All posts by Nadia

Food and wine enthusiast, Jersey Shore Local
Wine Feature

Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend 2014

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Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend 2014

Region: Central Coast, California

Tastings: 90 points

Wine Enthusiast: 87 points

Vivino app rating: 3.7/5

Average Price: $8.99

It’s wine Wednesday again, and today I would like to highlight the Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend. Red blends are so much more awesome than I ever thought; this one is just a home run especially for the price. For those of you who are actually reading my blogs, you know I say that a Vivino rating of 3.7 and above is generally enjoyable. There is a duplicate Vivino rating page that rates this wine as a 3.6, but I would rather accept the 3.7 rating and say that this wine makes the cut. However, like Yelp, Vivino is not always accurate so sometimes there will be exceptions to my made up rule.

mondavi-red-blend

Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend is made up of many grapes primarily from Syrah and Merlot with hints of petite Syrah and Zinfandel. The taste resembles a slightly fruity hint without feeling like you’re drinking sangria. It still has the bite of a great red wine, but sends hints of raspberry and strawberry. Again, I was surprised that I liked this wine as much as I did since I am picky about my Mondavi wines and am a total Cabernet girl!

This wine pairs well with spicy foods, beef, venison, lamb, goat cheese, and other mature, hard cheeses.

So folks, if my opinion actually mattered in the world of wines, I would increase this Vivino rating and give The Robert Mondavi Heritage Red Blend an overall score of 3.9/5. On that note, those who drink wine with dinner are winners! Happy wine Wednesday!

 

 

Wine Feature

Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

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Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Region: Napa Valley, California

Tasting Panel: 90 points

Wine Enthusiast: 84 points

Vivino app rating: 3.9/5

Average Price: $10.99

I decided to give this wine a try. Shop Rite Liquors was having a special on this wine, selling it for $9.99 a  bottle. I figured, why not?

leese-fitch-food

For those of you not familiar with the Vivino app, it is like Yelp, but for wine and is tons of fun to use. You can take the picture of any wine label, and Vivino will pull it up showing the average of all user ratings. I am totally that weirdo snapping shots of all the unfamiliar labels to see the best scores within certain price ranges. My general rule here is that any wine with a rating with 3.7 or more is generally enjoyable. Anything 4.0 and above has proven to be pretty amazing. I have not come across one with a perfect 5-star rating yet, but if you have, please comment below!

Anyway, Vivino has rated the 2013 Leese- Fitch cab as 3.9. This wine has a smoky, fragrant aroma with black cherry and toasted cardamum notes. It has a bit of an oak flavor, but is still fruity and rich. I feel like I tasted some coffee like tannins as well. This wine is great for the Fall weather. Picture yourself sitting outside, watching the leaves change on an Autumn night in front of a fire pit. Now put a glass of Leese-Fitch 2013 cab in your hand. Ah, it is the perfect combination.

leese-fitch-cab

This wine surprised me. I really did not expect to like it as much as I do. Additionally, the price is sensational!

This wine pairs great with a steak, lamb, and poultry.

Bottom line is… good wine for the value. Does it compare to a bottle of Silver Oak cab? No. Does it provide smooth, enjoyable, and easy drinking for an everyday cab? Absolutely. I agree with the Vivino rating and would rate it a 3.9/5 stars.

American, Article, Featured

Tastiest Shore Meals while on a Diet

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The worst feeling is when you have started a new diet and everything is going well until you have an event coming up where you need to go out to dinner and partake in all the drinking and eating of the night! If you’re like me, it is enough to make you feel super guilty and makes you feel like you need to be even stricter the following day.

Well, don’t worry! This is a part of life and we just need to make sure these events can be incorporated into our lives in a healthy fashion. Let’s face it, the chances of you eating very healthy all the time are slim to none unless you go into some major hibernation all by yourself and have the will power of an ox.

I think the basic rule would be to make sure you are eating a protein (the less fatty red meat, the better), brightly colored and dark green vegetables, and a starch. Remember, portion control is important as well and limit the dressings or sauces. Below, I have listed specific dishes following these guidelines at some Jersey Shore restaurants that will not mess up your diet, but are still so delicious and worth every penny!

Nicholas Barrel and Roost- Red Bank- Shovel Salad
What kind of salad? The name is a little interesting, but this is up there with one of my all time favorite salads as the salad lover that I am! Iceberg lettuce, roasted peppers, red peppers, pepperoncinis, mozzarella, and banana peppers! You definitely will wish you had a shovel to scoop this delicious bowl in to your mouth!

Taka Restaurant, Asbury Park/ Shogun Legends, Wall/ Yumi, Sea Bright/ Teak, Red Bank- Sashimi/Sushi
All of the restaurants above serve awesome and fresh sashimi. Sashimi is perfectly colored and tuna is sushi-grade. Sashimi is very light, and all the sushi rolls here are fresh, innovative, and so delicious. Sushi is always a healthy option as well that doesn’t feel like “healthy food” if you’re a true sushi lover.

