I spent the first week of the New Year on Siesta Key, Florida. No, the temps were not as brutal as they were in the Ripple, but for Floridians it was a shock. For me, it felt like Spring in Indiana.

Mostly sunny, temps in the low 50's with brisk north east winds at 25mph. Yes, wind chills were into the 30's many days, but I just bundled up and took in as much of the beach as I could.

The cooler weather did make us reach for RED wine instead of zippy whites or crisp dry roses. Florida has a plethora of wine choices available virtually everywhere on any day. Drug stores, convenience stores and of course big box and grocery stores are stocked. I had brought a few bottles to share with friends and family on New Year's Eve and the day after we went hunting for more bottles of red. Our favorite find was the old vine Zinfandel called OZV from Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi, California. The older the vines, the richer the wine when it comes to the Zinfandel grape. It was once thought to be "America's" grape as for many years growers only found it in California. Later it was traced to be a descendant of the Italian Primitivo, and Croatian grapes Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag. OZV is smooth and dry with notes of cardamom and blackberry. We ignored the "red for meat, white for fish" thought and enjoyed it with shrimp, Caesar Salad and pasta. Widely available and affordably priced its a welcome winter weather warmer no matter your destination.