Downtown hip meets Winter Park chic at Eola Wine Company's new location on Park Avenue in the heart of Winter Park. The menu at this wine shop and bar offers an impressive 85 wines by the glass and additional selections on the retail and reserve list. In addition to wine, Eola Wine Company features an impressive selection of draft and bottled beer to satisfy any fan of imports and microbrews.

When the company first opened the downtown location almost five years ago, Orlando wine lovers were introduced to the concept of wine flights. A "flight of wine" is several wine selections that share some type of commonality and are offered at a smaller (2 oz.) pour. A flight of wine is a great way to be introduced to new grape varietals, wine regions, wineries and vintages of familiar brands.

Scott Schrope, owner of Eola Wine Company, took a moment to explain his philosophy on wine: "I wanted to offer flights as a way to introduce new wines to people. There may be one or even two wines in the flight that you've tried before, but you are getting a third wine that you might not have tried otherwise." Scott also believes in keeping his menu fresh by rotating the wine list every eight months.

Before the wine list rotates and new flights are established, patrons are invited to sample and vote on their favorite wines for the special "Customer's Pick" flight. When I sampled the flight, it consisted of a Napa Sangiovese, a Barossa Valley Shiraz and a Sonoma Zinfandel. This flight offered three very different styles of reds, the common trait being that the wines received the most votes by Eola customers. Other popular flights include "Perfect Pinot Noir," n.b.c. (Nothing But Chardonnay)" and "A World of Bubbles," a selection of sparkling wines from various regions.

I also sampled the "Sweet Home California" flight, three offerings of big California reds. The Cain Cuvée, Napa Valley, stood out for me. This Cuvée is a blend of Merlot (46 percent), Cabernet Sauvignon (41 percent) and Cabernet Franc (13 percent). It is a wine you could enjoy fully on its own or along side one of the new appetizer/lite bite selections.

Eola Wine Company, Winter Park location, has gone gourmet in its appetizer/lite bite and lunch offerings by partnering with the popular K Restaurant of College Park. Customers now can opt for the adventurous with the BBQ Rabbit flatbread, Ceviche Creation or Beef Carpaccio selections. For something a bit tamer, try the Bruschetta or artesian cheese selection. I enjoyed the Eola Flatbread — the tomatoes were fresh and flavorful, which contrasted nicely with a sprinkling of zesty sun-dried tomatoes. The flatbread was light and crispy and complemented with medallions of melted fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh pesto and crisp watercress.

Eola Wine Company offers late dining options at both locations. The Winter Park location offers an expanded menu, which includes lunch. As the weather cools, be sure to stop in and dine al fresco... you may see me there.

Eola Wine Company locations:

Winter Park | 136 S. Park Ave. | 407-647-9103 | eolawinecompany.com
Monday - Wednesday, 4:00pm - 2:00am | Thursday - Sunday, 11:30am - 2:00am (lunch offered 11:30am - 4:00pm)

Downtown Orlando | 500 E. Central Blvd. | 407-481-9100 | Monday - Sunday, 4:00pm - 2:00am (Lunch not presently offered.)

-- Lis Wilk
Lis Wilk is the founder of Orlando Uncorked, a local wine tasting group for wine enthusiasts of all backgrounds. For more information on events, visit orlandouncorked.org.