We came. We swirled. We ate. We talked wine and we swirled more wine and we ate some more. (And then some more and some more.) And between seven-courses and three hours, we made 25 new friends and saw 5 old friends. It was yet another successful, wonderful Swirl Up at The Bistro Thursday night. Please check out our photo gallery online here!

I know, I know. Every time we have a Swirl-Up we say this one promises to be better than the last. Well, when a restaurant owner and a wine distributor tell you they intend to make their hosted Swirl-Up together the best one yet, you feel pretty confident passing along that sentiment.

The Swirl-Up will take place in a private room at The Bistro. (Libby Volgyes/The Palm Beach Post)

Declan Hoctor, of The Bistro in Jupiter, and Michael Aitken, of W.J. Deutsch & Sons wine merchants, would be said guilty party, so what a party this should be!

Join the Swirl Girls for specially chosen wines and special dishes at The Bistro on Thursday, July 28, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. As always, be sure to have your credit card in hand when you call to reserve your spot, because our lively events sell out quick! Tickets are $50 each, with $10 of that cost going to a local charity. Call the restaurant at 561-744-5054.

With only 30 seats available, you won’t want to miss out on this enticing menu: Read the full story

As usual, our Swirl Up included lovely wine, great food, and lots of fun! Last night’s event at Russell’s Blue Water Grill brought together a big group of wine lovers from around Palm Beach County.

Partners Chef Charles Coe and Russell Beverstein helped us host a wonderful event. Coe went all out in the kitchen, preparing our group some delicious bites from his menu. Paired with his tasty creations were seven wines that ranged from an off-dry Argentine torrontes to a big, bold blend of syrah, petite sirah and grenache. My personal favorite of the evening was the 2007 David Bruce Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley, a heavenly pairing with Coe’s Muscovy duck rolls with Asian slaw and a Chinese BBQ drizzle!

Thanks to all of our wonderful guests for making the night so enjoyable. We look forward to seeing you at the next Swirl Up in July!

Click here to see photos from this event

Cheers! ~ The Swirl Girls

Just when you thought the summer months were getting a little slow — without the usual whirlwind of food and wine festivals — the Swirl Girls are excited to present our next Swirl-Up on Tuesday, June 21 at Russell’s Blue Water Grill, in Palm Beach Gardens, from 7 to 9 p.m.

The interior at Russell's Blue Water Grill in Palm Beach Gardens. (Libby Volgyes/The Palm Beach Post)

Hosted at one of my favorite restaurants, we bring you the culinary creations of Chef Charles Coe and six amazing wines, hand-selected by the Swirl Girls. The night will start with a little amuse-bouche as the guests get settled. Then, the fun starts.

We’ll start the night with a 2009 La Chiara Gavi, a light-bodied, dry, Old World Italian wine that’s crisp, with aromas of orange and tangerine to put us in the swirling mood. Next is the 2008 Bodega Tamari Torrontes Riserva, an Argentinian wine that smells delightfully of flowers. This has tropical fruits on a clean, soft palate. These two wines are paired with a calamari salad with carrot miso dressing.
Read the full story

UPDATE: This is now sold out. Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets!

Too many months have passed since we’ve had one of our rowdy, fun-filled wine tastings that allow our readers to learn about and sample new wines in a relaxed and decidedly non-snooty environment. So we’re so excited to tell you about our next Swirl-Up.

Come join us on Tuesday at Casa Mia in Jupiter as we explore Italian wine and authentic Italian fare. But this isn’t your regular pinot grigio and Chianti tasting. We’ll bring you a selection of alternative Italian wines, some that you’ve probably never even heard of.

We’ll be sitting out on the patio, enjoying the last of winter’s gorgeous weather. Casa Mia will serve a variety of yummies, including sautéed calamari on a bed of arugula, assorted pizzas, gnocchi gorgonzola, pappardelle al cinghiale (house-made fettuccine with braised wild boar ragout) and tiramisu.

Here’s a sneak peek at what we’re pouring: Read the full story

Another Swirl-Up has swirled by, and what a whirling dervish it was!

Many of you now know that the evening is as much about laughter and a gregarious ambience, as it is about fine wine and exquisite food. And all of that was in plentiful supply last night at Café Chardonnay.

In keeping with the evening’s activities, I’m going to throw out one more trivia question for our swirling guests: What was the phrase most often expressed at our third Swirl-Up?
(Answer is at the bottom.) Read the full story

It’s said the third time is a charm.

Yet, we’d have to whole-heartedly disagree, because, frankly, the first time was quite charming itself.

Our regulars (dare I say, groupies?) will know. And for anybody who hasn’t experienced the boisterous laughter that infects a room of the Swirl Girls and their swirling guests, you have another chance to join the camaraderie and tasting!

We are thrilled to announce another Swirl Girls’ Swirl-Up: Café Chardonnay in Palm Beach Gardens, on Wednesday, Aug. 25, from 6-8 p.m. Read the full story

Our second Swirl-Up at the Ritz-Carlton last night was as big a success as the first. There were birthdays and anniversaries celebrated, there were a few mother/daughter outings, a returning Swirl-Up fan, and those who knew either nothing or a little something about wine and wanted to learn more.

At the end of the event, everyone said they’d learned something new about wine and had also tasted a varietal they’d never tried before. Plus, they had fun and were eager to attend the next Swirl-Up – and we think that means we’ve succeeded at our goal: Finding and talking about good, affordable wines.

The Ritz-Carlton service was impeccable, as usual (thank you Tim, Sharon, John, Amy, Jacqueline and Christine!) and the food and wines were “Wow!” factors for attendees.

Here’s a list of the Wow crowd: Thanks to Marian, William, Lourdes, Kacey, Janella, Joyce, Marcia, Alison, Polly, Mary, Barbara, Gay, Sandy, Ken, Michelle, Cassie, Rob, Debbie, Pat, Denise and Rosalee.

Of course, we took photos – Look here! We’ll start working on the next Swirl-Up now! If your restaurant wants to participate, please email us at swirlgirls@pbpost.com and we’ll send details.

In record time, our first Swirl-Up sold out! We’re crushed to turn people away, but please don’t fear! We’re hoping to make this a recurring event!

If you’re a restaurant that is interested in hosting a Swirl-Up, please contact us directly at SwirlGirls@PBPost.com.