Couples Therapy in Naples: Grant Thornton Invitational, Tiburon Golf Club, December 8-11, 2023
The PGA and LPGA Tours are playing a made-for-TV event in Naples, FL this week, featuring 16 co-ed teams in goofy, amateur formats like a scramble and Pinehurst. But there are some strong entrants, particularly on the ladies' side. Would I watch some of it? Sure, but probably just for the novelty factor.
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This tournament somehow fits my perception of Naples itself, which arguably expresses the least connection to reality of anywhere in Florida outside of Disneyworld itself, although other contenders could potentially be Palm Beach or The Villages. Ok, this blog isn't a social commentary, so I'm stopping right now.
One might expect that with the vast wealth concentrated in Naples, and the fact that it hosts a very prestigious annual charity wine festival, the city would be saturated with great wine. That doesn't appear to be the case, apart from one of the most exciting restaurant/retail combinations in the country at Bleu Provence.
The overall wine program at Bleu Provence is so strong, especially in France, I'm not sure it's even worth competing at the local level. The list in the restaurant is sick, for lack of a more romantic term. Bordeaux and Burgundy are off the charts, including breadth, depth, and at least in the case of the super-high end offers, price as well. Yet careful inspection will uncover beaucoup opportunities under $150. And don't worry if you're a committed New World lover, you aren't getting short shrift. The pinot and cab selections are likewise ridiculous, with multiple verticals of stalwarts like Ridge, Peter Michael and many, many more. Check your credit limit and just go, assuming it's possible to get a reservation anytime other than say July or August when you'd melt in the heat and humidity just climbing out of your Bentley at valet parking.
The Bleu Provence Fine Wines retail store is intensely curated and offers exciting wines from around the world at every price point. I didn't undertake the Herculean task of trying to match the restaurant list to the retail inventory, but presumably there's a lot of overlap, especially at the higher end. So don't fret, if you need a bottle of Coche Dury Montrachet for your dinner party it's still available at $17,000, but there are also attractive bottles of Languedoc reds under $25. Pretty much heaven on earth.
If Bleu Provence didn't exist, I'd be shopping at Naples Fine Wines. The selection is outstanding, especially for more expensive wines, with all classic regions well represented and name checks on many famous producers. Burgundy, Bordeaux, and California shine. If the diversity outside the core isn't particularly special, in Italy, for example, you can find plenty of Gaja, Quintarelli, and the like. Click past the DRC and Leroy to California, and among the more than 500 cabs you'll find esoteric and horrifically overpriced trophies like 2013 Ghost Horse Spectre cab for $5200. You'd have to be a horse's ass to buy it, and it's absurd on any level. But on the other hand, you can still find close to 100 American and international wines under $50. Curiously, I have a very knowledgeable friend in Naples who claims this place is never open, so call first.
I hesitate to mention Naples Wine Collection because I'm not sure I understand the concept. There's a retail store wine bar and wine club. They declare themselves ‘the home of hidden gems,’ but the images are bottles like Dominus and Sassicaia. That’s luxury hiding in plain sight, I guess. In the same vein, the store lists dozens of bottles of expensive trophies, mostly New World and mostly in the range of $300-500. It states there are wines for every budget, but when I searched under $50 the results were laughable. An option if you have money to burn and Bleu Provence and Naples Fine Wines are closed.
