grapeinabottle

These are my five favorite wine bars located throughout the Orlando area depending on my particular mood.  So in no particular order here they are….

1. Funky Monkey Wine Company:  The Funky Monkey Wine Company is a neighborhood wine bar and eatery owned and operated by the  directors of the Tasters Guild Orlando.  This eatery and wine bar offers a large selection of wines and drinks that pair perfectly with there diverse menu.  The Funky Monkey has frequent wine dinner series featuring wines from different regions of America and the world.

2. Tastings – A Wine Experience:  Tastings is a one of a kind wine bar with over 100 wines in stock.  The entire selection is available by the taste, glass, or by the bottle.  Every bottle is sold at retail price and can be opened in the store or taken home to enjoy.

3. Sip:  This wine bar perfectly named. Sip provides  a great environment to share a glass or two with friends.

4. Vines Grille and Wine Bar:  With one of the most extensive wine lists in Orlando this recently expanded grill and wine bar has live Jazz nightly with great food and drinks.  If someone in your party is not into wine rest assured there is a wide selection of beers and full bar available.

5. Press 101 Sandwich and Wine Bar:  Not only do they have great sandwiches, salades, and flatbreads, you can sip great wine in a great enviroment with live music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.  So grab a table indoors near the bar or outdoors in the beautiful weather to enjoy a nice afternoon or evening out.

Mrs. Grapeinabottle and I recently went to a house warming party of some fellow wine lovers. You know this is a get together that allows the host to show off their new residence.  Mrs. Grapeinabottle and I  feel the pressure to find the perfect giftfor these social events.  This time we hit it out of the park with the Ravi Instant Aerator.  This wine aerater not onlyblends the perfect amount of air with your wine, but it also chills it instantly.  You simply place the device in your freezer until ready to use, then insert it in the opening of the wine bottle and pour.  As the wine passes through the arerator into you glass the wine is chilled.  You can control the temperature of  your wine by covering an air hole in the device that determines the speed in which the wine is poured (i.e. the slower it travels the cooler the wine).   This gadget is great because you can pull any bottle off the rack and serve it instantly without messy ice buckets or fancy speed chilling devices.  So the next time you are struggling for a great gift for a fellow wine lover you might want to choose the Ravi Instant Aerator.

Perrier-Jouet Champagne is having a unique opportunity for wine lovers.  Until June 30th you could win a print of art exclusively designed for Perrier-Jouet Champagne signed by Swedish artist Barbo Andersson.  Andersson created four works of art divided into four acts that symbolizes the Champagne making process.  If you want to enter the contest just visit the Perrier-Jouet Champagne website and follow their instructions.  Good luck!!!

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I know Mama Grapeinabottle would love this Demi-Sec & 19-pc Godiva Chocolates gift set.  What mother would not like to receive a nice box of chocolates. Demi-Sec, a slightly sweet style of Champagne, is at its best when served with desserts. Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec, marked by fresh peach, nectarine and orange blossom, pairs beautifully with Godiva’s assorted deep dark chocolates, smooth milks, velvety ganaches, classic truffles and pralines. Truly irresistible!

I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate Earth Day than to pop open a nice bottle of  green wine.  I thought I would try the Les Tours Syrah 2007.  This is a wine deep red in color with cherries and blackberry flavor punched up with pepper and spices.  I appreciate the smoky nose, but fail to detect the toffee flavor as the winemaker suggests in their notes.  At under $10 a bottle this is a great way to go green and save the green in your wallet.