I don’t think of myself as a wine snob…although I am pretty sure many of my friends do! (I will admit I like a nice glass of Pinot Noir more than most people though.) So when I decided to visit San Sebastian Winery on Kings Street in downtown St. Augustine, a few friends told me to keep my expectations in check. This was a Florida winery that used Muscadine grapes. However, I have to tell you, it was a wonderful experience!

They offer complimentary winery tours and wine tasting seven days a week. During the tour they teach you about wine making and show you the room where they are aging their Port in wooden barrels. Then, they take you to the tasting bar. And they teach you how to evaluate wines with four of your sense by using five S’s – like see, swirl and smell. I’m not going to tell you the other two so you will go enjoy this quaint little place for yourself! The whole tour/tasting took about 35 or 40 minutes.

Afterward, we wandered up to “The Cellar Upstairs”, which is San Sebastian’s rooftop wine, jazz and blues bar. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the view over St. Augustine was simply stunning. Now I know why they say it is one of the locals “best kept secrets”! We sat back, listened to live music and relaxed. They offer their wines, a selection of beers, and appetizers too. We got a few things to nibble on, which were delicious, and I drank a glass (or two) of their sangria. Now tell the truth, would a true wine snob drink sangria? I think not! It really was a great way to spend an afternoon with friends in St. Augustine. Hope you give it a try too! If you do, let me know what you think of your experience.