St. Pete Beach toasts its 50th anniversary

By Times Staff, Wires
Published December 5, 2007

Last month St. Pete Beach celebrated its 50th anniversary with wine of its own. Wine importer and distributor Terri Finnerty, whose husband Mike is vice mayor, commissioned two private label wines to mark the occasion. A coastal cabernet from Sonoma and an Australian chardonnay were bottled with beachy labels, and Finter Imports chipped in $1 per bottle for the city's anniversary celebration.

The wines debuted at the 50th birthday party on the beach and a gala dinner and are now for sale at several liquor stores and Publix in the beach city for $15 or less.

I had mine at the St. Pete Beach Public Library and liked the red best: It was full, warm and friendly, like a good beach party.

Chris Sherman

Holiday cheer with wine and toast

Wine-influenced jams from Appalachian Kitchens & Winery serve up regional flavors just right for slathering on toast or biscuits or tucking into a holiday gift basket. Blackberries & Pinot Noir Wine Jam boasts a rich, layered appeal. Miss Chatelaine's Summer Peach & Muscadine Wine Jam offers a sweeter combination. Other varieties include fig and shiraz; blueberries and merlot; and pears and sauvignon blanc. Many are made with Georgia wines.

The price of an 8-ounce jar ranges from $4.95 to $5.95. Order online at www.appalachiankitchens.com.

Delicious splurge: two fine cabernets

Attention, cabernet lovers: 2004 was an outstanding vintage for California cabernet sauvignons. They're well-balanced and have sufficient tannins to age well. Buy them now while they're still available.

Some favorites include the 2004 Hess Collection Mountain Cuvee, an extraordinary cabernet sauvignon that includes syrah, merlot, malbec and cabernet franc. The 2004 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, a beautifully structured red, can be enjoyed now or in the decades ahead.

Look for them in better wine shops: The Hess retails for about $30 and the Robert Mondavi for $38.

Times wires

Beer of the Week
He'brew Jewbelation 11

The marketing gimmick and bad puns are either sassy new Yiddish pride or plain offensive. But there's no bad taste in this rich and winning beer. The Shmaltz Brewing Co. has been doing its shtick in Brooklyn for more than a decade, so it's more than a novelty.

Accordingly, its 11th anniversary beer is released to give Hanukkah a seasonal beer of its own, to take on Christmas ales and other beers of winter. With 11 hops, 11 malts and 11 percent alcohol, it has ample celebratory spirit. The foam is good, but the head modest. Still the nose and taste are full of malty chocolate, with a strong hops counterbalance so you don't feel guilty.

Availability: About $6 at bottle at specialty beer stores.

Chris Sherman

[Last modified December 4, 2007, 11:18:43]