seeing red wine festival

November 13, 2022

Seeing Red Wine Festival: Come for the wine, stay for the bites

Seaside’s wine weekend marks 30th year

By Michelle Farnham
Nov. 12, 2022

SEASIDE – The 30th annual Seeing Red Wine Festival returned after a two-year hiatus, and this year’s culinary offerings – a lineup of 16 Seaside-area vendors – matched the 21 tables worth of wine in their splendor.

Jim Shirley properties The Meltdown on 30A and The Chicken Shack served brie and bacon grilled cheese, and sweet tea brined fried chicken, respectively; while Airstream Row resident Mr. Gyro Hero offered gyro bites, baklava and hummus. Seaside Farmer’s Market mainstay Derryck’s Pastries plated a six-item taster of South Asian delights and Amavida kept the crowd running with coffee and chocolates.

Derryck's Pastries — In addition to savory bites, Derryck’s Pastries had baklava.

Ashley Beecher, co-owner of The Dawson Group, had two of her company’s five restaurants represented at the festival. Pickle’s Beachside Grill was offering loaded french fries with all the fixings, while at the Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs tent, Beecher served a Wagyu beef chili queso dog.

“Everyone has been saying it’s the best hot dog they’ve ever had! They want to know where to get it and it’s so easy because I can just point to our Airstream trailer,” Beecher joked. “This is so great to be a part of, and we always love to participate in anything Seaside puts on.”

The Green Stream offered guests a lime garlic avocado baguette.

Of course it wouldn’t be a wine festival without the wine, and with nearly 90 bottles to choose from, taste-testers had plenty to explore.

Brigid Babb was pouring the 2019 Project 18 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2017 RMS Blend for Lerner Project.

“This is our inaugural appearance at Seeing Red Wine and it’s wonderful,” Babb said. “We’ve had a great response to the wines and a really nice, intimate visit last night through the vintners dinner.”

Other winemakers included Priest Ranch, Arano, Baccio Divino Cellars and Tamber Bey Vineyards, to name just a few.

Friends Karen Peck, Sandy Taylor and Gary Howell came into town for the festival from Houston. Peck is a veteran attendee, but Taylor and Howell were really taken aback by their first Seaside soiree.

“Oh I love this!” Howell exclaimed. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done!”

He pointed to The Chicken Shack and Wild Bill’s as his top dining spots, while Taylor was impressed by the wines from Bricoleur Vineyards and Great Southern’s Grits A Ya Ya.

“If you twisted my arm, I may come back!” Taylor added with a laugh.

Karen Peck, Sandy Taylor and Gary Howell traveled from Houston.

The Seeing Red Wine Festival is a four-day annual event comprised of a Thursday evening Vintners Dinner at Bud & Alley’s, Friday’s Al Fresco Wine Tasting on the Lyceum Lawn, Saturday’s Grand Tasting and Sunday’s Celebration of Bubbles brunch.

August 7, 2020

Seeing Red Wine Festival canceled

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Aug. 7, 2020
Special to 30A Food and Wine

Following in the footsteps of many food and wine festivals this year, organizers of the Seeing Red Wine Festival announced they have canceled this year’s event, which had been slated for Nov. 12 to 15, 2020.

“After careful thought and discussion, we have made the tough decision to cancel this year’s Seaside Seeing Red Wine Festival,” the committee said in a statement Aug. 7. “Our goal each year is to make the event better than the last. With the uncertainty surrounding COVID and the ability to have large crowd gatherings, we knew it would not be possible to put on the level of quality festival you our guests come to expect.

“We hope that we can produce an unforgettable event in 2021. In the meantime, we hope everyone stays safe and healthy.”

This year’s event was to be the festival’s 30th annual, held in the Seaside neighborhood. For more information, visit www.seeingredwinefestival.com/contact-us

November 10, 2016

Seeing red…and white and rosé

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Seeing red … and white and rosé

Four-day charity wine festival offers a generous pour

By Michelle Farnham

SEASIDE – Vintners typically squeeze 600 to 800 grapes in every bottle of wine. Perhaps even more impressive, the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation managed to squeeze five events into four days of the 26th annual Seeing Red Wine Festival.

The Vintner’s Dinner kicked things off Nov. 3 at Bud & Alley’s Restaurant. The party moved to Seaside’s Lyceum Law for the Reserve Tasting Friday night, then the 26th annual Grand Tasting on Saturday. Things wrapped up Sunday with A Celebration of Bubbles at Great Southern Cafe and the Fall Walkabout and Charity Wine Auction.

During the sold-out featured event Saturday, Hess Collection Winery and Mercer Estates were the featured winemakers in the VIP tent.

Hess Collection founding winemaker Randle Johnson poured such favorites as the Chardonnay Shirttail Creek, the Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon and the Lion Tamer Red.

“I think we’ve hit every taste profile and every palate here,” Johnson said. “Some people like them big, some moderate, some lighter, but everybody likes to drink chardonnay by the pool!”

