See
Notice color, clarity, depth, and how the wine moves in the glass.
The library
Tools for curiosity.
Vintage chart
Place, year by year.
The chart framework is ready for regional vintage assessments, drinking windows, and concise notes.
The next pass can add the exact regions and vintages most useful to the Florida portfolio without turning the page into an overwhelming wall of scores.
RegionStatusWhat will be added
California North CoastIn developmentNapa, Sonoma, Mendocino, mountain and coastal distinctions
California Central CoastIn developmentSanta Barbara, Monterey, Santa Maria and Sta. Rita Hills
OregonIn developmentWillamette Valley and nested appellation vintage notes
International estatesIn developmentFrance, Italy, Australia, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand
Aroma wheel
Start broad. Then get specific.
Fruit
Citrus, orchard, stone, tropical, red, and black fruit.
Floral
Blossom, rose, violet, lavender, and dried flowers.
Herbal
Fresh herbs, tea, grass, leaf, and savory tones.
Mineral
Stone, chalk, saline, graphite, and earthy impressions.
Spice
Sweet spice, pepper, licorice, cedar, and toast.
Earth
Forest floor, mushroom, tobacco, leather, and game.
How to taste wine01 02 03 04 05
A simple five-part practice.
Smell
Begin with broad aroma families before searching for individual notes.
Taste
Consider sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, body, and flavor.
Feel
Pay attention to texture, balance, energy, and the shape of the wine.
Finish
Notice what remains, how long it lasts, and whether it invites another sip.
Regional expression
Climate becomes character.
Cool coastal
Longer growing seasons often preserve acidity and favor lifted aromatics, fine structure, and detail.
Mountain & hillside
Elevation, exposure, and stressed soils can build concentration, structure, and a strong sense of site.
Warm inland
Greater heat can drive ripeness, body, generosity, and darker fruit expression.
Volcanic soils
Often associated with structure, savory tones, and a distinct mineral impression.
Marine influence
Fog, wind, and cool nights can slow ripening and protect freshness.
Old-world context
Tradition, regulation, varieties, and food culture shape regional identity alongside climate and soil.
Video library
Confidence, one bottle at a time.
Open a still-wine bottle
Larry O’Brien, M.S., demonstrates proper use of the waiter’s knife—from foil and worm placement to leverage and a clean finish.
Open sparkling wine safely
Nick Hetzel, M.S., demonstrates how to present, open, and serve sparkling wine safely—with control, confidence, and a gentle finish.
Waitstaff Wine Service
Craig Ellick demonstrates how to present a bottle with the label visible, confirm the producer and vintage, open it neatly, and complete service with confidence and care.
Trade pathwaysFor buyers For representatives
Resources built around the work.
Build a list with a point of view.
Florida menu pairings, by-the-glass ideas, banquet tiers, and focused category stories for restaurants, hotels, clubs, and retailers.
Explore buyer resourcesEverything the account needs.
A password-gated library for sell sheets, shelf talkers, training cards, tasting mats, presentation decks, and account tools.
Enter rep resourcesAnd more
A library designed to keep growing.
Future additions can include glassware, storage, food pairing, serving temperatures, common faults, maps, and downloadable trade sheets.
The structure is intentionally modular, so tomorrow’s ideas can become new tools without making the page feel crowded.