Sometimes my partner in wine and I love a lazy Sunday at home — with just enough energy to head out for a late lunch or early dinner before heading back home to mentally prepare for the week ahead.
And with both us us facing a week of work travel ahead (each of us to a different city, of course!), last Sunday felt like the perfect excuse to check out the newly reopened Magnolia’s on the Bay.
(If you are new here, or reading from afar, Magnolias was impacted, like most of Manasota Key, by hurricane Milton last fall. They have been closed since, recovering and repairing the damage.)
So we put the top down, threw on our shades, and headed to Englewood with a beautiful breeze in our hair and the sun on our faces. We crossed the bridge to the Key and crawled through the traffic north to Magnolias. We also hadn’t driven the full length of the key since the road reopened at Middle Beach, so that was going to be the bonus for our ride home.
We were happy to be greeted by the valet manager who we recognized from pre-closing. 💚We were also happy that they’re now open every day from 11-9, so that means lunch is now an option!
We chose to sit out at the new bar, which provides a great view of the ICW. I enjoyed watching two dolphins frolick in the water, and then an eagle fly by, while perusing the wine list. THIS is why we live here.
The wine list had some great options both by the glass and by the bottle. I secretly judge a restaurant wine list just a little bit based on which sauvignon blancs are available, and I was happy to see something more interesting than a Whitehaven or Kim Crawford! 😂
I opted for the Domaine Pichot Vouvray Chenin Blanc. My partner in wine selected a Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
The chenin blanc was a delightful crisp, clear, interesting, refreshing white. It was peach and apple with the slightest hint of perhaps a little honey. It was the perfect selection for a sunny Sunday along the water.
My partner in wine also enjoyed his, and noted a medium to full body with red fruits a hint of pepper. This is a perfect example of us drinking what we want without focusing on the food. It’s just how we roll.
We happened to have hit just as the lunch menu wrapped up, which was great since I really wanted sushi – which is the only menu served from 2-4pm.
So we enjoyed a couple of rolls each, and watched both the water and the people coming and going.
My PIW picked a Milton Eye roll, and I wasn’t sure whether I thought it was a good sense of humor or not! I guess if we can’t keep a good sense of humor through these kinds of local tragedies, we live in the wrong place.
I found the chenin blanc to be the ideal option for my vegetable-focused rolls and it offset the saltiness of the soy perfectly. It was a beautifully balanced, light, and clean pairing to highlight the freshness of the rolls. (Try the fried green tomato roll! Such a fun twist on sushi and I loved it!)
It was the best way to wrap up the weekend and spend a little time together before we take off in different directions for the week. And it was a wine list I’ll be happy to revisit very soon! Welcome back Magnolias!
We hope you make a trip to visit them very soon – and if you go on a sunny and warm afternoon, I definitely recommend the chenin blanc. Magnolias is definitely back on our rotation, and I can’t wait to sip some more of the wines from their list!
What is your favorite sushi+wine combo? Drop it below!
Venice Wine Experiences 