Wine

Virginia Philip Wine Shop & Academy Offering Wine Immersion Course Starting Tomorrow

Wine is a bit of a tricky subject. Most people drink it. Few people really know the intricacies of pairing it well. However, on those rare occasions in which you just happen to stumble upon an amazing food and wine pairing, the results are phenomenal--like an explosion in your mouth. Fortunately, ... More >>

2013 American Fine Wine Competition: Winners Announced

For many of us, a bottle of your finest two buck Chuck will do the trick. For many others, its just not going to cut it. Luckily for the wine snobs of the world, there are people who painstakingly sip, spit, and evaluate wines to find the ones that are truly the best.The American Fine Wine Competiti ... More >>

Join the Gulp! Food and Libations Wine Pairing Event This Weekend in West Palm Beach

There it is, right there in front of you: a restaurant wine menu that's thicker than Tolstoy's War and Peace, and offers about 101 selections and varietals, all at varying price points. You're having fish for dinner and on a date / dining with wine-loving friends / trying to impress your boss, but r ... More >>

Leftover Champagne? Five Sparkling Wine Cocktails to Drink After New Year's Eve

Champagne: the classic New Year's Eve drink. You toast with it, cheer with it, drink it straight from the bottle Diddy-style. Of course, champagne isn't for everyone -- especially when taste largely depends on how much you want to spend. Sure, there are uber-cheap knock-offs (think cava, p ... More >>

How to Choose Champagne and Sparkling Wine, With Andrew Lampasone of Wine Watch

Wine is a tough subject. Sparkling wine, even more so. Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Dry, Sweet, Extra Brut, WTF... the options are endless. The possibility for a hangover: potentially catastrophic.New Year's is around the corner and whether you like it or not, you and your friends will be celebrating ... More >>

Holiday Wine Buying Tips for the Beginner (Via Master Sommelier Virginia Philip)

Clean Plate Charlie isn't above formulating a holiday "wine plan" that consists solely of driving to Naples, pulling up to Trader Joe's, and loading the car with cases of Two Buck Chuck. But in case you want to class it up a bit at your holiday mixers, or when giving vino as a gift, Virginia Philip ... More >>

South Florida Dining Events This Week: Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival Winds Down and More

The shit-storm of the holidays can make scheduling an evening for yourself next to impossible. But in case you can steal away for a few hours, there are chances to eat, drink, and be merry, all while putting your various responsibilities out of mind (booze is good in that way). After the jump, find ... More >>

Virginia Philip Talks Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival and How to Saber a Champagne Bottle Without Hurting Yourself

Palm Beach entrepreneur Virginia Philip is an undisputed rockstar in the wine world. It only makes sense that she'd play a part in this weekend's Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival, where she'll lend her skills to three different festival events. Philip was but the tenth woman in the world to earn ... More >>

The American Fine Wine Competition: Tickets on Sale Now

Fun fact: South Florida is second largest wine consumption market in the country. That can mean one of two things; we have a ton of drunks, or a large population of individuals who enjoy the finer things in life. Let's go with the latter.If you're a wino or just an enthusiast of all things wine, the ... More >>

Boca Raton Wine and Food Festival Is This Weekend (Plus More Fests in Delray and Fort Lauderdale)

Season is here. The weather has cooled down. The snowbirds are starting to flock south. The Speedos are out and about. And the festivals are here. This weekend, in particular, the food festivals are going strong. Flavors of Fort Lauderdale is on in Broward. Delray has the Delray Beach Wine and Seafo ... More >>

Vodka Spritzer? Absolut Tune Debuts Tuesday; Solange Knowles and Charlotte Ronson Host Promo Party

Have you ever thought it would be cool to make a vodka/white wine spritzer? Neither have we. But apparently, someone else has. Absolut will be releasing its newest product, Absolut Tune, touted as a sparkling fusion of vodka and white wine, on Tuesday. The company sent us a bottle to taste-test. See ... More >>

Base Winetasting With Veuve Clicquot

New Times Pairings: Wines You'll Be Swirling and Sipping on Thursday Night

See also: Fifth Annual New Times Pairings: Who's New to the Lineup This Year and Five Reasons You Should Go On Tuesday, Clean Plate Charlie showed a little love for the craft beer to be offered at Thursday's fifth-annual New Times Pairings. The beer camp makes a very compelling case, but it's not t ... More >>

Puglia Wine Festival

Grape Expectations

Steak 954 Named Wine Spectator's 100 Best Wine Restaurants

Wine Spectator has come out with their annual listing of the 100 best wine restaurants in the country and Steak 954 has been named of the the top picks.The Stephen Starr steakhouse at the W Fort Lauderdale hotel joins such notable restaurants as Le Bernadin, The Lambs Club, Per Se, and Minetta Taver ... More >>

It's Summer; Drink Riesling!

