Green Apple Delight wine from Gilded Grape is like a subtle apple cider and it's DELICIOUS!!read more

Okay, they were out of several vintages. They were out of cheese and crackers. They had just…read morere'orged their whole business. I wasn't expecting much. I'd just moved south from the heart of VA wine country, not a snob, but used to a certain wine experience. This was different: so fun, comfortable, friendly and informative. Loved every minute (and we stayed a while) of the afternoon. Go give them your support and enjoy your own time with the owners. They have a lot to share.

My family and I stopped her on our way from the central Florida to SW Florida. It's a small,…read morelocally owned winery. The space is beautiful. They have a large outdoor area with a playground for kids and lots of tables. There is a small bar inside, and they are renovating more interior space for additional seating for the hot summer months. The wines are overall pretty tasty. They only grow muscadine grapes on the property and import other grapes from California and elsewhere. They have a selection of drier wines all the way to the sweet fruit wines. They also offer wine sorbets. My husband and I each got a wine flight of 4 wines for $18. I forgot how big the pours were but they were a decent size. They also offer wine tasting experience of 6 wines, smaller pours, that lasts 45 minutes. They have a small section of food. We got the pimento cheese and crackers, the cheese was delicious. They also had popsicles and ice cream, which my kids enjoyed. We got three bottles of wine to take home with us! We love supporting our Florida wineries! Also, our bartender Shelley was fantastic! Very personable and knowledgeable.

Nice location, glad they have music on the weekends. Wine tasting was $18.79 for 4 tastings!…read more Pretty pricey for mediocre wine. We enjoyed sitting outdoors so that was nice but for the prices - no way would I go back. Too bad...this place has a beautiful outdoors & I like that they are having music but the prices they are charging do not make it worth it for me to go back.....

What a terrific place! So glad I found this gem. An amazing collection of wines, very…read moreknowledgeable staff. Live music, a And the bartender, she's gorgeous!

Joined their wine club through the previous owners and was told that we could "make up" the monthly…read moretasting if we missed the original date (usually the first Saturday of the month) - January was a very busy month for us, my wife's father passed away and she works as a radiology tech and works 12 hours shifts so our availability to do the tasting was limited - when I tried to schedule the tasting for the 29th of the month, I was told no - the employee told me that they couldn't afford to open the wine for just one couple - even though they had another make up tasting the following day. The owner refused to give me a refund for the month ($48.15 for just me) - so I disputed the charge on my card and he rebutted it with I had the whole month to make up the tasting! Not a true statement - this guy has no clue how to run a business - so much for customer service - we will never step foot in the place again!!! Promise!!

Bunker Hill Vineyard in Parrish is such a quaint little gem! We discovered it on our way to the…read moreStrawberry Festival and are so glad we stopped. It's a small, family-owned spot with such a warm, welcoming feel. The owners were incredibly friendly and made the whole experience even better. We even donated about six of our used wine bottles to them, which made it feel fun and personal in a unique way. They offer wine tastings, and the wines themselves feel clean, light, and thoughtfully made. Definitely a hidden local find worth visiting!

