Tasting Good Food And Wine With Gourmet Inclusive

What's not to love about the beach? And wine? And good food? If you agree, we have found the perfect pairing of beaches, vineyards, and rock star meals. The Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series was hosted at the über-chic El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort, by Karisma and offered the ultimate in gourmet beach-bumming. Located about half an hour south of Cancún on the sandy beaches of the Riviera Maya, Karisma's El Dorado Royale, with its Gourmet Inclusive program, is the backdrop for the The Jackson Wines Culinary Series, a weeklong food and wine extravaganza designed to educate and illuminate guests about the joy of wine and food. 

[pullquote:left] Start with a "Wine Up" to meet fellow guests and learn about the selection of wines that will be available during the week. The Wine Up is led by Master Sommelier Larry O'Brien and you'll leave with a nice buzz and a solid understanding of why a cabernet is different from a pinot noir. Put your nose and taste buds to the test with delicate and exotic flavors from Mexico's rich gastronomic heritage, and taste how the subtle flavors in the food are enhanced with the different wines available through the Jackson Family Wines vineyard network. By the end of the third day you'll be able to taste and feel the subtle differences in where the grapes are grown and harvested, and you'll certainly have considered putting your local wine store on speed dial to ensure that they will have in stock the Reserve Blend that will now become the foundation of your wine stock.

Cooking demonstrations and interactive wine tasting classes take place in an outdoor theater, where we sampled and savored the exquisite courses of wine and food while watching it be prepared. Don't misunderstand — this is no teppanyaki table; this is five-star dining with the finest wines from Napa and Sonoma counties that accentuated the meal and tantalized our mouths.

We finished up our week at the beach by meeting with fellow food lovers and oenophiles to share memories of the best sips and snacks of the past five days, before grabbing a bottle of our favorite wine and seeking out a secluded spot on the beach. Because good wine and good beach really are the perfect pairing.

Stay tuned this week and next for more insider information about The Jackson Family Wines Culinary Series by Karisma and Karisma Hotels & Resorts' Gourmet Inclusive experience.

Sara Cornell is President of Blue Blinds Media. She runs two blogs Blue Blinds and Life After Married. Follow her on Twitter @lifeaftrmarried and @blueblinds