Whole Foods Market Giveaway

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Carrollwood Whole Foods Market in Tampa for an Italian wine tasting.  We sampled 20 different Italian wines and an assortment of gourmet cheeses, dry meats, and chocolate.

This was my kind of event!  I loved the samples and grazing on a variety of delicious foods and beverages.  Whole Foods Carrollwood has lots of fun events like this on their calendar.

The La Tur brie with hot peach chutney was amazing!  This mixed milk cheese was very creamy and paired perfectly with the sweet peach chutney.

 

I wasn't thrilled with any of the wines on this table but I loved the cheese and chocolate.  The Sottocenere cheese was aromatic and creamy with a hint of what taste like garlic.  The chocolate had bits of parmigiano reggiano in it for a very unique, salty sweet taste.

 

Mike was our pourer and entertainer at this table.  My favorite from this table was Mionetto il Spritz, a semi-sparkling wine with flavors of orange and herbs.  I tried the Mionetto il Spritz with an orange slice and a second sample mixed with red wine, making a sangria type drink.  Both were very flavorful and delicious.

A table of chesses = heaven!  My favorite from this table was Laura Chenel Chevre Truffle Log goat cheese.  It was smooth with a rich, delicious, full flavor and a bit of tart.

We had live entertainment to amuse us as we sipped and tasted.  He played some great songs.

I can't leave Whole Foods Market without a dark chocolate bar. Dark chocolate with sea salt is the perfect salty sweet combo.

Whole Foods Market sells high quality natural and organic products; promotes and advances environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture; serves and supports local and global communities; and is committed to seafood sustainability and animal welfare standards.

Giveaway time!  One lucky reader will win a $20 gift card to Whole Foods Market Carrollwood. The gift card is only valid at the Carrollwood location so you must be local to the Tampa Bay area in order to win.  Enter through Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*This was incorrectly, originally listed as a $25 gc when it is actually a $20 gc. Sorry for any confusion. It's correct now.

Disclaimer: I was given a bottle of wine and cheese in exchange for review.  All opinions are my own.

Keel & Curley Winery

My husband and I were thrilled to be invited to Keel & Curley Winery for a winery tour and tasting.  We both enjoy wine and it sounded like a perfect date night.

"Keel and Curley Winery was started in spring of 2003 in the kitchen of founder and owner, Joe Keel. Keel, a central Florida blueberry farmer wanted to find something to do with his end of crop blueberries.  Keel decided blueberry wine would be interesting to dabble with in the family farm house kitchen."

Our tour started off on an open air bus pulled by a tractor through the blueberry fields to the winery.

Photo by Denise Taylor

Our tour guide Sam explained the wine making process for their blueberry wine.  I admit that I didn't know blueberry wine was made entirely from blueberries with no grapes added.  Sam explained the processes of fermentation, clarification, filtering, and bottling.  Each step in the wine making process happens at the Keel & Curley Winery site.

After our winery tour, we headed over to the tasting area and gift shop.

 

 

 

For our tasting, we sat outside of the gift shop on the patio area where live music was playing.  I purchased food from a local food truck park near the patio area.  Let the wine begin!

• Dry Blueberry - my favorite, good dry finish
• Semi-Dry Blueberry - slightly sweet, not a dry finish
• Sweet Blueberry - sweet and smooth
• Strawberry Riesling - a little too sweet for me
• Wild Berry Pinot Noir - fruity and flavorful
• Tangerine Zinfandel - full body
• Key West – Key Lime - tart and refreshing
• Black Raspberry Merlot - would make a nice sangria
• Peach Chardonnay - strong peach tones
• Dry Blackberry - muted bouquet
• Sweet Blackberry - very sweet

We had a fantastic time at Keel & Curley Winery!

Check out their Blueberry Festival this weekend, April 27-28.

Free Admission

Free Entertainment

Free Kids Area

U-Pick Blueberries

Live Entertainment

Over 100 Food and Craft Vendors

Disclaimer: I was given a tour of the winery and wine tasting in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own.