Movies are always a great distraction from our own reality, no matter what your present-day situation may be. There are numerous movies where if wine and life revolving around it is not the central theme of the plot, it is part of the script at some point in the film. Most often, the person drinking the wine is rich, famous, has a large yacht and an even bigger estate – typically both with a wine cellar! Previously, you would have thought of this person as a wine SNOB. Living life to the extremes has taken a back seat to today’s current situation. Now there is a whole new meaning in regard to the word SNOB when it comes to wine drinking. With Earth Day just around the corner and it is more important now more than ever to take care of ourselves, our community and the environment, let’s talk about what a wine SNOB is these days. SUSTAINABLE Do you...Read More >
Nothing makes you feel more welcome at a holiday party than walking in with a large format bottle of wine in hand! Get supersized this holiday season by enjoying a selection of wines poured from large format bottles. Suitable for parties of all sizes, these bottles are sure to make a big impression not only based on their size, but also on the quality of the juice inside. Advanced Sommelier Jenny Benzie offers a selection of magnums to maximize your year-end festivities. FEAST OF FISHES The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a much-anticipated Italian-American celebration of Christmas Eve with dishes of fish and other seafood. With the abundance of seafood around the island of Nantucket, this is a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays. Nantucket Oysters on the half shell to start, chilled shrimp cocktail with a dill lemon caper sauce as an appetizer, angel hair pasta tossed with Nantucket Bay Scallops for your pasta course, (are you getting...Read More >
Nantucket is the most magical island for celebrating the holidays in a quintessential New England style. From joyful strolling on the cobblestone lined streets and festive holiday shopping in the warm, welcoming shoppes, to ringing in the New Year with a nautical theme, there are plenty of fun-filled activities to be found on island this time of year. Advanced Sommelier Jenny Benzie offers a short list of Holiday Highlights not to be missed in island this season, along with a lovely wine suggestion for gift giving purposes or to accompany your celebration. THANKSGIVING TURKEY PLUNGE The 18th Annual Cold Turkey Plunge, where hundreds of swimmers of all ages brave the icy cold waters at Children’s Beach, is held every year on Thanksgiving morning at 10 am. Funds raised during this event support the Nantucket Antheneum’s Weezie Library for Children and make it possible for them to host over 500 free programs and services for patrons each year. A few essential...Read More >
You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy Halloween, even on Nantucket. With all the haunted houses and old buildings on the island, there are sure to be more spirits around than you could even possibly imagine. To keep your mind off ghosts (and perhaps goblins), Advanced Sommelier Jenny Benzie suggests a selection of ‘spooky spirits’ to sample that won’t scare your taste buds, or your wallet! If you have ever been to a fine dining restaurant in Italy, you may have been offered a glass of Grappa at the end of the meal. Grappa is primarily served after dinner as a digestivo, or added to an espresso for a caffé corretto, in order to aid in digestion of heavy meals. While other countries can make a similar product under another name, Grappa is unique in that it can only come from Italy and must be fermented, then distilled from pomace. The pomace is whatever is leftover after pressing...Read More >
