Tampa, FL

Wine Tasting Event: Feb 4, 2026

A journey through the vineyards of the world at our unforgettable wine tasting event! From rich, velvety reds to elegant, aromatic gems, every sip told a story. Here’s a toast to the incredible wines we savored:

    NV Rosé Brut 1er Cru

    J. Lassalle

    It is a non-vintage Premier Cru rosé Champagne, a special wine marking 40 years of collaboration between the producer and Kermit Lynch.

    • Taste & Style: It’s described as lush and plush, with elegant aromas of strawberries and cream. The wine is crafted to be refined and accessible upon release.
    • Key Details: The blend is approximately 70% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier. It comes from Premier Cru vineyards in Chigny-Les-Roses, France, with 50-year-old vines on clay and limestone soils.
    • Winemaking: It is aged for a minimum of 42 months on the lees, which contributes to its complexity and texture. The house uses a traditional vertical wooden basket press for gentle juice extraction and allows natural malolactic fermentation.
    • Price Range: Some merchants list it up to ~$140–$150 for rare or hard-to-find stock.

    In short, this is a celebratory, elegant, and food-friendly rosé Champagne from a trusted and long-standing producer partnership.

    Crémant d’Alsace Brut

    Kuentz-Bas

     

    This is a non-vintage traditional-method sparkling wine from the historic Kuentz-Bas house in Alsace, France.

    • Taste & Style: It is described as crisp, aromatic, and delicious, with a rich, toasty complexity from lees aging. The specific aromas include honey, nectarine, citrus, and summer flowers. It is a versatile, food-friendly, and gulpable sparkler.
    • Key Details: The unique blend is 60% Pinot Blanc and 40% Auxerrois, a combination specific to Alsace. The certified biodynamic grapes come from 25-45-year-old vines in Husseren-les-Châteaux, grown on loess, silt, and limestone soils.
    • Sense of Place: The description highlights how the region’s cool, dry, and sunny climate (due to the Vosges Mountains) helps the grapes ripen fully while retaining mouthwatering acidity, giving the wine a discernible sense of place.
    • Price Range: Retail typically sits around $45 – $70 for NV Crémant d’Alsace from reputable producers like Kuentz‑Bas, though exact pricing varies by merchant and vintage availability.

    In short, this Crémant d’Alsace is a high-quality, characterful, and refreshing sparkling wine that is suitable for both special occasions and everyday enjoyment.

    2022 Chablis “Vieilles Vignes”

    Domaine Roland Lavantureux

     

    It is a vintage white wine from the classic Chablis region in Burgundy, France, made from 100% Chardonnay.

    • Taste & Style: This wine is described as taking the classic Chablis notes of citrus, chalk, and brine and intensifying them with greater density and texture. It is both concentrated and precise. A specific food pairing recommendation is lobster or baked cod with lemon and capers.
    • Key Details: The “Vieilles Vignes” designation means it comes from old vines, averaging 60 years old from a 0.9-hectare plot. The soil is the classic Kimmeridgian clay and limestone of Chablis.
    • Winemaking: The wine was fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel tanks, a traditional method for Chablis that preserves the wine’s pure, steely fruit and mineral character.
    • Price Range: ~$50 – $55  Most common range you’ll see at wine shops and online retailers in the U.S. market.

    In short, this is a quintessential, high-quality Chablis from a trusted family producer, offering amplified intensity from old vines while remaining crisp and focused.

    2023 Timbre Winery Pinot Noir

    Guest Star San Luis Obispo Coast

     

    This is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Sta. Rita Hills region within California’s Central Coast, celebrated for producing world-class, cool-climate Pinot Noir.

    • Taste & Style: The wine is praised for its exceptional balance and texture. Key flavors noted are caramel apple, black cherry, and soy sauce. It is described as supple and sultry, with a mouthfeel so inviting it compels you to take another sip.
    • Key Details: The description confirms it is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes. The Sta. Rita Hills appellation, part of the larger Santa Barbara County, is known for its cool ocean influence, which creates wines with bright acidity and complex flavors.
    • Price Range: ~$45 – $75   This is a reasonable approximate range you’d expect for a well‑reviewed, small‑producer coastal Pinot Noir like the Timbre “Guest Star.” Coastal San Luis Obispo Pinot Noirs of quality from boutique producers often sit in this bracket at retail. In some markets or on winery lists it might be closer to ~$60‑$80+ depending on availability and demand.

