March Wining And Dining Events In SWFL

I am often asked where the next wine dinner or wine events are in the Naples and Fort Myers areas. So, I've put together this new monthly calendar to help. Scroll down to find some great March wining and dining events in SWFL.

Remember this is a work in progress. Some establishments are still finalizing plans for the month so check back periodically. I'll be updating the list as more things are added to the calendar. If you see something that sparks your interest RSVP as soon as possible. Most of these have limited seating and often sell out.

In the meantime, if you can't make any these events but want to do try something fun at home, here are five wine and food pairings to inspire you to create your own March wining and dining events in SWFL. Invite a few friends over, try some new recipes and new wines to compliment them.

This is a geeky wine. I brought it to a planning meeting with some chefs and foodies who loved discovering it. It's a Riesling from the Buttonwood Grove Winery in New York's Finger Lakes region. But don't be so quick to judge it by the appearance, or the grape.

It's on the dry side of "off dry." The cloudy appearance is due to being fermented in the bottle and not filtered. The flavors are tropical like citrus and pineapple, with a hint of almond. We enjoyed it with pizza topped with ham, sausage, and hot honey. $19.99

This is another sparkling wine from the Finger Lakes. However, unlike the pet-nat riesling above, this one from Boundary Breaks Vineyard sweeter, but not cloyingly so. It is new the winery's line up.

There are hints of juicy peaches and nectarines. A little almond too. With light effervescence, it's good for sipping by the pool. I prefer it with spicy food. We tried it with some Thai food that had a good amount of heat. The wine balanced it. $16.95

Moving on to some reds but staying on the east coast. This wine is made in North Carolina at the famous Biltmore Estates and is a limited release.

With dark blue and black fruits on the palate, it also had some herbs and a little cocoa. It had a nice perfurne even though it had a brambly and rustic feel. We tried it with grilled chicken, but I would've preferred pork. $28

Russia Superiore is another unusual wine. You might not expect a 100% Cabernet Franc from Italy. However, it's the second most planted variety in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. This vineyard nestled on the border with Slovenia is known for it's prized, older vine cab franc.

I'm not sure I've ever called a cab franc fun and flirty but that is the feel I got from this. It has a lively and complex mouthfeel, balanced tannins, with red fruit and some black berry. It's versatile and goes with everything from grilled meats to cheee boards. $35

I've been on an Italian wine kick lately, so one more. This is also from the northern part of the country and it is a Bordeaux-style wine. Terre Di San Leonardo is 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% carmenere and 10% merlot.

It's an entry level bottling from this winery. Fresh and elegant it smells liked a stewed fruit perfume. The palate is a basket of baked cherry, prune, and plum, with a black berry finish. The acid is nice making it good with my breaded veal chop and ravioli in pomodoro sauce. $25

There are two Old Vines, one is a restaurant and wine bar in Mercato in North Naples. In addition, there is Old Vines Supper Club is on Davis Blvd near downtown. Make sure you arrive at the correct spot for these events. Reservations required. More info here   

This retailer is one of the premiere spots in Naples and Southwest Florida to learn about wine. They also have a restaurant on site to make dinners easy. The calendar will likely continue to book up. As of now, here is what to RSVP for in March. More info here.

Vichino's is in a small strip mall along U.S.41 in Bonita Springs, Bonita Commons. The coffee bar also has a nice selection of wine and calendar full of events. Some of those events involve wine and sunset wine cruises. At press time all of the scheduled March events had already sold out. More info here.

This small cheese shop in Fort Myers has an eclectic wine selection too. They have numerous tasting events and seminars, many of which are sit down. You can pre-order cheese trays for events. Reservations required.  More info here.