Napa Flair Has A Surprise For Customers

After announcing that they were closing up shop, the local wine and gourmet shop is staying open.

LuAnn Shapiro, owner of Napa Flair has a suprise for everyone. The wine store and gourmet shop, located at 11967 Sheldon Road, is staying open another month. In an email to patrons of the shop, she says that the landlord has given them another month to finish liquidating their wines. We're not sure if that's meant to be a pun or not. The store opened two years ago. Schapiro, and her husband Ken, run the shop. Westchase Patch wrote about Schapiro's background, which includes certification as a wine professional by The Culinary Institute of America. Read "Sharing Knowledge Is Her Biggest Reward." To help with the liquidation process, the shop will be having wine tastings of Friday evenings. The schedule is sporadic, as the owners are headed …

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flipflop Bubbly: Holiday Sparkle in a Bottle

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

The "pop" of a champagne bottle is synonymous with the holiday season. There's no debate, champagne is delightful -- but if you're looking for something a little different to please the palate of your wine-lovin friends this season, I have found the perfect (sparkling) stocking stuffer. I reviewed another flipflop this summer (a Riesling) and I found that it was an outstanding wine at a great price point, which makes it ideal for entertaining. Just in time for the holidays, the winemaker has introduced their new line of Bubbly -- enter flipflop Bubbly Moscato. A carbonted sweet white wine, fliplop Bubbly Moscato is light-bodied and has flavors of peaches and pears and a lingering finish. It pairs well with smoky cheeses and spicy foods, or…

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Wine for Women, Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

To close out October and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our pick of the week is a wine called Cashmere from Cline Cellars vineyard. Says Napa Flair owner Luann Shapiro, "A silky blend of Mouvedre, Grenache, and Syrah, Cashmere has a velvety structure and mouthfeel with a great balance of ripe cherry, raspberry, and plum fruit flavors layered with intriguing spices and toast." When it comes to food pairings, Cashmere is a versatile red that serves well as an accompaniment to grilled salmon, pork roast or duck. Cline Cellars is a supporter of Living Beyond Breast Cancer.  LBBC empowers women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life.  Over the years, this organization has contributed more …

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New Wine & Karaoke Amp Up Catch 23's Ladies Night

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

What's the Buzz: There is a new wine in the Wine Lovers' Wednesday lineup at Catch Twenty-Three: Wente Chardonnay. This vino joins the others: Hob Nob Pinot Noir, Fini Pinot Grigio and Kunde Cabernet on the list wines that are available every Wednesday, all-you-can-drink for $15. Also new this month -- karaoke is now offered at Ladies' Night. Time to get your groove on and sing your favorite tunes with girlfriends. Prone to stage fright? Maybe a glass of Wente will help! About the Wine:  Wente Chardonnay offers fresh apricot flavor with just a bit of acidity. This wine combines tropical elements like pineapple and orange flower with a great balanced oak structure. Well-rounded with a medium body and a long finish, it's a classic California…

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Volere: Wine in a Handbag?!

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

For the wine-loving fashionista, here's a new accessory to toast to: Volére. It's a wine that comes in the shape of a handbag, complete with a carrying strap. This fun and unique beverage can be found at Napa Flair for $16.99.  The wine producer is Cantina di Soave from Italy’s Veneto region and each purse holds 1.5 liters (two bottles worth) of boxed wine. Napa Flair owner LuAnn Shapiro says, "This is a good wine and I think it's perfect to bring along for a day of boating or a picnic." Reasons we love Volére: Curently Volére comes in three varietals: 1) Pinot Grigio: This has crisp flavors of apple and white pear that lead to a long, elegant finish.  2) Merlot/Pinot Noir: This blend is a combination of red fruits, cherries, strawberries…

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Toasting To the RNC: Petite Petit Packs a Punch

