Price: $79.99   Icewine is nectar of the gods - some of the hardest to make, most intense wine in the world. Grapes are left on the vine well into the winter months. The resulting freezing and thawing of the grapes dehydrates the fruit, and concentrates the sugars, acids, and extracts in the berries, thereby intensifying the flavors and adding complexity to the wine made from it.

Genuine icewine must follow VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) regulations that prohibit any artificial freezing of grapes. The grapes are painstakingly picked by hand in their natural frozen state, ideally at temperatures of -10 to -13 degrees C - sometimes the picking must be done at night to take advantage of the temperature. Yields are very low, often as little as 5-10 percent of normal.

The frozen grapes are pressed in the extreme cold. The water in the juice remains frozen as ice crystals, and only a few drops of sweet concentrated juice is obtained. This juice is then fermented very slowly for several months, stopping naturally.

The finished icewine exhibits aromas of apple blossoms and apricot with a hint of cinnamon-raisin bread. On the palate, this beautifully rich dessert wine follows through nicely with a mix of apricot, mango and a strong honeyed component. The overall finish has good length with tantalizing flashes of exotic fruit and spice.

Food pairings: Fruit-based and spiced desserts, sweet/spicy sauces and chutneys, bitter/sweet chocolate, foie gras and spiced Asian cuisine. Also complements rich blue veined and selected cream based cheeses.

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Janita’s latest release, “Seasons of Life“, is a contemporary jazz experience laced with a soulful voice and sprinkles of rhythm and blues. The songs are well crafted and the listening experience enjoyable. The music is fresh and sometimes tropical while the soulful voice is laced with honey. She fuses breezy cool jazz with sultry dollops of R&B lite while never straying far from the centerline may not be the most promising blueprint for an album. Her direction may be the key: Janita was an unlikely contemporary soul pioneer as a teen in her native Finland, bringing a steadfast commitment to classy style with her as she transformed herself into NYC-based journeywoman chanteuse. The album may begin by slyly evoking the spirit of Gilberto on the opener “No Words,” but by the time it wends its way through the string-drenched elegance of “That’s How Life Goes” and the spare, jazzy “I Only Want You,” comparisons to Dianna Krall and Norah Jones seem not so far afield, and the pop charms of “Too Late” and the title track are undeniable.

To Listen To or Purchase Music Click Here

Price: $138.00 to $145.00
Macanudo, a name synonymous with consistency and flavor, introduces the mildest wrapper available in a Maduro, the Connecticut Valley broadleaf. This is the tobacco known for generations as the wrapper that produces the long, white ash. But more importantly, the taste imparted to the cigar is supremely mild. If you’ve been looking for a Maduro that produces a true Maduro richness, the Macanudo Maduro, handmade in Santiago, Dominican Republic, is the end to your quest.

Aromas Cigar, Wine and Martini Bar was created by cigar-loving entrepreneurs as an answer to the changing needs of today’s cigar enthusiast, from the newly initiated to the aficionado. A new take on the old cigar bar model, Aromas is the first establishment of its kind on the first coast to combine an upscale cigar, wine and martini bar, an extensive humidor and cigar shop and a private smoking club under one roof.

With over 700 premium cigars, a large selection of select wines, specialty martinis and extensive mohito menu, Aromas offers a unique and sophisticated venue for its guests. In addition, Aromas offers comfortable seating, live entertainment, wireless internet access, and an incredible tapas menu offering a selection of succulent appetizers.

Aromas in Ponte Vedra Beach opened in 2005, just in time to accommodate the spectators for Super Bowl XXXIX.  Following the precedence set forth by the original Southside location, Aromas in Ponte Vedra Beach offered everything a cigar enthusiast could want:  ambiance, entertainment, full liquor bar and a large walk-in humidor.  If that wasn’t enough, both Aromas now feature a full kitchen allowing its patrons to not only enjoy their cigars but incredible entrees as well.
*Aromas Cigars, Wine & Martini Bar

880 A1A North, Suite 18-B
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
904.280.2525

1 ounce gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce Campari
In mixing glass or cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine gin, vermouth, and Campari. Shake vigorously, then strain into a 6-ounce cocktail glass.

