contents What is Wine & Tapas Week? The event you can’t miss on April 21-30, 2017.
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Wine & Tapas Week Restaurant line up for Wine & Tapas Week.
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MSmashingly Events Charlotte's New Event Planning Service Where’s the Wine? Wine shops and bars in Charlotte. Chocolate & Wine The perfect pairing of the two for your Valentine this year.
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Chef Spot Light
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Three savory dishes and wines you must try.
Meet Chef Oscar.
Miro Wine & Tapas Perfect Pairings
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More Wine, Please! The 8 wine gadgets every connoisseur needs from our friends at Total Wine!
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NC Divine Wine! Rundown of some of NC's vineyards.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2 017
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WHAT IS Wine and Tapas are like good friends who, even though they have not seen each other for a long time, every time they get together, have a million things to talk about, to laugh about and to enjoy together.
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hey become this perfect combination of aromas and flavors that not only delights your senses, but also enhances the culinary experience.
The relationship between wine and tapas is one of the best. And there is no better place to experience this relationship than in a restaurant with several light hearted styles that – just like red and white wine – have many similarities and differences between them. The social act of having a meal with good company, and sharing an unforgettable experience is what forms part of the Charlotte Wine & Tapas Week. Charlotte’s finest restaurants are joining together to bring you a wine and tapas experience you (and your
tastebuds) will never forget. Starting April 21st through the 30th, we invite you to take a tour of the world, right here in Charlotte. Visit any of the participating locations to enjoy a pre-selected menu of perfectly paired wine and tapas. You will be able to tour your way through Italy’s wine one night, Spain’s flavorful food and bold wines another and then taste your way through Bordeaux’s wines the next. For more information about the Charlotte Wine & Tapas Week and to find out which of Charlotte’s finest restaurants will be taking you on a tour of the world through wine and tapas, please visit us at www.charlottewineandtapasweek.com.
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To Learn More: SmashingLyEvents.com SMASHINGLY TAKING OVER CLT They are now taking their years of experience planning corporate events on Wall Street and directing it toward event planning for corporate companies such as PNC Bank and The Edison Electric Institute [based in Washington, D.C., they represent every electric utility company in the country on policy in Washington] and they plan the Players ParTEE every year [PGA players event around the Wells Fargo Championship]. They travel all over the country putting on events and they make each event reflect what the client would like to accomplish through the mirror of their event.
Charitable Events are also a large part of what Smashingly
Events is all about. Faith and Tim have given their time and energy to several local charities such as Toys for Our Troops, an early Christmas event for military families, The Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina’s annual Wine, Women and Shoes event, and Lydia’s Legacy fight for women with gynecologic cancer and their annual golf outing. Faith said, “We are so blessed to now have the time to spend helping charities host and plan effective events.
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Corporate events, non-profit galas and social and glamorous parties – That is Smashingly Events passion. Power couple and former Wall Street power players, Faith Klaus and Tim Schaefer started Smashingly Events a few years ago, and since then, they have been turning the event planning market in Charlotte and beyond on it’s axis. Tim and Faith both had prominent careers on Wall Street for over 20 years. They left a few years ago to pursue their true passion – event planning. Wine & Tapas Magazine was curious how one of Charlotte’s favorite power couples decided to go from the corporate hustle and bustle of Wall Street to event planning. Faith let us in on the motivation to start Smashingly Events. “Tim and I have been planning beautifully orchestrated, fun, classic and unique events for our clients over our entire career. We did not have an event planner to help us for most of our career on Wall Street. So, on top of our corporate careers, we planned on average 20+ events per year each for our top clients. Each event was unique, fun and off-the-charts.”
We were curious if they had any tips for us for event planning. Tim said, “Every event is defined by the entertainment, food and drink. If you have fabulous entertainment that reflects your audience, and food that not only reflects the theme, but tastes great, you are well on your way to having an awesome event.” Faith said, “If you know your client, and you listen carefully, you should have a pretty good idea about what they want. If you are able to give the client what they want, within their budget and an event that is organized and beautiful, you are going to make them happy. We always pair entertainment, food and the décor with the theme. Go all the way with a theme. We recently planned some wonderful events around the Vintage Carnival Theme, The Rat Pack is Back and the Arabian Nights Theme. All were really successful because we took the theme all the way through the event. Organization is key for all events. We specialize in putting together a detailed run of show which takes our vendors from A to Z for the event. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.””
We look forward to seeing what fabulous events this team puts together in 2017.
