New fl avors of candies are available every week and for each season. Each one is like a work of art.
tasting notes for consumers with particular tastes.
The descriptions cover the aroma of the wine, palate
information and cellaring potential. From cool and
crisp Spanish summer wines to a full-bodied red
wine from a valley in Australia, the owners are happy
to discuss what is popular in the area where the
wines are made.
Steph stocks part of the store with IPA beers,
wheat beers, ciders and mead - a beverage made
from fermented honey and grain mash.
Patti runs the day-to-day operations at the store
and Steph helps out when he is not teaching at
Charlotte High School, where he is the director of
digital design. During season they hire extra staff to
help Patti make the candy.
Originally from Lee County, they found Punta
Gorda was a perfect market for the kind of business
they were hoping to start.
“We did a Chocolate Fantasia event here years
ago and the reception from the community was so
fantastic that we felt we could be successful,” Steph
said.
Select wines are available for tasting on Saturdays
at the shop. The pouring starts at 11 a.m. and continues
until the store closes at 4 p.m. The owners also
have a booth at the Punta Gorda Farmer’s Market
every Saturday morning, starting at 8 a.m. Located
downtown on Taylor Street, the market runs yearround.
Punta Gorda Chocolate & Wine is located at 117
Herald Ct., Suite 1112, in Punta Gorda.
Visit haleyhandcraftedchocolates.com or search for
the business on Facebook for more information.
The Coffee Shop
About a year ago, Patti and
Steph opened Punta Gorda
Coffee and Tea, located just
around the corner from their
establishment on Herald Court.
The coffee and tea shop offers a
variety of fl avors. Coffee fl ights
are the special on Saturdays.
Coffee afi cionados seeking a
sweet treat can have a freshly
made truffl e added to the brew
of their choice. A handful of
breakfast items and pastries from
Zoet Sweet Boutique in Punta
Gorda are available at the coffee
shop. The larger kitchen in the
coffee shop is used to make the
chocolate.
Wine Tasting
Enjoy fl avorful wines from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m. at the store every
Saturday. Try a variety of red wine,
white or rose wine, and craft beer.
The tastings are complimentary.
November/December 2019 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE 5
/haleyhandcraftedchocolates.com