I’ve been hooked on this warming drink for years! I like to serve it to guests before dinner on the deck at sunset. Its rich color is enchanced by the light of the setting sun. It does require some getting used to, but once initiated, it’s the perfect summer apperitif. I prefer mine on the rocks, but it’s also great chilled in a martini glass. I like the idea of garnishing with an orange slice. Definitely an adult drink. Toast!

Price $77.99

There’s apple tart on the nose, with cream and caramel undertones. Full-bodied, with lots of dried tropical fruits, such as mango and pineapple. Long and very flavorful, yet racy and fresh. Gorgeous and generous Chardonnay. Drink now. Only 3,300 cases made.

Barrique-fermented Chardonnay, aged in barrique approximately 11 months. Cellar life of 8-10 years.

Cheers!

Grand Wine Cellar

Price: $129.99 - 720ml

FLAVOR PROFILE: A blend of ‘72,’82,’84 & ‘89 vintages. Only recently released. Full of nuts and earthy aromas. Mildly sweet and aged to perfection. For the sophisticated Saké palate. Great as an apéritif, works with mildly sauced meat dishes too. Drink chilled.
Say the word “sake” to most Americans, and what comes to mind is a hot, semisweet beverage meant for socking down alongside spicy tuna. In Japan, however, sake is a serious subject, studied and celebrated much like wine is in France. This little volume seeks to demystify the sophisticated side of sake, providing a brief history and an in-depth examination of its rituals and preparation. The authors survey the surprisingly varied sake universe: “Kira,” or “devil sake,” is a dry and peppery version which marries well with spicy foods, while “fukunishiki,” or “happy fortune” sake, is a “dependable, safe sake,” tasty alongside fried snacks. Pushing international boundaries, the authors note that “Dessai 50,” or “Otter Festival,” goes well with risotto, and “Bishonen,” which means “beautiful boy,” is great with a burger. The authors also provide a few appealing recipes to match with different sakes; a “Crab and Grapefruit Salad with Fried Shallots” is elegant, easy to prepare, and faintly spicy, while “Roasted Chicken Wings with Garlic And Ginger” beg for beer-or for a cold glass of “Gokyo Junmai.” They also offer recipes for sake cocktails, like the super-sweet “Citrus Mistress” and the “Geisha’s Delight,” which pairs Italian limoncello with citrus and sake. Not traditional, to be sure, but delicious enough to get any sake neophyte’s attention.

Astor WInes - Sake

Just when you thought you heard it all…here is a new one for you!

The “diamond-tini”, a cocktail with a hint of lime and chilled Belvedere vodka over a 1.06-carat stone, is topping the Ritz-Carlton beverage menu at a cool $15,000. 
That price includes drink preparations table side, a serenade of “Diamonds are Forever” as a cut stone slides to the martini glass bottom, and later a ring mounting by a local jeweler.

From the Artist
The album title is a reference to “Bluey” Maunick’s musical evolution since his childhood on the small island of Mauritius (off the coast of Madagascar). “When I was a kid, my first taste of music came from the beaches of Mauritius,” he says. “I spent a lot of time listening to the hotel bands, or the bands playing around the bonfires and cookouts. It’s a small island, so there were beaches everywhere. I was always watching live musicians play. So for inspiration for this album, I went back to various beaches around the world - in Italy, Indonesia and elsewhere - and just let the music flow.”

Product Description
2008 album from the Acid Jazz favorites. Tales From The Beach, recorded in Italy, Germany, Indonesia, London, and mixed in Jakarta, is an album of 15 refreshing and uplifting songs. Each of the tracks are beautifully crafted; with guest vocals from Maysa Leak (I’ve Been Waiting’) and Tony Momrelle, who turns in a stunning vocal on ‘When The Sun Comes Down’. Other highlights including the four-to-the-floor stomper, ‘Step Aside’ and ‘N.O.T.’, an Acid Jazz-flavored track with horns reminiscent of the Average White Band

See video here: I’ve been waiting