Cerulean Park in WaterColor was filled with happy festival goers enjoying the gorgeous fall day.

He and She have been fortunate to attend many a wine festival. Cerulean Park in WaterColor, Florida, might be the most beautiful venue yet. Perhaps the spectacular crisp fall weather played a part, maybe it was how organized and well-managed the event was, or it could have been all the sumptuous wine and food tents (60 tents laid out around the perimeter of Cerulean Park) - it was a wonderful experience!

No better way to spend a Saturday afternoon in October at the beach. (Photo courtesy of STM Photography)

The check-in tent for the Grand Tasting was large and well-staffed by friendly volunteers with no wait to pick up our canvas goodie bag and full-size Riedel crystal stem glass.

We got off on the right foot by bumping into our Wine World friends at the second tent, representing Kysela Pere et Fils wine importers. We tasted the flavorful 2017 Mas Redonne Bandol Rosé from Provence, France ($29.99), the rich 2015 Chakana Estate Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina ($22.99), and the versatile 2017 Hugl Grüner Veltliner from Weinviertel, Austria ($14.99) which He and She were first introduced to at Eva’s in Salt Lake City. Click here for that story. We are very happy to know we can pick those wines up any day of the week at Wine World.

Glasses in hand - Here we go! (Photo courtesy of STM Photography)

The Grand Tasting began at 1:00 pm and we arrived hungry. We found plenty of tasting stations highlighting harvest season in this beach region. Seafood lover options included Brotula’s Seafood House, Jackacudas Seafood and Sushi, and Slick Lips Seafood and Oyster House. The delicious smokey smells emanating from barbecue favorites Fox Brothers Bar-B-Q and Back Beach Barbecue beckoned festival goers to taste their fare. Back Beach brought their slow-cooking “A” game with a delicious harvest-inspired smoked chicken stew and a buffalo barbecue chicken dip. We may have convinced Pitmaster Shane Kirkland to add his chicken stew to their fall menu!

We were greeted at the entrance of the VIP tent with a Wycliff Brut California Champagne and Monin Lavender Syrup cocktail created at the Henderson Beach Resort’s Salamander Spa. You can order the Lavender Syrup by clicking here.

He and She’s Tip: It only takes a few drops of lavender syrup to get a complex and flavorful treat.

The VIP Tent was welcoming with Lavender Champagne Cocktails (Left photo courtesy of STM Photography)

In the VIP Tent, Restaurant Paradis of Rosemary Beach, did not disappoint with a tasty fall lamb stew, and Oysters XO roamed the crowd offering fresh oysters - the ultimate mis en place raw bar.

Paradis served up a harvest stew and Oysters XO shucked up oysters in the VIP Tent. (Left photo courtesy of STM Photography)

He and She’s favorite new discovery was Jean-Noël Fourmeaux and VGS Chateau Potelle. (In your best French accent say “this is Very Good Shit” to quote Jean-Noël) Check back soon for the full story.

Our new friend, Jean-Noël Fourmeaux du Sartel, owner of VGS Chateau Potelle in Napa Valley

We weren’t expecting to be car shopping at the wine festival, but we were drawn to this beauty. He and She both are hoping Santa Claus will bring us a new Porsche Cayenne S.

“Imagine how many cases of wine we could fit in the back!” exclaimed She to He. (Photo courtesy of STM Photography)

He and She only wish that the Grand Tasting continued another couple hours so that we could have made it all the way around the park and tasted all 250 plus world-class wines!

And then there was the silent auction going on all weekend, offering so many interesting, rare, and unique items on which to bid. Our friends who were unable to attend the festival were able to raise virtual paddles via Give Smart, a slick mobile bidding platform. Because Hurricane Michael devastated neighboring counties just to the east, funds raised with the virtual paddles supported the Florida Disaster Relief Fund.

Kudos to the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) on a successful Harvest Wine & Food Festival. The Foundation is currently ranked the third “Top Charity Wine Auction in the US” by Wine Spectator Magazine. Their events raise much-needed money for sixteen children’s charities in Northwest Florida. While the final numbers are still being tallied, this festival raised more than $100,000! Since its founding in 2005, the organization has donated more than $15 million to Northwest Florida charities, by hosting world-class wine and culinary events like this festival.

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