Mercer Estates General Manager Will Mercer poured the 2013 Cavalie Vineyard Block 93 Eagle & Plow. After losing a friend aboard United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, owner Rob Mercer and vineyard manager John Derrick created a charity wine using a symbolic 911 vines of Cabernet Sauvignon.

“That’s the best cab under this tent,” one guest told Mercer. “Seriously, if I had a blue ribbon, it would go to you.”

As the makers of 30A Wine, the vineyard has special ties to the area.

“This is a relatively new market to us that we’re trying to develop and get our brand out there and let everyone enjoy a little taste of Washington state. It’s been fantastic: great weather, a great place to be and friendly people,” Mercer said.

At the main event, blue umbrellas dotted the Seaside Amphitheater lawn, surrounded by 42 vendors’ booths. Local favorites like Seaside Wines, 30A Wines, McNeese Distributing and 30A Coastal Dunes were joined by vintners from far and wide. Bourbons, gins, whiskeys and even Amavida coffee were also available to mix things up.

Festival veteran Melvyn Kerly represented McNeese – makers of the Seaside Wine Project – whose selections included the 2015 Grenache Rosé, North Coast, and the 2014 Cuvée, Sonoma County.

“The crowds are excited,” he said of their offering. “This is the best festival around, and I was at the first one 26 years ago!”

To help balance out the ABVs, guests could sample fare from an assortment of 15 local restaurants. For those looking for something spicy to pair with their wine, the Song Airstream offered Thai red curry with beef brisket, and Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar did empanadas with smooth guacamole and red sauce. The Bay’s faux YaYa and The Shrimp Shack’s shrimp salad roll intrigued with seafood while Wild Olives Bistro displayed an impressive cheese and charcuterie table.

John Russell, president of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, had high praise for the volunteers, distributors, restaurants and the Seaside community.

“It might be the best one ever,” he said of the weekend. “We certainly have the best weather, the best wine and the best food we’ve ever had. The turnout is just amazing.”

The merriment continued Sunday as the Fall Walkabout and Charity Auction made its triumphant return to Seaside. Featuring a silent auction, wines, live music and food stations on the Lyceum Lawn, a portion of the day’s proceeds are earmarked for the Seaside Neighborhood School.

Next on the DCWAF events schedule is the Destin Charity Wine Auction and the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival, held April 28 to 30, 2017.

October 28, 2014

Win Tickets to Seeing Red Wine 2014

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Did you know that Fodor’s named the Seeing Red Wine Festival in Seaside Florida as one of its Top 10 “can’t miss fall wine festivals?”

This year, Seeing Red Wine is partnering with the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation to bring one of the areas top events to Seaside the weekend of November 6-9th.

The Grand Tasting on Saturday afternoon is currently sold out….but you can enter to win 2 tickets courtesy of 30afoodandwine.com. Just enter on Facebook and we will draw the winner the week of the event.

To purchase tickets to any of the other events during the Seeing Red Wine Weekend, please check out all the festivities here.

October 13, 2014

School of Thought

Alys Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Dune Allen, Grayton Beach, Gulf Place, Home Page Blog, Rosemary Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Seacrest, Seagrove, Seaside, Watercolor, Watercolor Wine World

Story by Sarah Murphy Robertson

They say fish is brain food, which is just what Chef Christopher Holbrook of Signature Catering of 30-A anticipates our new Gulf to Table events will ultimately serve up. When asked what these dinners will bring to 30A, he was quick to answer: “Education for the consumer. Our menus will highlight lesser-known fish; providing a platform for helping both local fishermen and our area’s ecosystem.”

Chef Christopher is excited for these private meals to provide one-on-one dialogues on fishing practices in our area. He is well-versed on the many factors driving the popularity of specific fish, and is ready to bring his knowledge to his diners’ culinary repertoires.

One of Chef Christopher's Signature dishes. — One of Chef Christopher’s Signature dishes.

His Gulf to Table menus will emphasize a balanced progression; keeping it fresh and straightforward. “To me, the fish is the star and so that will always be my first focus” promises the chef. While his career’s spanned decades and time zones, most recently he notes his role in encouraging healthy lifestyle choices. His clients are health conscious but also food-savvy. He strives to push his food’s creativity, while also keeping them fit.

And, what is fine dining without exquisite wine? All of the signature event meals will offer unique pairings personally fashioned by 30afoodandwine.com’s partner, Chan’s Wine World. Guests should expect the unexpected and be ready to find some new favorites.

Informing diners, supporting local fishermen, improving our ecosystem, eating healthily…all while enjoying mouthwatering dishes and wine? Sounds like a pretty smart move!

Gulf to Table Signature Events with Chef Christopher at the helm can be reserved through 30afoodandwine.com. The inaugural meal will be held Saturday November 8th. For tickets please call 850.687.3776 or email phil@ecconciergeservice.com.