Health & Fitness
A Witty Wine Exchange
Who can resist a food & wine pairing that reminds you of Starsky & Hutch and a motto of "If I wouldn't drink it, I won't make you."
One of the coolest wine spots is definitely the in Hyde Park Village. When the bistro opened in 1990, it was one of the first "wine bar" concepts in the area.
I have to admit, Wine Exchange is one of my favorite places to have a glass or two in South Tampa. So I knew right away the first local wine personalities I wanted to introduce you to is the very knowledgeable (and wise-cracking) Director of Wine Craig Dean.
Q: How did you begin loving wine?
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A: I remember my first bottle. Circa ’91, I shared a bottle of Jadot Beaujolais with my girlfriend. We drank it out of brass goblets that came in a velvet box. :-) We all gotta start somewhere! (BTW, I don’t count the Boone's Farm or stolen box wine during my teens!)
Q: What trends do you see with wines at Wine Exchange?
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A: Wine flight sales are up. People are trying new wines and loving them. People are looking for values, and they are finding them in unknown grapes from unknown places. People are informed by smart phone apps and know when they are getting hosed. That is why my motto has always been, “If I wouldn’t drink it, I won’t make you.”
Q: What is your goal with the wine list?
A: REPRESENT! That is the goal with the lists. As many varietals, regions, styles and price ranges as possible. I take personal offense if a customer asks for something I don’t offer or can’t find a suitable substitute. But, you can’t have it all. I often think we have too many wines (usually around inventory time), but yet I keep buying more. If a wine is working, it stays until it runs out or something better comes along. But usually every six weeks, I have to make several changes.
Q: How many by the glass (BTG) selections do you have?
A: Right now we have about 40 wines by the glass. I am featuring new wines and changing the wine flights frequently as well. All of our full and half glass pours are served in Schott Zwiesel glassware which always brings a smile to Tampa oenophiles. The wine flights are themed 2 oz. pours of three wines-- a sampler if you will. So, I like to make it easy for people to try new wines without the “full glass” commitment.
Q: Name a dish on the menu that you would pair each wine with and why.
A: Fresca salad & Laurenz Gruner Veltliner (think Simon & Garfunkel)
Honey BBQ pizza and Grande Cassagne dry Rosé (think Starsky & Hutch)
Blackened Filet and Chave Mon Couer Syrah (think Ali & Foreman)
Lime Tequila Shrimp & Scallops with the Norton Torrontes (think Dezi & Lucille)
Q: What is your favorite thing to eat at Wine Exchange?
A: Having eaten there five times a week for the last 16 years, I try to mix it up and not fall into a rut. I always want to try the features (Cod, lamb, duck, Hawaiian Poke), but my fall back options are the Fresca salad with salmon and the Jerk salmon with Jamaican banana butter served with either a dry Rosé or dry Riesling.
Q: What cool things are coming up at Wine Exchange?
A: Frog’s Leap Brunch on October 2 with Owner John Williams. We're finalizing details. Other than that, just more of the awesome sameness. If it ain’t broke, just tweak it!
