Hi Dolls!
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Last Friday I had the pleasure of getting a sneak peek of Jacksonville's newest Winery and Restaurant, Cooper's Hawk, before their Grand Opening this past Monday! Located in none other than the St. John's Town Center, Jacksonville can proudly say that we now have the third largest Cooper's Hawk winery, coming in at a whopping 13,200 square feet!
Cooper's Hawk first opened in Orland Park, Illnois in 2005 and Jacksonville marks the 20th location with 3 others being in the state of Florida. This winery boasts of a modern, casual dining experience with warm service, and a menu developed with its own handcrafted wines in mind. After my visit, I believe that it certainly will be an exciting new concept for our city's already vibrant food scene!
As soon as you walk in, you are greeted with...wine, of course, and lots of it! It was like a work of art!
You can purchase anything from wine, fancy pastas, wine holders, and dessert to go, as soon as you walk through the doors!
I made a mental list of things to purchase on my way out!
I knew for sure that some of these white chocolate covered strawberries were coming home with me!
The truffles too! Specifically the Turtle Truffles and dark chocolate truffles which came highly recommended by one of the sommeliers. YUM!!!!![]()
How cool is this wine dispenser!?!?
I need this in my house! Joking.....not joking!
Of course you know I wasn't leaving the place without getting some samples of their food! We were able to taste small bites of some of their popular signature dishes! One thing I can't forget to mention is that a wine is recommended for every dish and if you're not a wine drinker, local craft beers are available as well.
The Mexican Drunken Shrimp: Large, succulent shrimp, wrapped in bacon and placed on a fresh guacamole and a tequila lime butter sauce. Delicious!
Asian Pork Belly Tostados: This was my favorite little bite of deliciousness! It included the pork belly of course, scallions, sesame seeds, cilantro, radish, and a sweet chili BBQ Sauce!
Thai Lettuce Wraps: Sweet Chili-Glazed Chicken, Julienne Vegetables, Crunchy Wontons, Bibb Lettuce, Peanut, Cashew, and Soy Caramel Sauces. Very flavorful!
Burrata, Proscuitto & Arugula Bruschetta: Whipped Ricotta, Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Balsamic Glaze. I didn't get to try this but it looked amazing.
Cooper's Hawk Calamari: Served with a Sweet Chili-Ponzu Glaze, Cilantro, Sesame-Sriracha Aioli. Not bad!
Chef Matt's Cheese Tasting: I learned that these Artisan cheeses change every season allowing for the opportunity to try cheeses you may have never tried or heard of before. Perfect for the novice as well as the cheese enthusiast. Served with lavash crisps.
As much as I love food, my favorite part of the evening was the wine tasting! I had the opportunity to sample several of their award winning wines with my favorites being the Viognier, a full bodied white with dominant floral notes and the White Sangria which was full of tropical flavors! Cooper's Hawk has won over 300 wine awards on a local, national, and international level! The most impressive part is that they recently received a 99-point score at the Critics International Wine Competition for its LUX Pinot Noir.
What's even better is knowing the tasting room will be open daily at 11am and the tastings are very reasonable in price. To taste 8 different wines, the cost is only $7.49 and to taste 8 Lux wines and a dessert, only $12. Can you say Ladies Night for me and my girls!?!?!
Cooper's Hawk also features one of the country's largest wine of the month club, offering subscribers monthly wines, special discounts, invitations to exclusive events, rewards, and annual domestic and international wine trips! Definitely something worth considering.
This is the look of a happy Trice! I thoroughly enjoyed my time touring Cooper's Hawk and gaining a better understanding of the brand. I can hardly wait to return with my friends for wine tastings! There are a few things I saw on the menu that I'm itching to try as well.
If you have a Cooper's Hawk in your city, what wines or dishes can you recommend?
If you have a Cooper's Hawk in your city, what wines or dishes can you recommend?
As always, thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful week!
XOXO