Grape Spotlight: The Stover Grape

"The Stover grape is a hybrid cultivar developed by the University of Florida’s breeding program. It is a yellow/bronze small grape. The flavor is mild and free from excessive sweetness or tartness. Clusters are medium size and the sugar content is 17-18% with a mild taste. ‘Stover’ is a golden-fruited, long-lived variety with improved dessert and holding qualities. The fruit ripens in July and August." - Fiorelli Winery

Specifically, the Stover grape cultivar was developed at the Leesburg Agricultural Research Center and is named in honor of Loren Stover (1898–1993), Florida’s "Mr. Grape". Stover was a pioneering horticulturist who developed this variety in 1956 to be resistant to Pierce’s disease and other fungal issues prevalent in Florida’s humid climate. The cultivar is a cross between Mantey and Seyve‑Villard 12‑309. Mantey is a self‑fertile seedling of unknown parentage, but derived primarily from Vitis coriacea Shuttleworthii and contributes disease resistance, heat tolerance, and adaptation to the southeastern U.S. Seyve‑Villard 12‑309 or Roucaneuf (developed by breeder Bertille Seyve at the Seyve‑Villard program in France) is complex French hybrid with ancestry rooted in V. vinifera and V. rupestris and contributes fruit quality, cluster structure, and improved table‑grape characteristics.

Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard, located just outside Bradenton Florida, grows Stover and uses the grape in several of their white blends. The winery was founded in 1998 by Antonio and Rosa Fiorelli, Sicilian immigrants from Casteldaccia.  Antonio began cultivating the estate with fruit bearing trees and a few grape vines and soon the operation expanded to 7.5 acres of vines and a full estate operation with dedicated production and tasting facilities. The grapes consist of several Florida‑adapted muscadine varieties -- including Noble, Carlos, and other bronze and black muscadines -- along with bunch‑grape hybrids such as Blanc du Bois and Conquistador. Their portfolio includes dry to semi‑sweet table wines, muscadine‑based reds and blushes, and fruit wines made from blueberry, strawberry, peach, and apple. 

Tropical Wine in South Florida's Schnebly Redland's Winery

Florida’s Redland agricultural district is a historic farming region in southern Miami‑Dade County, defined by its distinctive red clay soils over oolitic limestone (sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers) and a long tradition of subtropical and tropical crop production. Settled in the early 20th century after the expansion of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway, the area became a hub for mangoes, avocados, lychees, and other fruits rarely grown at scale elsewhere in the continental United States.

Schnebly Redland’s Winery leverages it's Redland location by growing and sourcing tropical fruit within a four mile radius of the agricultural district for their innovative fruit‑based winemaking. Known as the southernmost winery in the continental United States, the operation was started by Peter and Denisse Schnebly and offers an immersive experience shaped by waterfalls, tiki huts, and expansive gardens. The tasting room and grounds are surrounded by coral stone blocks and thatch roofs, enclosing the facility in a tropical village. Entering the grounds visitors pass a koi pond and then to a large covered pavilion. 

The winery produces a range of dry to sweet still and sparkling wines from avocado, lychee, mango, coconut, guava, pineapple, carambola (starfruit), and passion fruit. Quite a portfolio.  I've been a fan of their dry avocado wine (AvoVino) for many years - I just find it truly unique and flavorful.  Why avocado wine?  The story goes that was an avocado  field where the fruit was too overripe for resale, so they tested their ability to make wine out of the single-seeded berry. And it worked.  The Carambola was another top choice providing a juicy pear-like profile finishing with a little almond bitterness. Oddly, it was very similar to to a Herzegovina Žilavka that we opened the next day.  Finally, the off-dry CocoVino - made exclusively from coconuts - was our third option.  Think lemons and coconuts.  The winery had a special purchase three with a free bottle and we choose the semi-sweet Mango - just to have a wine with a stronger tropical profile and to eventually experiment with some rum cocktails.  

