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 >
Like the credit card commercial that asks “What’s in your wallet?,” it is always interesting to know what is in someone else’s wine cellar. Will you find a rare, expensive Bordeaux that is being tucked away for a child’s 21st birthday? Is there plenty of pink on hand for that impromptu social gathering? What is the house white for easy-drinking, daily consumption? We recently asked the staff at Épernay Wine & Spirits to share their favorite fall selections and what wines they will be drinking over the next few weeks. Here is what they said… SUMMER SIPS CONTINUE When choosing a favorite wine for long-time Nantucket resident Josie, it was an easy choice to select Seresin Sauvignon Blanc from Malborough, New Zealand. Marlborough produces more than half of New Zealand’s total wine production. This area has been consistently acclaimed worldwide for its standard bearing Sauvignon Blanc. Josie is a native New Zealander who has now lived on Nantucket longer than...Read More >
You love to entertain, and while you have that fabulous Martha Stewart flair for cooking and table décor, you would like some advice on what wine to serve with your fabulous Nantucket spread of fall bounty. From guesstimating quantities needed of beverages for cocktail parties, to the perfect pairing with your lobster bake on the beach, Advanced Sommelier Jenny Benzie offers answers to some of the most asked questions at her wine store on Nantucket. THE CHILL ZONE You wouldn’t serve your Juice Bar ice cream warm, it just wouldn’t taste as good (and it would be a big mess!). Just like chilled soup and piping hot cookies from the oven, certain foods require to be served at recommended temperatures, as does wine. A typical question, especially in the warmer months of summer, is What temperature should I serve my Champagne? Let’s start with bubbles (a personal favorite – do you know the name of our store?!). Sparkling wine should...Read More >
