One of the best parts of living in Miami—besides for the weather, beaches, and culture—is that every year, Food Network invades the city with the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. It’s a weekend full of events, food, and (most importantly) wine.

This year, I was lucky enough to go to the Wine Spectator Trade Day. Located in the Grand Tasting Village, this event features more than 50 restaurants and an array of wines and libations from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

Courtesy World Red Eye

The first wine put in my glass was The Palm by Whispering Angel, which had its debut at the festival this weekend to coincide with Whispering Angel’s 10^th anniversary. The bottle looks like Miami totally threw up on it, with its palm tree motif and Ocean Drive vibes, so I absolutely loved it. The wine is pale pink in color with a hint of copper—like rose gold. The nose is lightly fruity and tastes of melon, citrus, berries. It’s light, dry, and refreshing. It’s perfect for those long, hot summer days (or any day in Miami). I don’t believe it’s completely out in stores yet, but I did manage to find it on a website for £12.99. 3/5.

Exploring the tent, I found a plethora of delicious treats—from pork belly mini tacos to sashimi nachos—but one of my favorite finds was not a what but who. I stumbled across a Bravo-lebrity, my favorite Below Deck chef—Ben! He graciously let me take a photo with him, but I was dying to ask him so many burning questions—Is Kate that awesome IRL? Is he still dating that mousy British girl Emily? Who is the most annoying person on the ship? If he had to beat Bobby Flay, what dish would he cook? Unfortunately, those questions will remain unanswered, but at least I got the photo.

As the village started winding down, and the vendors started wrapping up, I freshened up and decided to make my way over to Best of the Best at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. It certainly lived up to the hype. Between the giant (BIG ASS) whole tuna, countless booths with wine-a-flowing, and delicious nibbles, the night was nothing short of AMAZING.

If you ever have the chance to go to SOBEWFF, you definitely should. Cheers!