For the size of the state, there aren’t a lot of Florida wineries and many of the ones we visited during a recent trip to the gulf coast of Florida produce sweet wines made with fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and peaches. A lot of these wineries in Florida also have the look and feel of a tourist attraction. Although there’s nothing wrong with wineries that appeal to tourists, we were in search of Florida wineries that could provide us with a more intimate experience; where we could learn about the terroir, the grapes, and the people who farm the soil and produce the wines.One of the Florida wineries on our list to check out was the Rosa Fiorelli Winery located just south of Lake Manatee in Bradenton. We turned onto a side road and followed a little sign directing us to the tasting room. We arrived at a small building sitting at the end of a dirt driveway. As we opened the door into a tiny room we didn’t know what to expect. We noticed that the room appeared to serve as not only the tasting room but the wine, gift shop and office as well. We were pretty certain that the focus of this winery was not just for the casual tourist.The tiny counter was cluttered with wine bottles and Italian olive oils. The woman behind the counter was busy assisting two customers who had just finished lunch in the vineyard and a bottle of wine. When the customers had left, we approached the counter and said that we were interested in tasting wines. The woman was unpretentious as she placed four tasting glasses onto the counter. We asked if by chance she might be Rosa Fiorelli; and yes indeed, she was.Rosa and her husband Antonio originate from Sicily. These former restaurateurs purchased the property twenty seven years ago and envisioned a vineyard and winery. Antonio set about creating the vineyard, using his own two hands, one pole and one vine at a time. The ten-acre vineyard primarily grows a variety of Muscadine grapes and Blanc du Bois grapes. The grapevines are pruned by hand, one branch at a time and the grapes are harvested by hand. No chemicals are used. The vineyard has been producing award-winning wines for the last twelve years.Arguably, many would agree that when they think of Muscadine grapes, they think of sweet wines. Not so at this Florida winery. Tasting Fiorelli’s Aurora white Muscadine wine changed our minds quickly. Served well chilled, it was refreshing but not at all sweet. There were hints of peach on the palate and the finish was smooth and subtly dry. Growing Muscadine grapes is Antonio Fiorelli’s passion and he grows six different varietals of Muscadine grapes in his vineyard. We were immediately impressed as we continued our wine tasting experience.The next wine we tasted was the Blanc du Bois. A young, dry white, we enjoyed the crispness of grapefruit and green apple. Moving onto a red, we tasted the Red Noble which is made from Southern Muscadine red grapes. These grapes are high in reservatrol, a natural antioxidant. We noted aromas of cherry with hints of apple. It is recommended that this wine be served slightly chilled.The most unusual wine that we tasted was Conquistador. This really doesn’t look like wine; its amber color which is made from a combination of conquistador and liberty grapes makes it look more like a cordial. This award-winning wine is semi-sweet and somewhat spicy and would pair well with a variety of spicy foods. We purchased a bottle to take back to Arizona to share with our southwest friends.The olive oils, that Rosa carries, all imported from Italy, complement the wines. The rosemary olive oil caught the attention of Paul as he envisioned using it on a variety of foods; and we purchased a bottle to take back to Arizona.In addition to working in the tasting room, Rosa manages the tours and special events at the vineyard. The Pavilion which is situated in the vineyard can accommodate both small and large groups and includes a tour of the vineyard, Italian food, souvenir wine glass and a generous wine tasting. A visitor could easily imagine sitting with friends in a local Italian vineyard, enjoying conversation, good food and sampling wine.Quality winemaking begins in the vineyard and Antonio Fiorelli is well versed in the terroir of this region. Using his agricultural expertise, Antonio has partnered with Florida A & M University and the University of Florida to develop grape varietals that suit this Florida climate and soil. He is working with these educational institutions to find organic solutions to grape mold and infestation. And in the true spirit of an agribusiness, Antonio spends time in the local middle school classroom, teaching students how to grow grapes in Florida; Antonio’s vision and all of his hard work is clearly paying off. The wines that Rosa Fiorelli Winery produces are a testament to Rosa and Antonio’s dedication to be nothing less but the best in Florida wineries.