JAN 20 17
Every Event is Smashing! Smashingly Events is Rocking the Event Planning World
Event planning is something they are passionate about. Faith said that, “No matter how large or how small, the level of dedication that we will provide for your event is unprecedented. We will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that you have the event that you imagined and that your clients are talking about this for years to come. We strive to bring a level of creativity to every event to make every gala, party or corporate gathering special and unique.”
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Hello, we are
WINE LOCATOR
WHERE’S THE WINE? Gearing up for the holidays or maybe just in need of a great glass of wine? There are more specialty wine shops around you than you would think! We’re sharing our favorite wine shops with you because we don’t want you to go through life wondering, ”Where’s the wine?”
ASSORTED TABLE WINE SHOPPE 224 E 7th St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.277.3234 AssortedTableWine.com BOND STREET WINES 605 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28207 704.521.1353 BondStreetWines.com FOXCROFT WINE CO. Kenilworth Commons, 1235 East Blvd., S1, Charlotte, NC 28203 704.602.2133 FoxCroftWine.com FOXCROFT WINE CO. Foxcroft East Shopping Center, 7824 Fairview Rd., Charlotte, NC 28226 704.365.6550 PETIT PHILIPPE Tranquil Court, 2820 Selwyn Ave., S160, Charlotte, NC 28209 704.332.9910 PetitPhilippe.com
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PRP WINE INTL. 2220 Hawkins St., Charlotte, NC 28203 704.344.6499 PRPWine.com TOTAL WINE AND MORE 1600 E Woodlawn Rd., Charlotte, NC 28209 704.295.9292 TotalWine.com TOTAL WINE AND MORE Grande Promenade, 440 E. McCullough Dr., Ste. A-100, Charlotte, NC 28262 704.714.1040 TotalWine.com
VINTNER WINE MARKET 8128 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28277 704.543.9909 VintnerWineMarketNC.com WINE SHOP 911 E Morehead St., S400 Charlotte, NC 28204 980.430.5554 TheWineShop.net WINE SHOP AT RIVERGATE 14142 Rivergate Pkwy., Charlotte, NC 28273 704.831.9000 TheWineShopAtRivergate.com WINE STORE SOUTHPARK 720 Gov Morrison St., S150, Charlotte, NC 28211 704.442.4024 WineStore-Online.com
Wine Bars BACCHUS WINE AND TAPAS 138 Village View Dr., Mooresville, NC 28117 704.997.2851 BacchusLKN.com THE CABIN 400 N Harbor Place Dr., Davidson, NC 28036 704.237.3629 CABO WINERY 37 Union St., Concord, NC 28025 704.785.9463 CaboWine.com THE CORK AND CASK 9624 Bailey Rd., Cornelius, NC 28031 704.765.5490 TheCorkAndCaskNC.com CORKBUZZ 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Charlotte, NC 28210 704.625.1328 CorkBuzz.com
FOXCROFT WINE CO. Kenilworth Commons 1235 East Blvd., S1, Charlotte, NC 28203 704.602.2133 FoxCroftWine.com FOXCROFT WINE CO. Foxcroft East Shopping Center 7824 Fairview Rd., Charlotte, NC 28226 704.365.6550 THE GALLERY 1320 S Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 980.299.1968 TheGallerySouthEnd.com GRAPE VINE 1012 Market St., Fort Mill, SC 29708 803.802.9989 MyGrapevineOnline.com GRAPES WINE BAR 10530 Northeast Pkwy., Matthews 28105 704.845.0524 GrapesWineBar.net J SAM’S WINE BAR 4625 Piedmont Row Dr., Charlotte, NC 28210 980.406.3761 JSamsPlace.com MARTY’S WINE BAR 23 Union St N., Concord, NC 28025 704.788.9925 M’S WINE AND BEER BAR 19712 One Norman Blvd., Cornelius, NC 28031 980.689.5081 MsOldWineNewSpirits.com POPLAR STREET TAPAS CAFÉ AND WINE BAR 224 W 10th St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.940.5757 PoplarStreetCafeBar.com SYDNEY’S MARTINI AND WINE BAR 401 N Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.503.9060 SydneysMartiniAndWineBar.com
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ARTHUR’S WINE SHOP in Belk at Southpark 4400 Sharon Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211 704.366.8610 ArthursWineShop.com
VIN MASTER 2000 South Blvd., S610, Charlotte, NC 28203 704.307.5565 TheVinMaster.com
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Wine Stores
WINE LOCATOR
VIN MASTER Atherton Mill 2000 South Blvd., S610, Charlotte, NC 28203 704.307.5565 TheVinMaster.com
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WOODEN VINE WINE BAR AND BISTRO 231 N Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.376.8463 TheWoodenVine.com
Cons id meal er the plann you’re selec ing when ting a win e.
