Judith Smelser Wine Experiences, Wine News

Orlando Magic’s Inaugural Wine Festival Targets Big Spenders, Napa Lovers

Orlando is leaping into the high-end wine festival game next month.

After almost three decades, the Orlando Magic is trading its annual Black Tie & Tennies fundraiser for a wine and food extravaganza modeled on similar events in Naples, Destin, and Napa. Ticket sales end in less than a week.

alex-martins-and-dan-devos-with-wine-glass-sculpture-092418_omwf_promo_fm_f018577_edited.jpg
Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins and Chairman Dan DeVos. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Orlando Wine Festival and Auction weekend kicks off on Friday, March 15 with twelve themed vintner dinners at private homes around the area, where attendees will rub elbows with winemakers over meals cooked by celebrity chefs from near and far. The main event takes place the next day at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, featuring a three-hour al fresco tasting, followed by a live auction and a dinner. Some packages also include tickets to the Magic’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

The festival’s participating wineries are almost exclusively from Napa, including high end heavy hitters like Dunn, Heitz, Cliff Lede, and Rudd.

The price of admission is also on the high end, with packages starting at $2,500 per couple – for admission to Saturday’s events – and going up to $18,500 for four people. There are no a la carte ticket options.

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Judith Smelser Uncategorized, Wine News

BREAKING NEWS: The Wine Barn in Winter Park Gets New Owners

UPDATED Feb. 20 with information on the new owners.

The Wine Barn on Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park has been sold, but contrary to rumors, the bottle shop and pizza parlor is not closing its doors.

Former owner Andres Montoya says the new owners, Ramón & Veronica Llado, plan to keep the name and continue with the same concept, including the wood-fired pizzas and the rest of the food menu.

He says they’ve retained him as wine buyer and asked him to revamp the inventory.

“Expect in the next few weeks to find a re-energized wine selection, solid values and low prices,” he said in an email last night.

The Llados are a husband and wife team. Ramón hails from Catalunya, Spain and Veronica is from Ecuador, according to Montoya. He says this is their first restaurant venture in this country.

“While new to running a wine and food operation in the US, they have many years of experience in the building and construction industry,” Montoya said.

“As for me,” he went on, “I will forever remain committed to the wine industry, and look forward to … exploring, learning, buying and selling the beverage that we, as wine lovers, could never leave behind.”

More details will follow as they become available.

 

Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences, Winemakers

British Bubbles, a Whole Lotta Napa, and a Feast on a Farm

There’s a lot for Orlando wine lovers to get excited about in the coming week. We have a few more winery visitors in town, including Lisa Broman of Napa’s Broman Cellars – she’s doing three events in as many days at Luisa’s Cellar, Regency Wine & Liquor, and Tim’s Lake Mary-Sanford, respectively. Plus, an event this weekend offers the opportunity to sample food from Disney restaurants paired with wines chosen by a Master Sommelier … on a farm!

Read on for more highlights.

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Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences

Celebrate Your Love of Wine with Valentine’s Events

Ah, Valentine’s Day. Or, as it could be known, the day of the prix fixe.

Orlando’s wine events calendar is a little lighter this week, as local vino-focused establishments make way for the crowds of couples dining out on Thursday. But many are also planning V-Day themed tastings, so get ready to fall in love with wine – especially bubbles and reds – all over again.

Keep reading for all the highlights!

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Judith Smelser Tastings, Uncategorized, Winemakers

Orlando’s Parade of Winemakers Continues

UPDATE: Thursday’s tasting with Daniel Cohn of Bellacosa Winery at Tim’s Lake Mary has been cancelled. 

‘Tis the season for winemakers and other visitors from wineries around the world to show off the fruits of their labors to Florida’s wine lovers. Franco Massolino (pictured above) visited from Barolo a couple of weeks ago and presented his lovely wines at Digress in College Park.

Last week, we had three more winery visitors at events around town; this week we’ll have six! And they’ll have competition from a plethora of other wine events on tap too.

Once again, you have some tough decisions to make, so pour yourself a glass of Sunday Champagne (they say it’s good for your brain), put your thinking cap on, and feast your eyes on the smorgasbord that is …

ORLANDO’S WEEK IN WINE!

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