Bern's is a lot of fun and a very fine steakhouse.
Reservations are mandatory for the restaurant,
not so for the wine store.

Another very good wine shop in the general area
is B-21 in Tarpon Springs, about 10 miles north
of Clearwater: www.b-21.com They have an exceptional
collection of French wines and quite respectable US,
Italian and other major wines along with great Cognac and
SMS. Tarpon Springs is an old Greek-settled sponge
fishing city right on the gulf; the major restaurant there,
Louis Pappas, is under new ownership and doing a good
job.

pavane


"dick" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> The ABC Stores in the area are pretty good.
>
> However there is an interesting place for dinner called Bern's Steakhouse.
> Also more of Haut Cuisine is Side Bern's.
>
> The reason I mention this is that they at wine time had the largest
> underground wine cellar for a restaurant in North America. They still
might
> now that Windows of the world does not. Plus when dining there you can
ask
> and usually get a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar. Its real
interesting
> in the cellar.
>
> Plus, they have a wine shop Berns Fine Wines and Spirits. I highly
recomend
> the dinner just to tour their cellar. Not to mention that their wine shop
> often runs great sales and has an outstanding selection of some unusual
> wines for Florida.
>
> Example: I bought some Mouton Rothchild 1994 there about 4 years ago for
> $69 a bottle. Great Price.
>
> Here is a link:
>
> http://www.bernsfinewines.com/
>
>
>
> "Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I am interested in hearing from anyone familiar with the Tampa/St
> > Pete/Sarasota area (jcoulter?) about good wine retailers in the area?
> > I know firsthand about the problems of finding unusual wines in FL, but
> > the names of anyone with a good selection (and hopefully decent prices)
> > would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > TIA
> > Mark Lipton
> >
> >
>
>
>