3 New Worldly Wines To Try In The New Year

Thanks to Silk Road Sape Ravi for inviting me to review one of their wines.  They provided me with a bottle of free wine in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

When January rolls around there is a trend for people to cut things out of their diet. It's a way to reset after the indulgence of the holidays. In addition, almost every gym in Southwest Florida has all kinds of challenges to help with diet and exercise. One popular practice is "Dry January" where you abstain from alcohol. I for one shun this and replace it with "Try January". The New Year is a time to try new things. So here are 3 new worldly wines to try in the New Year and for Wine Wednesday.

Don't get me wrong. I will gladly support you if you are on the wagon this month, or any month. However, January is also my birthday month so abstaining is not in the cards. That is my excuse, I mean story, and I'm sticking to it. I really do have fun discovering new wines, grapes and regions. I also enjoy sharing them so you can enjoy them as well.

Silk Road Sape Ravi. This comes from the country (not state) of Georgia. Saperavi is the grape and it’s a pretty ruby color, with bright red fruit like cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. It has a nice amount of acidity to match with foods like salmon and cheesy pasta. $16

Prima Donna Tannat. This is from Uruguay. Tannat is the most grown red grape in the small country. This one a luscious burgundy color. It is medium body with more intense flavors of dark fruit like plum and spices such as clove. In the $30 range.

Juan Gil Silver Monastrell. If you see wines by Bodegas Juan Gil, grab them. The Spanish wine house makes consistently good wines. Monastrell is the grape and it is the same as mourvedre. This one is full of aromatic red berries. Its flavors are concentrated and fuller bodied with mild tannins and a touch of spice. $17.99.

Happy Wine Wednesday. Enjoy and drink responsibly.

I've lived and worked in Estero for nearly 20 years, so this list is coming to you from experience. But rather than pick my favorites, I've decided to keep it impartial. I've turned to the reviewers of Yelp for the best restaurants in Estero.

Estero has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. Many of the places on this list didn't even exist back then. For those of you new to town, back then our only mall was Miromar Outlets, FGCU was just getting started, and when you drove past Bella Terra on Corkscrew Road that was the end of civilization. I remember when our only fast food option was Arby's, and it closed early. Once you drove south on 41 past Corkscrew there wasn't much of anything until you got to Bonita Beach Road. Except for a liquor store. I remember there being a liquor store. All this has happened in less than 20 years.

We've done quite a few of these lists, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples. But this is the first time I've done Estero, except for the time I wrote about the taco place at the gas station. I'm telling you, those are some of the best tacos I've ever had. That place, along with several others are too new to make this list, so if your favorite isn't on here - sorry. Once they stack up enough reviews they may make the cut. So, no, Cheesecake Factory isn't on here. Let's get started.

Most of these places are either located in or near malls. But the two that aren't, are absolutely amazing. Let's begin at Coconut Point.

Great food and a great staff, SFG in the Coconut Point Mall comes in at number 10. They've got a fantastic Early Bird special and a pretty solid menu. The "Buddha bowl" gets mentioned quite often in reviews. A fair amount of gluten free options, too. If you're going for dinner, in season, I'd definitely recommend making a reservation.

Located just south of Coconut Point Mall. Angelina's has been a staple since 2008. They're only open for dinner and don't even think about rolling in fresh off the beach. Dress nice. This is going to be some of the best Italian food you've had. And the decor and ambiance is just as impressive as the food. Super classy. They have won so many awards. When I'm there I always think "this place is too nice for me to be here."

https://angelinasofbonitasprings.com/

Another entry from Coconut Point. Mediterranean. House made pasta and seafood are specialties. Also lobster ravioli. I love large wood fired ovens and often wonder what it takes to keep that place cool inside.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/amfora-mediterranean-restaurant-estero

This funky place serves up Peruvian cuisine in Miromar Outlets. Try the ceviche, yuca bites, and tostones bruschetta. Pair it up with a spicy margarita. The food is fun, and the drink prices are amazing. 

Argentine and Peruvian food across the street from the Coconut Point Mall. Try the Meat Lovers Poseidon Parrillada. And go on Wednesday.

This one is away from the malls, but is one of my favorites. Good sushi, great Pad Thai. But be careful if you ask for it spicy - you better be ready. It's hot. The service is absolutely amazing, and save some room for the mango with sticky rice desert. And an often overlooked thing, their website ordering is one of the best setups I've ever seen.

http://www.9thai-sushi.com/

Back over to Miromar Outlets for Ford's Garage. Sure, it's a chain, but if you want a great burger and an amazing selection of drinks - this is your spot. When you go, enter the mall from Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. Much easier.

The Tommy Bahama at Coconut Point is not hard to find. Just follow the crowd. Not kidding, the rest of the mall could be relatively empty and this place is still packed. There's usually live entertainment and seating outside.

This makes quite a choice when you go to Miromar Outlets. To the right is Ford's Garage, to the left is Naples Flatbread. The food is amazing, but you're coming for the  self-service tap wall. 54 craft beers, wine, hard seltzer, hard cider, spiked kombucha, mead wine, nitro cold brew coffee, as well as a house-made Moscow mule with Tito’s vodka. A couple of drinks in and you're ready for a flatbread pizza.

This Italian restaurant in the Coconut Point Mall is voted number one in Estero by Yelp reviewers. A great atmosphere and great Italian food. A roaring twenties Miami feel. A perfect pairing of atmosphere and food.