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

With the Republican National Convention just around the corner, Tampa is in a frenzy of excitement.  In just a couple of weeks, thousands of politicos will descend on "Cigar City" for what will not only be an historic event for our city, but one that will stimulate our local economy -- which is good news, no matter who you plan to vote for. The elephant has long been the symbol of the Republican Party. In 1874, when politcal cartoonist Thomas Nast illustrated the group as an elephant in an issue of Harper's Bazaar, the symbol somehow stuck and is still used today. So this week in honor of the RNC, we headed to Napa Flair to highlight a wine with some acrobatic elephants on the label: Petite Petit. "Petite Petit is a blend of Petite Sirah …

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Naked Good: Wine Process Exposes True Pinot Grigio Flavor

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" helps you kick off your weekend, highlighting either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

  This week we return to our roots and choose a Westchase Wine of the Week. Simply Naked Pinot Grigio, which you can find at The Village Market for less than $10 a bottle. Naked...wine? This one is named as such due to the fact that it is unoaked, and instead aged in stainless steel barrels -- leaving the true characteristics of the grapes "exposed" for you to enjoy. Winemakers that choose to age wine in stainless steel vs. oak must use a higher quality grape. Pinot Grigio Fun Facts: Food pairings: Due to its acidity, you should avoid pairing Pinot Grigio with tomato sauce or citrus-infused dishes. Instead, pair pinot grigio with cheeses,  summer salads, shellfish and light pastas (with sauces other than tomato sauce.) The Village Market …

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Small Grapes, Bold Flavor: Gnarly Head Chardonnay

Each week "Cheers, Westchase!" brings you a different selection to clink your glasses to. Every selection will be either a beer, cocktail or wine you can find right here in the neighborhood.

Gnarly Head Chardonnay comes to us from Lodi, Ca., in the northern part of California's Central Valley.  You can find this bottle of white at The Village Market, located in West Park Plaza. The wine is named after the sea of gnarled, older vines on which the grapes are grown. They produce fewer grape clusters with smaller berries, but the color is bright and and the flavor packs a punch. Fresh and vibrant, this is not an oaky chardonnay, but one that is fruit forward. You'll notice flavor notes of melon, pineapple and pear. Each Friday night from 7-9 p.m., The Village Market holds complimetary wine tastings.  "We introduced this wine to customer's at last Friday's tasting," says owner Tracy Herring, "and many of us really liked it. At $9.…

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Village Market and West Park Bagel and Deli Merge

Village Market and West Park Bagel and Deli join to form The Village Market Deli and Bagel Shop.

It’s a double marriage of sorts. Marc Rose is leaving a 25-year career as a seafood wholesaler and dedicating all his time and effort to his new venture, the union of West Park Bagel and Deli and The Village Market. On Feb. 1, Rose took ownership of both businesses which are located side-by-side at 10112 Montague St. He combined the name, dubbing it The Village Market Deli and Bagel Shop. Rose then knocked out a wall so that customers can easily look for a quality bottle of wine or a carton of eggs in the market area while waiting for a bagel. By combining the two businesses, Village Market Deli and Bagel Shop’s space doubled from 1,200 square-foot facility to about 2,500 square feet. “I’ve always loved this community,” Rose said. “This is…

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Westchase Wine of the Week: September 1

Each Thursday we bring you a Westchase wine proprieter's Pick of the Week. Every selection will be a bottle you can find right here in the neighborhood for under $25.

This week's pick: Chateau D'Eclans Whispering Angel 2010 Where can I find it in Westchase? Napa Flair Wine Store & Boutique, our neighborhood purveyor of not only wine, but also gourmet foods and wine-related home decor. Visitors can find bottles for every budget here, ranging from $7.99 to fine, rare vintages.  Owner LuAnn Shapiro is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, Ca. who brings to Westchase her lifelong passion for wine. Varietal: Rose Price: $18 Description & Flavor Notes:  The label reads "Whispering Angels...if you drink this wine, you may hear them."  Made in the Provence region of France, this wine is unique primarily because it is a completely dry rose with no hint of sweetness.  Fresh and fruity, …

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