TL;DR - I was totally blown away by this hidden gem. There's no other way to describe this…read moreexperience. Let's just say I learned a lot about Bunker Hill Vineyard & Winery. I also had the pleasure of meeting the husband and wife duo that makes all of these Florida grown products. They made this experience so much fun. All you need to know is that their natural wines, jellies, and jams were all amazing. There's something for everyone here. So, I decided to take a different route back to Brandon from Ellenton just so that I could try these wines. It was an easy drive on US-301 as I made my way to Wauchula Rd. This is where the adventure started for me. It's a 2 lane road with a speed limit of 60 MPH that takes you past farm lands and phosphate mines. I honestly felt like I was lost in the middle of nowhere. Thank goodness for GPS. I pretty much knew that Bunker Hill Road would be coming up soon after passing Lake Parrish, and there it was. The winery is across the street and to the left of the fork in the road. There's plenty of parking in front of it along rows of grape vines. At that point, I was just happy that I found it. I didn't really get a chance to explore around the vineyard. Lenora found me in front of the farm winery accessory building where the wine tasting would begin. That's when I also met Larry as they invited me inside the tasting room. What a cool set up they have! It's inside of what looks like a heavily insulated Quonset hut. Larry explained the differences between unfiltered and filtered wine. Honestly, I didn't know there was a difference. It raised so many questions, and actually made me aware of all the additives that are placed into manufactured wines during the filtering process. Some that I have actually been sensitive to in the past. It was interesting to hear about their process, and even the way they recycle their bottles and jelly jars. They are truly sustainable. What I also noticed is that most (if not all) of their wines are vegan. I'm not vegan, so it's not something that I usually look for. I just didn't know that animal proteins are commonly used in the process of making wine. It's all very interesting. Let's talk about the wine tasting. There's a list of medium dry, dry, and sparkling wines. I made my selections from the list of medium dry wines. I did take some suggestions from them, and I'm so glad that I did. Otherwise, I would have never tried the Bamboo Herbal Tea or Dandelion Flower Petal. Just open your mind to all the possibilities. Your palate will thank you later. There are fruit, vegetable, flower, coffee, tea, and even bamboo wines. I think I saw rice wine as well. If it has grape, then it's the muscadine variety. If you want a mixture, then I totally suggest the Strawberry/Grape wine. This one was one of my favorites. I was also in love with the Guava wine. The same goes for the jam. It's insanely wonderful. You can get it with or without the seeds. I wanted to buy all of the ones on my list. I ended up getting six 12 oz. bottles so that I could share them with my husband. He was just as amazed as I was with his samples of wine. The flavors are so clear and with such a great color and aroma. There was no unpleasant after taste, and it wasn't overly sweet like other Florida fruit wines that I've tasted. I didn't get that wine headache which usually happens with red wines. I guess I'm just sensitive to something in it. I also sampled Lenora's Bamboo Leaf Herbal Tea. It was so refreshing! What a great way to end the tasting. Anyway, I tried 6 different samples for $6. They are truly just a sample. Don't expect to get full size glasses. It's not a wine bar. However, you can purchase a charcuterie platter if you call 24 hours in advance of your tasting. They'll have it ready for you. Once you do the first wine tasting, the other tastings will be complimentary when you return. That's when I plan on trying the vegetable wines. There is one that actually tastes like a salad. I didn't get to try the coffee wine, but I did sample the coffee wine jelly. It was actually very good. The starfruit wine jelly is even better. I can't wait to go back. Hopefully my husband will come along with me next time. I think he would love sampling the wines and jellies. I didn't really get to see the rest of the vineyard this time around. Maybe next time. Thank you Larry & Lenora for making it such an informative & fun experience.

Awesome experience again at Coopers Hawk! Friendly…read morefaces...good wine and sometimes an education...fine food and top notch service. Thanks Gloria for such excellent service

We love that Cooper's Hawk is right down the road from our place in Sarasota. A great happy hour…read moreand a wonderful selection of wines. They have a lot of really great small plates to share as well as solid entree options. We enjoy it so much that we joined their wine club that includes monthly tastings and monthly bottles of wine. If you're a frequent visitor the club pays for itself. Great lively atmosphere and service.

We love Bonnell's. They are both so sweet, helpful and the BEST vitamin C & hydrologic acid EVER…read more Truly worth the price. I have not found anything as good as her products. Lenora

Just had a fantastic facial with Lisa. She's been doing my skin since I moved to the Venice area…read more Professional who knows exactly what is needed to maintain beautiful skin. My spa experience is always a joy and something I look forward to. Looking for a great new look in makeup? Lisa has worked with all major companies such as Chanel, La Prairie, and Guerlain. With more than 40 years of experience in keeping people beautiful, I trust my face and skin to her. Debi

One of my favorites while living down in SRQ.. has the best selection, pricing, staff, and light…read morebites (charcuterie board, and popcorn with balsamic!) Craig was very helpful in selecting wines based on what we told him we were looking for. They also host wine walks every few months that are Halloween themed, spring, etc., and they are amazing!! Absolutely recommend for a glass, or a few, alone or with friends/family.

I really enjoy going to Fine Wines and Tastings on Main St in Lakewood Ranch. Scott and his mom…read morehave created a wonderful atmosphere for buy wine by the bottle or by the glass. They have a revolving selection of well known and under the radar wines for you to enjoy. They also offer a small selection of fantastic light snacks to eat while sipping good wine. Additionally, they have a couple of beers and seltzers. If you find yourself wanting a nice glass of wine, please give Fine Wines and Tastings a chance. I promise you will love it.