What's an appropriate wine to serve at a Tampa Bay Rays themed party? What wine would be a good gift for a hard core Rays fan?
Florida's Tampa Bay Rays are one of Major League Baseball's youngest teams. They played their first season in 1998, as part of an expansion that also included the Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally named the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the team dropped the "Devil" from its name in 2008 and adopted a new logo with a yellow sunburst emanating from the word "Rays," which appears in blue. Interestingly, that very season, the team's fortunes began to improve drastically. In 2007, the Devil Rays finished last in their division. In 2008, the renamed Rays won their division and went all the way to the World Series, where they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.
In the 2009 season, the Rays finished a disappointing 19 games back, but rebounded in 2010 to win the American League East, only to lose the division series to the Texas Rangers. Nothing in the team's short history, however, prepared Tampa Bay fans for the Rays' amazing finish in 2011. Nine games back on September 2, the team from Tampa Bay never stopped trying. Bit by bit, they chipped away at the Boston Red Sox' lead. As the season drew to a close, Tampa Bay kept winning, and Boston kept losing. The wildcard playoff berth came down to the last game of the season, with baseball fans all over North America watching as the Rays beat the Yankees in a come-from-behind, late-night cliffhanger while the hapless Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox and celebrated as though they were headed to the playoffs instead of Tampa Bay. Sports writers are already calling the end of the 2011 baseball season one of the most astonishing in sports history.
The Rays have built a team that relies on a combination of talent, speed and good mentoring to achieve success. Adding veteran outfielder and designated hitter Johnny Damon to the 2011 roster gave younger players a teammate to look up to, while rookie pitcher Matt Moore, called up at season's end, made an amazing debut that energized the team. The Rays led the American League in bases stolen in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, boosting their offense and keeping opponents on the alert. Whether the Rays are truly a "team of destiny" remains to be seen, but it's hard to complain about a team that has made the playoffs three out of the last four seasons.
As the Rays have identified themselves with Florida's sunshine and blue water, it seems fitting to pour a Florida wine for fans of this Sunshine State team.
What could be more Floridian than oranges? Florida Orange Groves Winery in St. Petersburg, not terribly far from the Rays' Tropicana Field, is owned by a family that started out packing and shipping fruit. Today, Florida Orange Groves Winery is a third-generation, certified Florida Farm Winery that makes 37 different wines, including several made from fruit juice, not from grapes. Key Limen, one of several citrus wines available, won "Best of Show" in its class at the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition, while Coco Polada, a coconut wine, won "Best of Class" in the tropical/citrus category at the 2011 Indy International Wine Competition. You'll pay about $20 for a bottle of Key Limen and $19 for a bottle of Coco Polada. Florida Orange Groves Winery also makes wine from blueberries, mangoes, carrots and tomatoes, as well as from muscadine grapes, which grow well in Florida. It takes about nine pounds of fruit to make one bottle of fruit wine.
Lake Placid's Henscratch Farms Vineyard and Winery, like Florida Orange Groves Winery, takes its name from its origin. A Florida Farm Winery, Henscratch Farms is famous for its flock of laying hens, all 200 or so of them, as well as for its award-winning wines. Henscratch Farms Vineyard and Winery opened in 2003; its owners, Drew Jones and Brook Bundy, make wine from muscadine and scuppernong grapes. They also make strawberry and blueberry wines. Henscratch Farms NV Country White, NV Country Walk (a light red) and NV Snow Bird won double gold at the 2008 Florida State Fair International Wine Competition. Expect to pay about $14 per bottle for any of these wines. Henscratch Farms presents several special events each year, including a Blueberry Bluegrass Festival and the popular Grape Stomp, where participants can stomp grapes in a vat, enjoy music and even buy a specially-labeled bottle of the wine produced from the grapes they helped to stomp. Visitors also enjoy shopping at the on-site Country Store for Henscratch Farms wines, preserves, honey, and, yes, farm-fresh eggs.
Rosa Fiorelli Winery in Bradenton takes its name from co-owner Rosa Fiorelli, who, with her husband Antonio, founded the winery in 1998. The Fiorellis, originally from Sicily, bring an Old World touch to Florida winemaking. Visitors can choose from several tour-and-food options, ranging from cheese and crackers to an Italian luncheon. (Tours must be booked in advance.) Rosa Fiorelli Winery's red, white and dessert wines are made from muscadine and blanc du bois grapes. Rosa Fiorelli Winery's Red Muscadine Dessert Wine won a gold medal at the 2004 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Expect to pay about $20 for a bottle of this award-winning wine. A bottle of Rosa Fiorelli Blanc du Bois will cost about $15, while a bottle of Rosa Fiorelli Red noble will set you back about $17.
Strong Tower Vineyard and Winery, in Spring Hill, produces estate-grown, estate-bottled muscadine, blanc du bois, norton and fruit wines. Owners Terry and Janis McKnight recently added watermelon wine to their fruit wine offerings. Strong Tower Blanc du Bois Select won double gold at the 2008 Florida State Fair International Wine Competition, and Strong Tower Blanc du Bois won a gold medal at the same competition. Strong Tower's on-site shop offers not only Strong Tower wines but also local products, and the winery hosts special events and festivals, including the annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival and Arts and Crafts Show, throughout the year.