Summer of Riesling begins tomorrow. For those keeping track, that's June 20 or the first official day of summer. Ladies, we know you love your Chardonnay; but summer's the time for Riesling, so grab your nearest grandma and fancy cup with ice and shake things up. Never heard of the Summer of Ries ... More >>

Ernie's Italian Chophouse to Host Bell Wine Dinner

When dining Italian you must have wine. That statement is pure, simple, and true. In Italy, wine practically flows down the cobblestone streets, made in basements, at home, and at gorgeous Tuscan wineries.And yet, Ernie's Italian Chophouse restaurateur Ernie Patti has chosen to celebrate American wi ... More >>

Summer School by Way of a Sommelier

Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, Old School Beerfest, and other Food and Drink Events this Week in South Florida

With wine competitions, wine festivals, beer festivals, and all manner of pairings on the docket, this is a busy week for food and drink fans in South Florida. In addition to the typical end-of-season flood of events, there are a few special observances this week. Tax day is Tuesday and if you need ... More >>

South Florida's Best Places to Sip Wine

​The American Fine Wines Competition gala is set for April 19 at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. At $310 a pop, a spot at the table nets a four-course dinner and tastes of many of the 600 American wines featured in the competition. Late Show With David Letterman announcer Alan Kalter will emce ... More >>

Event Coverage: The Fifth Annual American Fine Wine Competition VIP Connoisseur Reception

​ The Fifth Annual American Fine Wine Competition hosted a VIP connoisseur reception Thursday night at Allied Kitchen & Bath in Fort Lauderdale. The event was open to the public and was part of an ongoing series to highlight American wines and vineyards. More than a hundred people attended and ... More >>

SoBeWFF: Tickets Still Available for These Events

​There's no denying that the South Beach Wine and Food Festival is South Florida's premier foodie event. The four-day festival turns Miami into one giant celebrity-chef mosh pit -- where the likes of Paula Deen, Anthony Bourdain, Emeril Lagasse, and Rachael Ray all come together to mingle with fan ... More >>

Educational Winetasting Experience at the Best Cellar

​If you've always wanted to know more about wine and are looking for something to do this evening, look no more. The Best Cellar in Wilton Manors is hosting an educational winetasting tonight, January 14, from 8 to 10 p.m.  For $15 (about the price of a movie and a small popcorn), you'll have ... More >>

Blind Wine Chick Alex Elman Wine Tastings at Whole Foods Market

Alex ElmanMeet Alex Elman and her dog Hanley at Whole Foods​It's not every day that your wine tasting is interrupted by a thumping tail, but then not every wine tasting is conducted by a self-titled blind wine chick.I met Alex Elman at the South Beach Whole Foods Market to chat about her wine on H ... More >>

Merlot Ice Cream This Saturday at Under the Stars Food & Wine Festival

Brett Jordan via Flickr Creative Commons"Oh, why, hello, Merlot. I believe you've met ice cream?"​While New Times' intrepid food critic explores her local options for beer-flavored ice cream -- and while we're on the subject, I say this without judgment, but Budweiser?! -- and other assorted goods ... More >>

The Generous Pour Event Returns to the Capital Grille

Wine.com ​​It's summer and that can only mean one thing over at The Capital Grille- it's time for The Generous Pour Event. In its 3rd year, the program launches TODAY and runs well through the end of summer concluding on Sunday, September 4.

Five for the Fourth, Wines for Holiday Grilling

​We all know that beer is not just for breakfast any more, but it's equally true that wine is not just for expensive meals of unpronounceable dishes at snobby restaurants.  Actually, it's perfect for your Fourth of July barbecue. After all, beer only fills you up and cuts down on stomach spac ... More >>

Real Housewife Ramona Singer To Release Her Own Pinot Grigio

  ​If you watch "Real Housewives of New York", you've been introduced to Ramona Singer. This fascinating woman is best known for her crazy bug eyes, shreiky voice and ability to put away Pinot Grigio like a drunken sailor on shore leave. The only time this woman is filmed without a glas ... More >>

Taste for Women's Wellness Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Carla Golembe House of Cats and Miracles ​Since red wine and dark chocolate have been proven to have health benefits, do something good for both your body and your soul by attending the Taste For Women's Wellness Wine & Chocolate Tasting this Friday, February 4th from 7-9pm at The ... More >>

Winemaker Paul Hobbs Celebrated at Wine Dinner at Market 17 Thursday

Flickr, Wickenden Paul Hobbs Wine​Market 17, one of Fort Lauderdale's hottest new dining establishments, is coming out of the gate with a noteworthy wine event.   This Thursday, January 27, the eatery will feature dinner with world-renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs as guest of honor. Hobb ... More >>

Cereal: Pair It with Wine

laffy4k​There are the people that strictly eat it for breakfast, those that rely on it for snacking during the 3 p.m. slump, those that use it to lose weight, and those that eat it all day.Charlie likes to pair it with wine.Say what? No, it's not a slang word for crack; it's the same old breakfast ... More >>

Spin the Bottle Winetasting at the Rustic Cellar in Boca

​Spin the bottle brings back preteen memories in a suburban basement when Cara DeBoest's parents weren't around. The Rustic Cellar has upgraded the setting considerably.This Thursday, the cozy Cellar will host Spin the Wine, a collision of spin the bottle and a regular tasting. Management has put ... More >>