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VINTAGE WINE LOUNGE 317 S Church St., Charlotte, NC 28202 704.332.3273
THE WINE LOFT 2201 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203 704.919.0222 WineLoftofCharlotte.com
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PERFECT PAIRINGS Uncover a wonderful Spanish restaurant experience in South Charlotte, Miro Spanish Grille brings the vibrant flavors and ingredients of Spain into the culinary spotlight, combining the bold taste of classic Spanish cuisine with timeless European Modern cooking techniques.
Pulpo Gallego Grilled octopus with olive oil and paprika PAIRED WITH Amarte Mas Albarino from Spain.
Empanadas Traditional Spanish turnovers filled with seasoned beef. Cruz De Alba Ribera Del Duero, from Spain. PAIRED WITH
Croquetas De Jamon
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We know you don’t want to wait until April for Charlotte Wine & Tapas Week to enjoy perfectly paired wine and tapas, so come into Miro Spanish Grill, located at 12239 Community House Rd Charlotte, North Carolina, and enjoy these three pairings!
JAN 20 17
Spanish ham croquettes. PAIRED WITH Route 152 Pinot Noir from the Central Coast.
More Wine, Please!
We are totally in love with and Total Wine is, too! If you are looking for the perfect Valentine’s gift for the wine connoisseur in your life, look no further. Corkatoo Corkscrew $9.99
These uniquely playful corkscrews are designed with soft handles, a double-hinge design and serrated foil cutter to make bottle opening effortless and fun!
Electric Blue Wine Hub Set $54.99
Ultra-sleek electric opener and preserver is this year's hottest gift for the wine lover. State of the art for the bar, its presented as a set for the very first time.
Host Freeze Cooling Wine Glasses $24.99
No need to preplan by chilling your wine or drink beforehand. Perfect for all wines! Take the worry out of entertaining with these versatile and reusable glasses.
Sphere Ice Molds 2 Pack $10.99
Cold with class and style. This large spherical ice ball is sure to add elegance to a glass of whiskey, or any cocktail that could use that special twist. The slow melt keeps your drink from becoming diluted too quickly.
Coravin Model One $199.95
Featuring a soft touch grip and premium Coravin Capsules, the Coravin Model One Wine System lets you pour wine effortlessly without removing the cork.
No buttons to push, no on and off switch. Just simply use the built in foil cutter to remove the foil, place the corkscrew over the cork and let the Electric Auto Rabbit do the rest!
Vacu Vin Winesaver $9.99
VinGardeValise $199.99
This durable carrier will hold up to twelve 750ml bottles, and weighs less than 43 pounds when fully packed. Features 4 spinner wheels for easy handling. Conforms to all applicable TSA, FAA, and airline luggage standards. The VinGarde Valise - the safest way to travel with your wine!
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This little gadget preserves your wine after opening. Open as many bottles of wine as you like, and keep the contents fresher for longer with the Vacu Vin Wine Saver.
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Electric Auto Rabbit Corkscrew Red $49.99
To Learn More: BurtonsGrill.com “We’ve always seen ourselves as a lifestyle brand. We are embedded into the fabric of a community, support local sports teams and evolve based on the needs of our customers in any given marketplace. That all being said, this is taking it to the next level. We believe a restaurant can be more than a place to dine. We can educate, entertain and be the gateway to other experiences,” said Denise Herrera, Vice President of Operations at Burtons Grill & Bar.
One restaurant group is kicking off a 2017 initiative to do just that. Burtons Grill & Bar which owns and operates 12 restaurants up and down the East Coast from New Hampshire to Florida is reimagining what the modern-day restaurant can be with a new 360° lifestyle approach that addresses six distinct pillars that were created as an opportunity to become even more engaged with its customers. These pillars include: Culture, Community, Family, Culinary, Education and Health & Fitness. Each pillar represents what Burtons defines as a lifestyle brand.
From the theoretical, to practice whatever Burtons Grill & Bar is doing, it’s working. The restaurant group continues to grow aggressively with a projected 58% growth in the next two years and numerous partnerships with several brands and organizations to move this innovative vision forward.
