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Briefs: It's Frida tequila

Artist and style icon Frida Kahlo is the inspiration for a new super premium tequila, Frida Kahlo Tequila.

Initially, Frida Kahlo Tequila will be launched in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, as well as in Mexico, with plans to expand nationally in 2006. Frida Kahlo Tequila is made in Jesus Maria, in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Three tequilas will be available: Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.

Dozens of Florida brewers joined their colleagues in Denver last weekend to kick off Oktober as usual by pouring, judging and drinking the best of America's craft beers.

However, of the 2,000 or so beers at the Great American Beer Festival, Florida craft brewers failed to win awards this year.

In a few categories judges recognized big-barrel brewers. Golds went to Anheuser-Busch for O'Doul's Amber, Michelob Marzen and Michelob Pale Ale; Samuel Adams for Sam Adams Lightand its Double Bock; Miller for Temptation Bock; and Sierra Nevada for India Pale Ale and Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale.

In the tasting for basic American-Style Premium Lager, Pabst won two gold medals, for Pabst Blue Ribbon and Old Milwaukee Light.

While we're probably not qualified to judge Muncher-Style Helles (a bright German lager), on names alone we'd have given a bronze to Got Rocks Russian stout, silver to the white Nit Wit and gold to Olde Auburn's wry brew, Catch Her in the Rye.

Wine Not Aspirations, which makes personalized wine batches to order in North Tampa, will open a second winery in Pinellas (408 33rd Ave. N, St. Petersburg) this month. Aspirations makes about 30 wines, from fruit-flavored merlot to French-style whites, with concentrated juices. Customers select a wine they like, the store ferments it, and customers return a few weeks later to bottle the wine and add personal labels. Quantities of 30 bottles run from $166 to $239, depending on quality.

Grapes in the Cote d'Or and Cotes de Nuit aren't always prized crus of pinot noir. Boisset, one of the grand names and modern imaginations in the region, has mined its vineyards for two unusual bottles: a sparkler and a grape vodka.

- Most unusual is Idol, a high-end vodka made from burgundy's own precious pinot and chardonnay grapes and local water with an emphasis on purity, plus a hint of grape flavor. It comes in the requisite hip clear bottle and equally hip $40 price tag.

- The bubbly on the way will be Silver Cap, an affordable $10 bottle from Francoise Chauvenet, which made sparkling burgundy a century ago. Silver Cap doesn't pretend to be Champagne; it's made many miles away in the bulk Charmat method from ugni blanc and colombard as well as chardonnay. But it's French and not so cher.

Botromagno Gravina 2002

The white wines of Puglia on the boot heel of Italy get overdue respect in this elegant, friendly wine from Gravina.

It's made from humble malvasia and greco di tufa grapes, but who cares? In this bottle they come out in a shining gold. Served bone-chilling cold, the wine is crisp and dry and yet with a lush, slippery texture. It smells like parkland, a flower basket among pine woods, friendly flavors of pear and peach, a hint of licorice and an enjoyable finish.

Once again, someone has driven a tanker truck through the big gap between chardonnay and sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio. White wine doesn't have to be sour or cloyingly sweet or smoking with oak.

Viognier and albarino have proven that; add Gravina to the list.

Availability: $10 to $12, smaller wine shops.