Judith Smelser UnWineding - A COVID-19 Podcast, Wine News

UnWineding Episode 1: The Beginning

 

When the COVID-19 pandemic erupted around the world, restaurants and bars suddenly found themselves on the front lines of an economy that was rapidly shutting down. In Orlando, one of America’s hospitality capitals, people who make their living in the area’s blossoming wine community scrambled to adjust to ever-changing rules and realities.

Their experiences will become part of the history of this extraordinary moment in time.

UnWineding tells that story in their own words.

This new podcast from Orlando Wine Blog will follow Central Florida wine professionals over time, as the fallout from COVID-19 continues to unfold over the coming weeks and months.

Editorial assistance from Amy Tardif

Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Judith Smelser Uncategorized, Wine News

Wine shops can keep operating under Orange County stay-at-home rules

Swirlery Wine Bar co-owner Melissa McAvoy, pictured here with her partner Damian Roman, scoured Tuesday’s executive order from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demmings, desperately searching for the relief wine shops and other local alcohol retailers sought.

“I read it over and over again,” she said.

Liquor and wine stores are absent from the extensive list of essential businesses exempt from the order, which mandates a two-week closure of many of the county’s commercial enterprises starting Thursday night.

Continue reading “Wine shops can keep operating under Orange County stay-at-home rules” →

Judith Smelser Wine News

FL Governor suspends all food and drink sales for onsite consumption

Governor Ron DeSantis has once again tightened restrictions on Florida restaurants due to COVID-19.

In an executive order today, he ordered businesses to stop serving food and alcohol for onsite consumption.

Restaurants can stay open for takeout and delivery, however. The order also suspends a state law that prohibits most restaurants from selling alcohol for takeout. Those sales are now permitted, provided the alcohol is in a sealed container and food is included in the same order.

Today’s directive supersedes Tuesday’s order that allowed restaurants to stay open at 50% capacity.

Judith Smelser Wine News

Local businesses dream up more ways to stay afloat while quenching Central Florida’s thirst for wine and connection

It’s Day 3 of Florida’s COVID-19 bar and restaurant restrictions. More local businesses are joining those we reported on Tuesday and jumping on the curbside pickup bandwagon. They include:

But that’s not all. There are other creative ways local wine businesses hope to entice patrons to come, maybe not in the door, but at least close to it.

Continue reading “Local businesses dream up more ways to stay afloat while quenching Central Florida’s thirst for wine and connection” →

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.

Continue reading “After hours of confusion, Orlando reverses course on alcohol sales at restaurants” →

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.

Continue reading “Orlando wine businesses get creative in the face of new COVID-19 restrictions” →

Judith Smelser Beyond Central Florida, Wine Experiences, Wine News

BREAKING NEWS: Uvaggio in Coral Gables is Closed for Good

One of South Florida’s best wine bars has closed its doors.

When I tried to visit Uvaggio on Coral Gables’ Miracle Mile last Wednesday, I found the doors closed (see the photo above) and the interior dark and empty. Managing Partner and sommelier Heath Porter confirmed to me today that it was gone for good.

“Sometimes it’s just business,” he said in an email.

Porter was also Managing Partner of No Name Chinese in South Miami, which closed in May.

He says he now plans to focus full time on his wine travel venture Heathen Wine Tours, which he launched last year.

Continue reading “BREAKING NEWS: Uvaggio in Coral Gables is Closed for Good” →

Judith Smelser Wine News

This Month in Edible Orlando: Six Orlando Wine Bars to Quench Your Thirst for Knowledge

Photo credit: AaronVan

My latest Edible Orlando wine column shines a spotlight on six locally-owned wine bars across the Orlando metro area that are dedicated to educating consumers, creating community, and raising the bar for Central Florida’s wine scene.

These are places I’ve written about individually, that feature regularly on the Calendar Page and in weekly events posts, and that are listed on the Orlando Wine Bar Guide page … but until now, I haven’t brought them all together in a feature post.

Edible Orlando‘s “Drinks Issue” gave me the excuse, not only to bring them together in print, but also to bring most of their proprietors together for a crazy, fun photo shoot. The results are this article and the great photo above, taken by local food photographer AaronVan.

With one exception, all of these wine bars are under five years old – a testament to just how much our wine scene has exploded in recent years. I expect a few more standouts to join them by this time next year.

Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list of wine establishments in Central Florida. Many more are included on the Wine Bar Guide, so be sure to check that out too. But if you’re visiting Orlando, new to the area, or just starting out on your wine journey, I promise you will not go wrong by starting with these six.

Cheers, Orlando!

Judith Smelser Tastings, Wine Experiences, Wine News, Winemakers

New Events & Two New Places to Wine – The Imperial Winter Park & Eola General

It’s a great time to be a wine lover in the City Beautiful!

The number of wine-focused and wine-aware establishments just keeps growing (details on two brand new ones are below), as does the number of wine events popping up on the calendar. Because of this embarrassment of riches, you may notice a slight change in the level of detail on these regular posts. From now on, I’ll highlight a maximum of two events per day – but I’ll always let you know when there are more, and you can always find the full listing on the Wine Events page.

Without further ado, let’s get right to the highlights of …

ORLANDO’S WEEK IN WINE

Continue reading “New Events & Two New Places to Wine – The Imperial Winter Park & Eola General” →

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.