Although we didn't spend too much time at the winery, Schnebly Redland's Winery is a destination with a restaurant, live music pavilion, and the Miami Brewing Company within the complex. Try the Big Rod Coconut Ale to stay in the tropical theme. 

The United Grapes of America - Florida's Keel And Curley Winery Blueberry Wine

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

You know you may have a problem when on the day your son is flying home from Florida you frantically call his host to include two bottles of your favorite Florida wine, the Keel And Curley Winery Dry Blueberry. Now the original The United Grapes of America StarChefs.com article mentions wines from Schnebly Redland's Winery, but these tropical fruit based wines are generally too sweet for my tastes. On the other hand, the K&C blueberry is completely dry with a big nose and can be mistaken for a medium-full bodied malbec if one was tasting blind. The wine is made from High-Bush Blueberries grown in their Plant City farm about 20 miles east of Tampa Bay. The blueberries are fermented on the skins which helps retain the key benefits of this super fruit: vitamin C and antioxidants. In fact a new University of Florida study fund that "wine made from southern highbush berries had more antioxidants than white wine and all but 20 percent of the reported values for red wines..." That could be why in 2011,  300,000 bottles of blueberry wine were sold throughout the Sunshine state. Glad I scored my two bottles. Cheers.

Keel And Curley Winery - Blueberry Farming to Wine

While the family was enjoying Legoland, in Winter Haven Florida, I snuck out to visit the nearest winery, Keel And Curley Winery. The winery is just outside of Tampa Bay and provides residents and tourists an opportunity to taste local fruit wine as well as live music on occasion. Blueberry farmer, Joe Keel, started the winery in 2003 as a way to utilize unharvested fruit. In the blueberry industry, many blueberries remain on the bush when the cost of picking additional units is equal or less than the wholesale price received. Keel didn't want to mess with jams or pies, so he started making wine at home. As he learned and defined his craft - Keel And Curley Winery was born.

Blueberry wine is still central to their operation as they produce three styles: dry, semi-dry, and sweet. And last year they introduced two blackberry wines, dry and sweet. All these wines are made from 100%. Although the sweeter wines are their best sellers, I preferred the dry versions of both wines. They retained the fruit characters of the blueberry and blackberry and could easily pass for a medium bodied red wine such as Chambourcin.

Keel and Curley Winery also produces a series of fusion wines where grape juice sourced on the open market is co-fermented with different fruit juices. These wines are all semi-sweet to sweet, and to me are basically gimmicks marketed to tourists. And I've fallen and purchased the Key West – Key Lime in the past. Best used as a Margarita base. And my traveling partner fell for the Tangerine Zinfandel. Yes, gimmicks sell. But if you come across their wines at Publix or at the winery - I recommend the dry 100% Blueberry or Blackberry.

Schnebly Redland's Winery - Homestead, Florida

While planning a trip to the Keys, we noticed that one of our favorite south Florida blues bands, IKO-IKO, was scheduled at America's southernmost continental winery, Schnebly Redland's Winery. And with this being the only true opportunity to "drink local", we based our first day around visiting the winery. Located so far south, the winery owners, Peter and Denisse Schnebly, could have decided to source grapes from northern Florida or other states, but instead chose to make wines from tropical fruits which excel in the hot, humid environment. And why not; the same holds for vineyards in other environments - only grow grapes suitable for that region. Plus Schebley's supports the local Redland area by purchasing all fruit within a four mile radius.

Arriving at the winery, we were greeted by an impressive structure. The tasting room and grounds are surrounded by coral stone blocks and thatch roofs, enclosing the facility in a tropical village. Entering the grounds visitors pass an initial koi pond and then to a large covered pavilion. The band and early partiers were setting up shop as walked past heading straight for the waterfall and larger pond. Bring plenty of quarters if you want to feed the hundreds of fish waiting below. And walk along the elevated walkway to the back hut for another view of the fish. A very impressive landscaping feat. We finally entered the tasting room, which itself, is a large structure with a central circular tasting bar, boxes of wine ready to be purchased, and a nice video area of the Redland community. Basically, Schnebly Redland's Winery is geared for the consumer to stay put while visiting; and why not, not only is it an awesome setting, but since its so remote - why leave anytime soon.

