Judith Smelser Wine News

After hours of confusion, Orlando reverses course on alcohol sales at restaurants

For Orlando’s food and beverage community, today has been perhaps the most tumultuous roller coaster ride yet on the dystopian fantasy fairground that is the COVID-19 crisis.

Just after 10am, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer sent the community into a panic when he issued an executive order banning all sales of alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption in the city until further notice.

A few hours later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued his own executive order banning sales of alcoholic drinks for 30 days at all “bars, pubs, and nightclubs,” defined as businesses that derive more than half their gross revenue from alcoholic drink sales.

Under the state order, restaurants are subject to a number of new rules to ensure social distancing, but they can still sell alcohol to drink onsite.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

Orlando wine businesses get creative in the face of new COVID-19 restrictions

UPDATED Tuesday March 17 4:30pm

Today was the day the other shoe dropped for Orlando’s wine and beverage community.

This morning, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer banned the “sale or distribution” of alcohol for onsite consumption, effective immediately. Soon afterwards, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered bars and nightclubs across the state to close for 30 days, starting at 5pm tonight.

Retail alcohol sales are still allowed, though, and local wine businesses are quickly adapting to the new rules, as well as to new expectations for social distancing.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

Despite a few cancellations, it’s business as usual for most Orlando wine establishments

Tim’s Wine Market Orlando is suspending its wine seminar series until further notice because of concerns over COVID-19. An email to customers – headlined by the photo below- said patrons with prepaid reservations will get refunds or store credit. The store’s informal weekend samplings, however, will continue as usual.

Credit: Tim's Wine Market Orlando
Tim’s Wine Market in Orlando is suspending its wine seminar series because of COVID-19. (Credit: Tim’s Wine Market)

As we reported on Thursday, the Orlando Magic has postponed its blockbuster Orlando Wine Festival and Auction that was scheduled for this weekend.

Apart from that, most Orlando-area wine establishments appear to be operating as normal.

“We’ve been really busy lately,” said Digress Wine owner Rob Chase, “so I’m going to keep rolling with it!”

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Judith Smelser Tastings, Uncategorized, Wine Experiences, Wine News, Winemakers

Orlando Magic’s Wine Festival Adds Wineries, Finalizes List

A few days before the end of ticket sales for the top two packages for the Magic’s second annual Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, the Magic added more than two dozen wineries to its list.

There are now more than 40 producers involved, and it’s a more geographically diverse group. Some of the new additions hail from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, and Argentina.

The festival’s website provides a sampling of the participating wineries.

Today is the last day to purchase the two highest level packages, at $9,250 and $6,500. The lowest level package, priced at $2,500, is available until March 5.

Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences, Wine News, Winemakers

Orlando Magic’s Napa-Focused Wine Festival Gains Some Wineries, Loses Others for Year Two

UPDATE: Additional wineries have since been added to the festival’s confirmed list.

The Orlando Magic is gearing up for the second iteration of its Orlando Wine Festival and Auction next month. Last year’s inaugural event raised $900,000 for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.

The list of participating wineries* is smaller this year, with 18 confirmed producers, compared to 26 at this time last year. Two big names are new to the festival – Tuscany’s Antinori and Australia’s Penfolds – while venerable Napa producers Heitz, Dunn, and Lail have not confirmed a return visit.

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Judith Smelser Wine News

Orlando’s Wine Community Urges Action Against Proposed Wine Tariffs

Photo: Digress Wine co-owner Brian Kerney speaks to customers at a 2018 Champagne tasting

The U.S. government is about to decide whether to impose 100% tariffs on European wine. It’s just the latest in a string of proposed wine tariffs, and the issue has cast a pall over Orlando’s wine community. The U.S. Trade Representative is accepting comment on the levy through this coming Monday, January 13, and Central Florida wine professionals are taking to social media to urge their friends and customers to speak out.

“My family and I obviously have a lot at stake here, given the multi-faceted and potentially catastrophic effects a 100% tariff would have on the wine industry,” wrote Brian Kerney, co-owner of College Park’s Digress Wine, in a Facebook post last week.

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Judith Smelser Beyond Central Florida, Tastings, Wine Experiences, Wine News, Winemakers

Bordeaux & Germany Target Orlando in Three-Year Wine Marketing Push

A savvy observer of Orlando’s wine scene might notice a preponderance of tastings this month and next featuring wines from Germany and Bordeaux – at least thirteen events at twelve Central Florida restaurants and wine bars, to be exact.

Germany and Bordeaux don’t exactly leap to mind as natural partners – they’re no Spain and Portugal or Germany and Austria. So how did independent establishments like Swirlery, Tim’s Wine Market Avalon Park, Luisa’s Cellar, and The Parkview decide to feature them together?

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Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences, Wine News

Orlando Wine Community Alum Brings One-of-a-Kind Sonoma Tasting to Digress

Wine writers tend to overuse words like “special” and “unique.” I’m as guilty as anyone.

But Tuesday night at Digress Wine in College Park, Orlando’s wine community experienced something truly singular — a tasting of limited-production experimental wines from Sonoma producer Gary Farrell, many of which can’t be sampled even at the winery.

Orlando Wine Blog helped organize the event in partnership with Digress. We dubbed it “The Geeky Side of Gary Farrell,” and I couldn’t be prouder of Orlando’s wine community that an event with that name was a sellout.

But the real credit for its success goes to Gary Farrell Estate Sommelier and Wine Educator Tiffany Kuhn, who brought some truly unique bottles and provided great context to help us understand them.

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Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences, Wine News, Winemakers, Wineries

Orlando Wine Blog to Host Geeky Gary Farrell Tasting

My first encounter with Sonoma’s Gary Farrell Winery happened on my front porch in Orlando. My cousin had brought me back a bottle from her visit to the winery, and as we drank it together over cheese and laughter, it changed the way I thought about California chardonnay. Elegant and balanced rather than overwhelmed by oak and butter, this was a wine I could get behind.

Since then, I’ve visited the winery several times and have grown to love the equally elegant pinot noirs that, like the chardonnays, reflect the land on which they’re grown.

I’ve also been thrilled to discover winemaker Theresa Heredia’s “Inspiration Series.” These experimental wines (single clones, concrete aging, skin contact, etc.) are made in extremely limited quantities and are rarely available outside the winery. Thanks to a special connection between Gary Farrell and Orlando, I’m thrilled to be able to offer my readers and followers the chance to taste some of these wines – and other Gary Farrell gems – right here in Central Florida. And it’s just a few weeks away.

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