South Beach Christmas

There are not too many more enjoyable places to visit in late December than Miami Beach. Be forewarned, if you happen to be reading this entry from one of the northeastern states, you have my sincere sympathies…and you may not want to read on as you sit inside your home shivering while two feet of snow blankets your driveway. Again, my sympathies are truly with you!

Driving over the causeways that connect Miami Beach to the mainland of Miami is always a pleasurable experience, even as enraged drivers swerve from lane to lane in typical Miami fashion around you. For the last one hundred years, Miami Beach has been one of the top destinations for tourists hailing from around the world. The temperatures rarely drop to unpleasant digits and the plentiful sand and surf is always warmed by the sub-tropical sun. One hears Spanish and Portuguese spoken here as much as English, and the cultural influences of Central and South America & the Caribbean are evident everywhere.

On my way to a meeting I stopped to photograph the skyline of Miami, silhouetted beautifully against the deep cobalt-blue afternoon sky. Biscayne Bay stretches out beneath the skyscrapers, reflecting the late afternoon clouds as they drift over the Florida Everglades and out to sea. Behind me, local fisherman cast their hand-lines into the murky, turquoise bay, hoping to catch their dinner. A lone seagull sits perched on an aging wooden piling, enjoying the sun and waiting for scraps. It’s a gorgeous scene, and, standing there with the wind lightly rustling the fronds of the coconut palms and the warm waters lapping gently against the seawall, it’s easy to feel as if one has left America.

With Christmas right around the corner I’ve been doing a little bit of last minute shopping for groceries and gifts. I managed to snatch up the last bottle of this wine to give as a gift. It’s a 2003 vintage of a German Riesling produced by Langwerth von Simmern in Eltville, Germany. When buying and drinking white wines, I have always preferred the unique flavors & amazing aromas of Rieslings and Gewürztraminers. This particular wine was made with grapes from the Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen vineyard, located on a south-facing hillside with deep, sandy to loamy soils. This vineyard produces excellent & very distinctive wines; this one in particular is designated as Spätlese which literally means “late harvest” in German. Picked at least seven days after normal harvest, the grapes used for wines designated as Spätlese have sugar levels at harvest higher than those of Kabinett but lower than Auslese. In simpler terms, this is a great wine!

While most casual wine-lovers typically don’t associate white wines with longevity and extended aging, Riesling’s naturally high acidity makes it an incredible candidate for long term aging. Quality Rieslings have been known to be extremely drinkable after being stored for over one hundred years, although in my mind at least, wine should best be enjoyed while one is still alive! Riesling is a perfect wine to enjoy alone or with food. While I would be happy to drink it with nearly any meal, it is best paired with light foods like fish, chicken, pork, salads, and even Asian cuisine. Riesling goes incredibly well with light desserts as well.

Langwerth von Simmern, owned by the Barons Langwerth von Simmern, has been producing fine Rheingau wines since 1464. While wines should be judged by their taste and nose, the artist in me can’t help but admire the elegantly tapered bottle and it’s classically styled label. So many wines produced en-masse today have labels which look as if they have been created using cheap clip art of leaves, chairs, boats, and landscapes and printed off a desktop printer. Of course, even the tackiest label can adorn the bottle of the most amazing wine, but still – I do love a label with classic styling and attention to detail. The Langwerth von Simmern label which has undergone only minor changes over several decades, is attractive and colorful, decorated with swirling vines laden with grapes, scrolling banners, and a prominent family crest, printed in raised relief.

Pictured above in the first photo, I’m dressed for a breezy South Beach day on the waterfront wearing my beloved plaid driving cap by Triple Five Soul, burgandy cotton fitted tee by Polo – Ralph Lauren, striped cotton jacket by Comme des Garçons, navy blue cotton classic pants by Loro Piana, matte black alligator belt by W Kleinberg, and black python snakeskin lace-up dress shoes by Gucci.