The winery charges different tasting fees, $6.95 for 5 wines; $9.95 for all, and $7.95 for the sparkling and desert selections. Look for local coupons to help alleviate these fees. As mentioned earlier the wines are made from non-traditional fruits - guava, passion fruit, mango, lychee, carambola (star fruit), and avocado. Yes, avocado - apparently their was a field that was too overripe for resale, so they tested their ability to make wine out of the fruit. In fact they make three versions, dry, semi-dry, and sweet. And quite frankly, they are not that bad at all, I still feel the need for a salt shaker whenever I sip - but not bad. One of my favorites was the Carambola Oak, where their starfruit wine is aged 6 months with French oak chips. This process gives a much fuller profile than their regular Carambola which didn't have enough flavor for my taste. Their most popular wines are the sweeter varietals, but none of these were syrupy sweet or gritty. In fact, their best seller, the Cat 3 Hurricane, a blend of Carambola, Lychee, and Guava, is actually a refreshing wine. The Mango was another I liked; the Guava and Passion Fruit I thought different, but not disagreeable; but interestingly the Lychee is their most awarded wine; but I didn't care much for it. Shows that everyone has different tastes and opinions - so don't trust mine - go sample some local south Florida wine. Plus I didn't even get into their dessert and sparkling portfolio. And checkout their weekend music schedule. IKO-IKO is a rocking swamp blues band.

San Sebastian Winery Vintner's Red

I'll finally got a chance to drink local based on various definitions by opening a bottle of San Sebastian Winery Vintner's Red. I think we had picked up the bottle the least trip to St. Augustine and as I recall I generally prefer the Vintner's White over the Red. However, the red was all we had. And it is what it is; a slightly sweet muscadine wine made from the Noble grape. And served slightly chilled, it works in the south Florida heat. Its full of flavor; smooth and complements a burger nicely. Tomorrow the remainder will be used as a base for Sangria. And while headed home we are stopping by to load up on some Blanc Du Bois.

St. Augustine Wineries

On our frequent trips along Route 95 in Florida, we most likely take a detour into historic St. Augustine to either see the sites or stop in at San Sebastian Winery. This winery has a great roof top terrace where we have enjoyed their wines made from unique grapes grown from their Clermont, Florida Vineyard. We are talking about Florida Muscadine, Blanc Du Bois, and Stover grapes. Many times we have had to fight through visitors shuttled to the winery via tour buses as tourists looked for souvenirs. San Sebastian used to be the only game in town, but on our most recent stop in St. Augustine we found that Florida Orange Groves and Winery has incorporated another franchise along St. George Street: Vino del Grotto Winery. Florida Orange Groves makes fruit wines and sells them through several channels - including wine stores at major Florida tourist enclaves: Key West, Miami, Panama City Beach, and now St. Augustine. The use all types of fruit in these concoctions starting with Florida oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, pineapples, mangoes, and even key limes, bananas and coconuts. Yes, many of these are gimmicky - but marketed to tourists; they sell. The winery also produces traditional fruit wines in blueberry, cherry, red raspberry, and blackberry flavors - with the dry versions of the cherry and blackberry not too bad. Many of the other versions where just too sweet for our blood. Vegetables are not forgotten either. Their 40 Karat Semi-Dry White Wine made entirely from carrot juice and then there is the Hot Sun Spicy Tomato Wine. The later is actually a medal winner - as are many of their wines. However, despite these intriguing offerings are favorite was their traditional honey wine made from - you guest it - orange blossom honey. Its sweet - but not gritty - typical of a sweet mead. So the next time you find yourself near this historic city - make sure you stop into San Sebastian Winery on your drive in or out; and while walking along the pedestrian street of St. George - take a look at Vino del Grotto Winery.