    2018 Le Clos du Beau-Père

    Pomerol

     

    This is a classic red wine from the Pomerol appellation on Bordeaux’s Right Bank in France, renowned for its Merlot-based blends.

    • Taste & Style: The wine is described as “Very dark. Thick and sweet and polished.” It is noted for being a “worked” style that is fun and expressive, yet finishes dry. Typical Pomerol wines are known for being rich and decadent, with notes of chocolate, dark cherry, plums, and spice, coupled with soft tannins.
    • Key Details: The blend consists of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Pomerol is famous for its small estates and produces some of the world’s most sought-after and luxurious wines, often from clay and gravel soils.
    • Price Range: Retail for the Proprietary Red from Magna Carta usually sits around $90–$150 per bottle at winery and retailer levels, though club pricing or older vintages may vary.

    2021 Magna Carta Cellars Proprietary Red

    Napa Valley

    Label 1 of Magna Carta Cellars Red

    This is a Napa Valley proprietary red blend, crafted in a bold, modern California style that emphasizes richness, polish, and power. Wines like this are typically Cabernet Sauvignon–driven, designed to showcase Napa’s ripe fruit and structured elegance.

    • Taste & Style
      The wine is full-bodied and plush, with dark fruit intensity—blackberry, cassis, and ripe plum—layered with notes of dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, and baking spice. The palate is smooth and concentrated, with firm but refined tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, velvety finish. The style leans luxurious and expressive rather than austere.
    • Key Details
      The blend commonly features Cabernet Sauvignon as the backbone, often supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, or Malbec. Napa Valley’s warm days and cool nights allow for full ripeness while retaining structure. Proprietary reds are typically small-production, winemaker-selected blends meant to represent the house’s signature expression rather than a single varietal.
    • Price Range: Most market listings and offers for this vintage fall roughly in the $45 to $115+ range per 750 ml bottle, with variability based on stock levels and merchant pricing. 

    Sandeman Porto Tawny 10 Years Old

    A Tawny Port Wine

    Sandeman Tawny 10Anos

    Sandeman Porto Tawny 10-Year-Old is a premium aged Tawny Port from the Douro region of Portugal, blended from wines aged about 9–12 years in oak barrels — resulting in a consistent 10-year-old style that’s ready to drink upon release.

    Tasting Profile

    • Color: Intense red tawny with brick shades, characteristic of aged tawny Ports.
    • Aroma: Elegant and complex nose with ripe fruit, jam, nuts, and hints of vanilla and raisins.
    • Palate: Full-bodied, flavorful, and well-balanced with sweetness, wood-influenced spice, and fine acidity. Notes of dried fruits, nuts, and gentle spice persist through a long finish.

    Style & Pairing
    It’s a fortified dessert wine ideal served slightly chilled or with light aeration. Great with rich appetizers, strong cheeses (e.g., blue cheese), and desserts like tarte tatin, custard, or fig-and-nut puddings.

    Ratings & Awards
    This Port has received high scores from multiple critics, including around 90+ points from Decanter, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiast, reflecting its quality and broad appeal.

    Technical Specs (Typical for this wine)

    • Alcohol: ~20%
    • Residual Sugar / Style: Sweet fortified wine balanced by acidity.
    • A classic example of a 10-year-old tawny with both youthful fruitiness and oak-induced complexity.

    Pricing Range:

    • Around $29 – $39 on many wine & liquor retail sites.
    • Around $34 – $49 at some online sellers / delivery platforms.
    • Some listings show higher prices up to ~$80+ (often due to reseller markups or limited stock).

    In short: A well-balanced, richly flavored aged tawny Port that combines fruit, nutty complexity, and oak influence — versatile enough for sipping on its own or pairing with desserts and cheeses.