Wines I Reach For

Camila Duarte

@latecheckinmila

3Items

0Likes

These are the bottles (and by-the-glass situations) I keep coming back to in Miami, whether I’m pre-gaming a Heat game, fake-working on my laptop at a wine bar, or rewatching 30 Rock for the 47th time. Not a “serious” wine list, just the stuff that reliably hits when it’s 82 degrees at midnight and someone just texted “u up for one more?”

See all 3 items Follow Camila DuarteOpen in app

The list

Showing 1–3 of 3

Wines I Reach For — 3 items
Name	Type	Grape	Region	Approx Price	Where I Find It In Miami	Best With	ABV	My take
1Catena Malbec	Red	Malbec	Mendoza, Argentina	$11–14 glass, $45–55 bottle	Shows up at a lot of Not-Too-Fancy steak spots and hotel restaurants; I’ve ordered it at least twice in Brickell without realizing it was the same one.	Skirt steak, chimichurri, and whatever fry situation is happening.	13.5–14%	My default “I refuse to read this wine list anymore” order. Dark, comfy, and forgiving when you’re already two glasses in.
2Orange/Natural By-The-Glass Pick	Skin-contact / orange	Varies (usually obscure and unpronounceable)	Often Georgia, Slovenia, or Italy	$16–20 glass	Natural wine spots like the little bars Downtown or in Wynwood that play vinyl and sell anchovies in tins.	Tinned fish, good bread, and long, overly personal conversations with the bartender.	12–13.5% (ish)	My chaotic mood drink. Funky, a little tea-like, occasionally borderline weird—in a good ‘wait I might love this’ way.
3Random House Pinot Grigio	White	Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris	Italy, usually Veneto or Friuli	$9–12 glass	Cafes, hotel patios, and places where the whole wine list fits on one laminated page.	Calamari, Caesar salad, and people-watching.	12–12.5%	Crisp, light, and basically adult lemonade. I order it when I want something cold that won’t steal the show from the conversation—or my pasta.