JAN 20 17
The common accepted belief is that restaurants as we know them today evolved from the vacuum created in post-revolutionary France when chefs employed by the aristocracy found themselves unemployed and a new egalitarian eating experience was born. But the true roots of the “restaurant,” or at least the restaurant experience dates much further back. It is safe to assume that the communal eating and drinking experience, with someone providing and others receiving for barter or otherwise, can be construed as a restaurant minus a host stand and formalized menu. The basic need of the communal eating is at the heart of the primal human experience. If we accept this definition, then we need to look at what else was provided in these first restaurants. Beyond sustenance, they included the sharing of news, the celebration of achievements, the mourning of losses and the sharing of new ideas for the betterment of the group. For the modern-day restaurant to take on these responsibilities for the good of the community would be too much to ask. Or would it?
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Redefining the Meaning of the Modern-Day Restaurant Burtons Grill & Bar Grows Restaurant Concept with Innovative New 360°Lifestyle Approach
As part of Burtons new and innovative approach, guests of the restaurants can look forward to health and wellness classes and exclusive tastings and other experiences. This shouldn’t be seen as a stretch from a restaurant that already has one of the most innovative and longstanding approaches to the restaurant experience when it comes to menu accommodations providing gluten free, vegetarian and even paleo menus, as well as employing a “call a head steak cutting program” allotting their customers to customize any one of their marbled cuts of Black Angus beef to their liking. Kevin Harron, Chief Executive Officer of Burtons Grill Restaurant Group LLC which owns and operates Burtons Grill & Bar and Red Heat Tavern has more than 30 years in the restaurant industry. “I don’t think we have a utopian vision as a business that we can be everything to everyone, but as a. restaurant we can become the gateway to so many things for our customers. Why wouldn’t you ask your sommelier where to visit in wine country? What if she or he could help facilitate? Why not learn about the newest food trend in Europe at your neighborhood restaurant, or learn about nutrition and how to compliment your fitness goals in a familiar space? Many of these theoretical propositions will be put into play in 2017. The idea being the restaurant is the modern-day town hall in each community and that comes with distinct responsibilities. To me, seeing these as responsibilities and not just amenities, is where we are innovative in our approach,” said Harron.
1601 E Woodlawn Rd A | 980-299-0999 | BurtonsGrill.com
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NC WINERY
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WINE 2017!
There is nothing quite like discovering a good wine that is from your very own backyard, well practically. North Carolina offers very unique grapes, from muscadine to vinifera, you’re sure to find your favorites. So, take a tour with us to vineyards near Charlotte!
Childress Vineyards
1000 Childress Vineyards Rd, Lexington, NC 27295 Childress Vineyards features 72 acres of vineyards and 11 varieties of European vitis vinifera cultivars at two vineyards sites: Richard’s Hampton Road Estate in Davidson County and Vineyard Crossing at the winery site.
Daveste Vineyards
155 Lytton Farm Rd, Troutman, NC 28166 A modern, three-level bard was constructed on site to include a small winery. With all their efforts, they had their first harvest in 2006 which produced 500 cases of wine. Before opening the doors to their tasting room in 2008, they doubled production of their 2007 harvest from the year before.
Rocky River Vineyards 11685 Reed Mine Rd, Midland, NC 28107
Their 45 acres are snuggled into the gently rolling hills of eastern Cabarrus County, with Big Meadow creek flowing through the property toward Rocky River, which is how the name was born. Rocky River Vineyards wine ranges in flavor from a sweet, red or white muscadine wine to classic, dry varietals such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Merlot blend, among others.
Dennis Vineyards Winery 24043 Endy Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001 Nestled in their own quaint little corner of North Carolina wine country, Dennis Vineyards is located in the small little town of Albemarle, just a short 40 minute drive from Charlotte. Specializing in the native grape of the South, the muscadine, the Dennis' grow over ten different varieties of this unique and flavorful grape produces over 30 different wines for enjoyment of wine lovers.
JAN 2 017
Old Stone Winery 6245 US-52, Salisbury, NC 28146 The 130 acre estate currently has over 20 acres of Muscadine grapes planted in the vineyard. In addition to the Muscadines, Old Stone sources wine grapes as locally as possible, with many coming out of Rowan County. While many of their wines have won awards, several stand out.
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With a partner that looks ahead,
you can bring your best to the table
The food scene is ever-changing: seasonal flavors, evolving cuisines, and generational dining preferences. This challenges restaurants to keep pace with fresh ideas and appetizing innovations. So we’re strengthening our commitment to the Carolinas. We’ve expanded our presence with a larger team, new value-added services, and a dedicated distribution center. With new capabilities founded on quality and partnership, we’ll help you pursue exciting possibilities for your business and customers.
Connect with us and learn more at gfs.com/NC
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