PICTURE PERFECT: SANDESTIN WINE FESTIVAL!

If you are planning a trip out of town, this spring, then head to the Emerald Coast to the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for the 25th annual Sandestin Wine Festival at Baytowne Wharf from April 28 - May 1, 2011 in Destin, Florida.



Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

What could be better than enjoying good wine, gourmet food, and live music all in one weekend? This is the oldest wine festival in Florida, and a great chance to attend wine seminars and mingle with leading industry experts.

On Saturday, April 30th, the Grand Wine Tasting begins from noon to 4:00 PM, and May 1st, from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM. This event is a great chance to get informed and enjoy more than 80 international and national wineries offering their new varietals and blends. You will receive a complimentary wine glass engraved with the event’s date to use while sampling wines.

This year, they are also having a Culinary Pavilion which will feature the “Food Treasures of Spain” with Spanish delicacies like paella, chorizo and Manchego cheese, and many more traditional Spanish plates. I’m sure you will not be able to resist the Spanish flavor!

My best advice is to stay at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, as it is perfectly located at the entrance of the Village of Baytowne Wharf, and the hotel staff is excellent. Most of the rooms have a view of their spectacular pool, and there is complimentary transportation to the beach.

If you want to read more on the festival, check out www.sandestinwinefestival.com for a complete list of events, and call the hotel for special rates. www.sandestin.com

See you there. Cheers!

MOSCATO D'ASTI AND ASTI SPUMANTE

People get confused about Moscato D’ Asti and Asti Spumante, as both wines are made from the “moscato bianco” (white muscadet) grape, and are produced in the Northern part of Piamonte (Piedmont), Italy.

Vineyard in Asti, Italy

Moscato D’Asti is a sparkling white wine produced in the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. This wine is very sweet, low in alcohol, and is usually considered a dessert wine. Its production is based on separating the grapes from the stems before they are pressed, and then separating the grapes from its skins. The final process includes filtering the wine several times so it could result in a clean, sweet juice.

This wine offers floral aromas, and delicate flavors of peach and apricot. In Italy, it is usually partnered with the Italian dessert “panettone”, which are pastries made of almonds and hazelnuts, or it is just enjoyed as an aperitif.

Asti Spumante is a sparkling wine sometimes known as an Italian Champagne, and is mainly produced in Turin, Italy. It is technically considered a sweet-to-semi sweet dessert wine made of white muscadet (“moscato bianco”), and its color is pale, golden yellow and has low alcohol content. Its taste is more aromatic, and usually made from Muscadet Canelli grapes.

Martini & Rossi has been the leading producer of “spumanti” (foam) white wine, also known as “Moscato Champagne”. This type of wine should not be aged, and would pair well with any strawberry or peach pie.

Both wines are fantastic options for a fresh aperitif!



The Sacred Mountain of Crea - Monferrato, Italy