Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences

Exotic Week of Wine in Central Florida

Next week, you can travel to the Canary Islands, Andalusia and back again … without ever leaving Orlando.

On Monday, The Strand is hosting a remarkably well-priced dinner paired with wines from the Canary Islands. The Spanish archipelago lies just off the Moroccan coast, and its wines have been gaining in popularity in recent years.

Thursday, Swirlery offers a chance to taste several versions of a beverage that’s been around for centuries but is often overlooked – sherry. Hailing from the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, sherry is much more than the sickly sweet stuff your British grandmother used to drink.

Here’s a sampling of other offerings from next week’s smorgasbord of wine events:

  • Wine & cheese pairing at Boca Winter Park
  • Syrah tasting at Tim’s Lake Mary
  • Racy Reds tasting at The Occasional Grape
  • WSET Level 1 class at Tim’s Orlando

Get all the details for these and many more summer wine happenings at our Events Page!

Cheers!

Judith Smelser Wine Experiences, Wine Reviews, Winemakers, Wineries

Orlando Chef-Winemaker Jamie McFadden Releases Snowbirds Rosé

If you’re like most Central Floridians, you know Chef Jamie McFadden because he catered your wedding, or your company’s holiday party, or your favorite charity’s fundraiser.

Jamie’s Cuisiniers Catering company has been a mainstay in Orlando for almost two decades, and Jamie himself is well known as a top-notch local chef.

But I know him in a different context – as an oenophile.

Continue reading “Orlando Chef-Winemaker Jamie McFadden Releases Snowbirds Rosé” →

Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences

Flurry of Orlando Wine Events!

It’s been a quieter couple of weeks on the Orlando wine scene, as we all slowed down for the Memorial Day holiday (I was chilling at the beach last weekend with the lineup in that photo up there).  All the rain we’ve been having has made things feel a little sluggish too. But today the sun is out, and next week kicks off an active June for Central Florida wine lovers!

You could tasting-hop tomorrow, from BevFly’s “June for Juice” to WineStyles’ Viviza sampling.

Wednesday, travel to Provence – beyond just rosés – with a class at Tim’s Orlando.

And on Thursday, you’ll wish you could clone yourself rather than having to choose between these three events:

  • Italian wine tasting with Augustan’s Brian Kerney at Swirlery
  • Zin tasting at Tim’s Lake Mary
  • Natural wine tasting at the Wine Barn.

Details for these and many more events are on our Events Page.

Your summer break is over – time to start sipping!