Mcloone’s Pier House, Long Branch- Pier House Salad
The Pier House salad is phenomenal. I always add a little blackened chicken to give myself my protein with an extra kick and tell them to go very lightly on the feta cheese. This salad is mesclun greens, granny smith apples, walnuts, dried cranberries, and feta. It is a a little on the larger side, but afterall you’re just eating a salad so it is very filling if you eat 3/4 of it. Mcloone’s restaurants overall make really great salads, but this one is definitely one of my favorites.

Harvest, Farmingdale- Zoodles

Here is your spaghetti in zucchini form! Zoodles are yellow and green zucchini “noodles,” and these zoodles are packed with flavor! The asparagus pesto adds a delicious, addicting flavor the a rather healthy entree. I get chicken with my zoodles for my protein source, but Thai shrimp is another good option as well that I sometimes get. Harvest restaurant in general is a farm to table restaurant that serves healthy, locally sourced ingredients.

Catch, Red Bank- Scallops with a side of asparagus

Oh, this restaurant keeps making the lists, but that is because it is just so good! It is easily one of the best spots at the Jersey shore for seafood. Scallops in general are great for your waist line and even your cholesterol levels. This light fish that is more than 80 percent protein, when not saturated in creamy calorie filled sauces, is one of the top fish to eat while you’re on a diet! With the fresh catch section of a menu, you can choose a side. Here, my choice would be the asparagus. Arugula salad is also a good, healthy choice. You can’t go wrong here at Catch!

Obviously, these are not the ONLY meals around that can be a healthy option, but these are some of my favorites that you can’t go wrong on. Good luck and happy dining!

Article

Top 5 Favorite California Cabs Under $20

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Funny story… I used to only drink white zinfandel at the beginning of my wine journey. I then graduated to riesling, and then jumped right into reds. The point is, it took me some time to like red wine like it does for a lot of wine drinkers who take a similar journey. Now, I don’t know how I lived without it.

My favorite red is a California cabernet, and if you are like me, you can go through a few bottles a weekend! We don’t always want to buy that delicious $50+ bottle unless it’s a special occasion or unless you’re lucky enough to be among the rich and famous. And even when I do buy them, I let them sit and revel in the fact that I have a good bottle for the right day. Yes, I am a weirdo, but this is why I have my go to list of California cabs that are not only affordable, but absolutely delicious.

5. St. Francis 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon– The winery states:

“Robust but refined, this Cabernet has layered aromatics of cassis, black cherry and cocoa with a note of black licorice. Flavors of currant, mocha, vanilla, spice and more dark cherry precede a long, smooth finish. This wine shows off good structure and generous tannins.”

I love this bottle so much. Oh, and it pairs amazingly with blue cheese! Delicious! You can find this bottle in any liquor store, averaging in price at $19.99, $16.99 at Wegmans. Wegmans liquor rocks, by the way!

4. Louis Martini Sonoma County 2013 Cabarnet Sauvignon- So here is the thing (don’t kill me), but I think the $30 bottle Louis Martini and this $14.99 bottle are very very similar in taste! They are both smooth and delicious, but for the purposes of this blog, we are discussing the one priced around $14.99. Louis Martini vineyard is definitely noted as one of the country’s most prestigious vineyards, and that is why this wine gets a shout! According to the winemakers:

“The wine offers ripe flavors of blackcurrant and jammy black plum accented by notes of caramelized oak and baking spice. The round, plush mouthfeel offers firm structure framed by a fruit-focused finish.”

3. Decoy 2012 Sonoma County Cabarnet Sauvignon– I was so surprised how much I liked this wine! I have never seen it on the top lists of cabs under $20, but I adored it for sure. I happened to pair it with a filet mignon that night and it was out of this world. Tasting fruit flavors balanced by rich tannins, this wine is a winner!

Average price is $17.99 per bottle.

2. Oberon 2014 Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon– A very delicious and interesting wine. When you pair the right foods, the flavor explodes even more. This wine has a bit of a spice to it, mixed in with the blackberry and black cherry flavors; once you’re ready for your next sip, you will taste the lingering effects of the hint of coffee and cardamum.

A bottle is priced around $19.99.

1. Simi 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon– And the winner is… SIMI! Great bottle for the price. Very smooth as well. The winemaker states,

“SIMI 2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon follows up on its deep, dark garnet color and ruby edge with lifted and pretty aromas of bright currant and cherry, blackberry, and plum. Compelling flavors of cherry and plum along with black pepper spice add life to this full-bodied-yet-silky wine that finishes with soft, velvety roasted coffee tannins and a bit of peppery cassis. Overall, the wine is youthful, mouthfilling, juicy, and bright.”

I only buy this bottle in Wegmans Liquor store because I am confident it will always be priced at $17.99. Don’t pay over $20 because I know you can find it for less. 🙂

*BONUS: If you want an even less expensive bottle than the ones listed above, go for the Beringer 2014 Founder’s Estate Cabernet priced on average at $8.99. You’re welcome 🙂

I do most of my wine shopping at Wegmans or Shop Rite liquors whenever I can and am able to plan ahead because I do believe they have the most competitive prices! I guarantee that these will be the prices you see if you shop at these locations.

Thanks for reading! See you next time!