine concealed it leaves little chance for judgement based on perceived value or reputation.

This month the grape of choice was Sauvignon Blanc; no restrictions. Perfect choice for the begining of a long hot summer. We tasted several wines from France, New Zealand and California. After tasting all 7 we unveiled the wines worst to first. The top scorer in a narrow vote by .5 was a Clifford Bay from New Zealand followed by a French Sancerre from Christian Salmon. Both are pictured above. After the blindfolds were taken off the bottles and we tried these two top vote getters back-to-back, the Sancerre won outright!

The Sancerre's nose was bursting with pear, it was slightly effervescent, crisp and clean. The Clifford Bay was well balanced with lots of citrus and zest. Both wines come in at under $20 and a great buy for the hot summer months ahead! If you like citrus in your wine and a price under $10, you should try the Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc. Sooooo much lemon on the pallet and the label just so happens to be yellow to match!

One gentleman who attended our tasting apparently felt the need to assert his masculinity by saying "I can only be seen drinking white wine while the sun is up". Good thing for him the days are long in the summer!