Six Bubblies to Put the Sparkle in Your New Year's Eve Celebration

​There's nothing that washes away the taste of the old year and sharpens your appetite for the year to come than sparkling wine. Though true champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France, excellent bubbly is produced all over the world, much of it surprisingly affordable. Which is a goo ... More >>

The Grateful Palate in Fort Lauderdale Successfully Converts From Yacht Purveyor to Fine Restaurant

Ritz-Carlton and Via Luna Host Napa Wine Tasting

​Decoding wine speak can often be a puzzling experience. But drinking a wine that's actually called Puzzle? That's some crazy, self-referential smack right there. Puzzle, from acclaimed Napa winery Newton Vineyards, will be one of the five wines on display at next Thursday's (December 2) Newton Wi ... More >>

Thanksgiving Wines: Six Under $12

​You really want something to be thankful for?  Be thankful you don't have to pick one wine to go with everything in the traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner. Something that pairs with 18 dishes from mashed potatoes to sweet potatoes to Brussels sprouts to pumpkin pie... it's enough to give ev ... More >>

Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Festival at Gulfstream Park

​On the fourth Thursday in November, we celebrate one of our most important national holidays, Thanksgiving. On the third Thursday in November, France celebrates too. But instead of busting out the turkey and cranberries, the French break out barrels and bottles for "Beaujolais Day." It's the cele ... More >>

Interview With Paul Castronovo: Paul & Young Ron Radio Star Now a Wine Guru Too

Paul Castronovo at his vineyard in Italy.​Radio personality Paul Castronovo has a new baby -- a wine label from his own Italian vineyard producing the wine varietal Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Castronovo's gut-busting radio program, The Paul and Young Ron Morning Show, may have brought you much-need ... More >>

Greek Festival in Fort Lauderdale This Weekend

Loukoumades, Greek-styled donuts.   Has the economy got you so strapped for cash that you skipped your trip to the Mediterranean? There, you imagined strolling around the streets of Athens, grubbing on street food like souvlaki, meat on a stick with veggies rolled in a pita and slathered ... More >>

Boca Raton Wine and Food Festival Arrives Sunday

Cue dramatic music: Don't try to run. Don't try to hide. The Boca Raton Wine and Food Festival WILL find you. And when it does, it will rock your mother-lovin' world. Ahem... sorry about that. We were just watching this dramatically scored promo video for the Boca Raton Wine and Food Festival, com ... More >>

Q&A With Andrew Lampasone of Wine Watch in Fort Lauderdale

You TubeLampasone's motto: "Always drink the good stuff first." ​Andrew Lampasone is the proprietor of Wine Watch -- a boutique wine shop in Fort Lauderdale with a selection of more than 3,000 wines.  On September 16, Lampasone will partner with New Times for the second year in a row to prese ... More >>

Five Wines for Hurricane Season

​Despite numerous predictions of death, destruction and days of no cable TV, so far this hurricane season we've gotten off pretty easy.  Well, that looks like it's about to change. You don't need to be a professional doomsayer or a WSVN panic-monger. . . I mean, meteorologist, to peek at the ... More >>

Sommelier 2.0 -- Naples, Fl., Restaurant Using IPad as Their Wine List

Diners can search databases of 500-plus bottle list several ways to match wine with meals and avoid intimidation of sommelier.

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck: Oak Grove 2009 Reserve Viognier

​If you're boning up on your ABCs--Anything But Chardonnay--you might want to add the letter "V" to your lesson plan. That would be "V" for "Viognier."  It's a grape that offers a lot of what Chardonnay lovers love: ripe tropical and stone fruit, big and bold flavors, rich and creamy mouthfee ... More >>

Wine and Cheese Tastings at Whole Foods (Some Free!)

​Man does not live by barbecue and beer alone, even in the summer. Sometimes he needs wine and cheese.  Man -- that would be you, bunky -- is therefore in luck, as over the next several weeks, five local Whole Foods Markets will be pouring their top ten summer wines, each paired to a differen ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck: Antinori Campogrande 2008 Orvieto

Say "Italian white wine" and almost everyone will say "Pinot Grigio."  Blech.  ​Most Pinot Grigio, Italian or otherwise, is to wine what Bud Lite is to beer--watery, tasteless, insipid stuff made for people whose palates cringe at the thought of anything with, you know, flavor. So, inste ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck: Pine Ridge 2008 Chenin Blanc-Viognier

​"The best" is one of those designations fraught with peril as well as slightly ridiculous. Is LeBron James "better" than Dwyane Wade, Picasso "better" than Joan Miro, John Coltrane "better" than Charlie Parker? I don't want to have to make those calls.  So I won't say Pine Ridge's perpetuall ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck: Five Rivers 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

​In California, when it comes to red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is king.  Unfortunately, when it comes to California red wines that are decent values, Cabernet Sauvignon is also a bitch.  Not the 2007 Five Rivers, though. For less than ten bucks, you get a wine that can pimp-slap more expe ... More >>