PHOTO PROVIDED BY CEJAY ASSOCIATES
A large crowd enjoys last year’s Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce Wine & Jazz Festival in Laishley Park in Punta Gorda. The jazz has become the main draw, but wine is an important part of the event’s appeal.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
D’Vines Wine & Gift Emporium employee Tom Ozimek, left, chats with customers Dr. Joe Hegleh, an ophthalmologist, and his nurse, Annette Weitala, who stopped in for some wine and tapas after a tough day in the operating room.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
D’Vines Wine & Gift Emporium wine professional Tom Ozimek, left, owner Maureen Stasi and wine lover Wade Cartee get ready to enjoy a bottle of Calling All Angels chardonnay, produced by the Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company owned by the rock band Train.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Wine professional Christine Aupke pours a glass of red for a customer at D’Vines Wine & Gift Emporium. She describes the shop where she works as a learning experience for customers.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Sweet Treasures in Fishermen’s Village, owned by Liz and Tom Bober, carries a large variety of wines made from fresh fruit right here in Florida.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Attractively appointed, Sweet Treasures sells wine-related merchandise in addition to the quality wine.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Sweet Treasures owners Liz and Tom Bober await customer Gerri Funelli’s reaction to a taste of Mango Mamma. Visiting from Vienna, Ohio, last season, Funelli was looking for a Florida gift for his girlfriend and decided Mango Mamma fit the bill.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Carrie Nemec opened Wine of Design in downtown Punta Gorda, where you can buy high-quality boutique wines, like this bottle of Bliss Chardonnay she’s holding, and gain plenty of knowledge at the same time.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
To educate customers, each wine at Wine of Design has a card with taste notes and, if available, a rating by Robert Parker, the leading wine connoisseur in the United States.

HERALD FILE PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Wine of Design carries quality boutique wines at various price levels, ranging from low, a Corte Delle Rose pinot grigio, $12.50; to high, Scout’s Honor, a blended red and a top seller at $48; and moderate, a $19 bottle of zinfandel from Earth, Zin & Fire.