The Other 46 » Florida

Legislative Update

Brian Kirby — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:57:26 +0000

I wanted to take a break from my Virginia trip recap and applaud the mid-year results of Free the Grapes!, the national consumer-winery grassroots coalition that supports legal, regulated direct shipping, summarized results so far in 2009:

Wins: Legislators in Tennessee, Kansas and Maine created winery direct shipping permits, increasing the number of active, legal states to 37, which represent 83% of U.S. wine consumption
Defense: Florida’s legislature held back the fourth consecutive attempt to impose a capacity cap that would have banned shipments, but only from medium and large wineries
Momentum: Maryland saw unprecedented local support for two direct shipping bills that ultimately died in committee, but consumers continue to send letters to their representatives. And New Jersey’s legislature is still considering a pro-shipping bill.

“2009 is shaping up to be a vintage year for the wine consumer, rivaling landmark years like 2005 and 2003,” said Jeremy Benson, executive director of Free the Grapes! To read the complete release, click here.

Free the Grapes!
Jeremy Benson, 707-254-1107

Saturday’s Summer Sip

Brian Kirby — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:42:44 +0000

Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards Cuvée Blanc

In my efforts to stay cool in the Florida heat, I decided to pull the cork on a Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards Cuvée Blanc Saturday evening. We picked up a few bottles at the Lakeridge Annual Harvest Festival and Grape Stomp last weekend (see my earlier post). We had a very small sample at the festival and decided to pick up three bottles. Coming in at $8 retail and 12.5% alcohol, the semi-dry blend of Florida Hybrid Bunch grapes, the white wine proved to be a nice match with a goat cheese and fruit platter. A subtle, light bodied wine perfect for the patio, picnic, or to beat the Summer heat!

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Wine and Sunshine

Brian Kirby — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:50:19 +0000

We decided to venture out to Lakeridge Winery today for the 18th Annual Harvest Festival and Grape Stomp. Located just outside of Orlando, Florida in Clermont, the 77 acre estate vineyard consists of Florida hybrid bunch grapes as well as varieties of Muscadines including Noble, Carlos, and Welder. Easily the largest and most recognizable winery in Florida, Lakeridge produces more than 50,000 cases of wine each year, available throughout Florida and online.

Lakeridge Winery

After carefully making our way through the crowd, we jumped in line for a tour of the winery which included several samples of wines. I was not overly impressed with the Muscadine samples, but enjoyed the hybrids including the Cuvée Blanc, a blended wine made with Suwannee, Miss Blanc and Blanc du Bois. A nice patio wine, that probably scored much higher on my palate in the 95 degree temps. For red wine fans, check out the Reserve Cuvée Noir, a dry red wine with light tannins and a hint of oak.

Muscadine Grapes

After the tour, we made our way upstairs where visitors are treated to a short video presentation which shows the growing of the Florida grapes to the wine making process. The tour concludes with a walk through the production area and then outside to the balcony to see the spectacular view of the vineyards where the grapes are grown and harvested.

Live music, Greek food, and a lot of sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for a Saturday afternoon. I recommend a visit to Lakeridge Winery and be sure to tell them The Other 46 sent you. Cheers!

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A Visit to Ridgeback Winery

Brian Kirby — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:52:38 +0000

While antiquing in historic Mt. Dora, Florida a few weekends ago, a large sign caught our attention, Ridgeback Winery. Mt. Dora is located about 20 minutes north of Orlando, and while not known for its wine, the city is filled with quaint boutiques and antique shops. Florida has several wineries and vineyards throughout the state, most producing fruit and/or muscadine wines. Ridgeback is the exception, as they purchase most of their grape juice from Lake Seneca in the Finger Lakes region of New York. And unlike traditional wineries, Ridgeback ferments all of their wines in plastic and glass. Annual production is around 750 cases of approximately 30 varieties.

What sets Ridgeback apart from most other wineries is not their wine, but their customer service. We were warmly greeted by owner and winemaker Ron Thompson, along with his two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, Rosco and Zanta. What started as a hobby, has turned into a full time business. During our visit, Ron answered all of our questions and poured everything from the Smelly Sneaker Pinot Gris to the Pinot Puppy Pinot Noir. Although not my cup of tea, we had a great time talking to Ron and sharing his passion for his two loves, wine and dogs.

I highly recommend a visit to Mt. Dora and Ridgeback Winery, and be sure to tell them that The Other 46 sent you.