On Thursday, August 13, an ABC Store in Ft. Myers hosted a Wine Tasting Event. Over 100 wine lovers attended to mix and mingle amidst the tropical downpour outside. Two local restaurants also attended. Coconuts Waterfront Bar & Grill and Pinchers Crab Shack offered attendants tastes from their menus.

 

ABC store in Satellite Beach also hosted a Wine Tasting Event last week on August 19^th. Here are some snapshots from that event.

Today’s blog post comes from guest blogger, Courtney Patterson, who discovered one of her favorite wines while traveling in Europe.

I had the distinct pleasure of tasting sangria for the first time in its country of origin, Spain. We sat down for dinner on Las Ramblas, which is quite possibly one of the most touristy boulevards in Barcelona. We casually ordered sangria and were taken aback when the waiter returned with a 1-liter pitcher of sangria for each of us. Needless to say, I had my fill of sangria that night but it was delightful. I immediately fell in love with the fruity red wine. It was refreshing and sweet. Sangria can be store-bought but it’s easy to make on your own and tastes even better homemade.

 

Are you a wine newbie? It’s nothing to be ashamed about everyone has got to start somewhere. Being an amateur wine enthusiast can be daunting at first but here are some tips to make your journey a little less intimidating.

 

-Keep a running list of wines you want to try, this way you avoid last minute, impulsive purchases. Do your research by subscribing to a newsletter like Brad’s Wine Country newsletter on our website or visiting popular wine websites. Be sure to take wine “expert” advice in stride. If an expert is truly an expert, he or she will be humble enough to admit that not everyone shares the same taste in wines.

-Don’t get caught up in the myth that a ...

Seafood is a staple here in Florida and pairing it with a glass of wine after a long day can make your favorite seafood dish even better. Pairing fish and wine can be difficult and has a lot to do with personal preference but here are a few pointers to get you going.

Pinot Noir is a classic choice for salmon, blackened fish or lobster. The light red wine compliments darker, oilier fish while whiter, lighter fish like grouper should be paired with a delicate, oaky Chardonnay. Chardonnay also pairs wonderfully with classic seafood starters like oysters, caviar and sushi. A classic is bone-dry Chablis with oysters.

Beware of pairing red wines with cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish as these are high in iodine. The level of iodine reacts with the wine tannins making the fish and the wine taste metallic.

Chinese or Thai take-out is one of my favorite weekly dinners. Last week, a friend asked what I was doing for dinner and I told her it was a “take-out night." She told me to be sure I picked up some German Riesling on the way home if I didn’t already have some. “It’s perfect, I promise." She couldn’t have made a better suggestion. The pairing was wonderful. The off-dry character brings out the spices in Asian favorites like Thai Red Curry, General Tsao’s and Szechuan Chicken. I don’t know if I’ll be able to enjoy take-out without it now! Some options (you’ll want the kabinett, probably, for dinner):

 

Many people are under the impression that craft beers and micro beers are in fact the same thing, when they are not. Craft beers are independent, meaning less than 25% of the brewery is controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not a craft brewer. They are also traditional, using conventional brewing methods without adding adjuncts (unmalted grains like corn and rice), producing a more distinctive and flavorful taste. To be considered a craft beer, the brewery must produce less than 2 million barrels. Craft beer is a term used commonly in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.

Micro beer simply means the beer’s production was limited to 15,000 barrels or less, making it distinct in its rarity. Micro beers are also brewed with adjuncts like corn and rice.

 

When I’m not in the office, working on this blog, I am taking full advantage of the beautiful beaches we have around our wonderful state. A day at any west coast beach is relaxing and enjoyable but have you ever stayed for the sunset? A sunset picnic on the beach is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention incredibly romantic. Block out Friday or Saturday night this weekend and invite the one you love out for dinner on the beach, while watching the sun sink into the ocean. Throw together a salad topped with raspberry vinaigrette, some roasted chicken and vegetables and bring it together with a sparkling wine like Verdi Spumante (comes in green apple, peach and raspberry flavors), Korbel Sparkling Rose or Martini & Rossi Prosecco. White wines also pair well with sunset picnics. Try a Ruffino Orvieto, Chateau de Fontenille, Burgans Albarino, or Selbach-Oster Kabinett. It is important to remember that whatever wine you choose for your picnic, it shoul ...

At a wine tasting this weekend, the guy I went with told me my wine had “great legs.” To be honest, I thought he was trying to compliment me but hadn’t been able to get the right words out. My expression must have given away my thoughts because he went on to explain that the phrase simply implies a wine is of good quality. “Legs” or “tears”, as the French call them appear on the sides of the wine glass when the wine is swirled. I had never heard anyone describe wine using this phrase before so of course, I researched it when I got home later that night.

Come to find out, the implication behind the phrase is a myth. No one is positive on the origin of the phrase but it has to do with a phenomenon called the Gibbs-Marangoni effect. The “legs” or rivulets as they are more officially named have ...

I recently read an article complaining about the lack of quality in low priced Australia Chardonnays. Curious, I called Dave Malone, the wine consultant at our Tallahassee (Thomasville Road) store to see what he had to say. Because Australian wines are really approachable, he sells a lot of them, especially to people who are just starting to explore wines.

 

While the popularity of Australian wines has suffered some over recent years, consumers should not lose sight of several producers who continue to excel in these tough conditions.  Just because Australian wine isn’t the “hot category” does not mean there are not several great values to be had below the $20 price point.  What I try to remind our guests is that the Australians have a style all their own: big, flamboyant, fruit-driv ...