Spring Sippers
A seasonal selection of wines and cocktails from local purveyors—plus a buzzy tipple with a booze-free twist
Written by Jen Laskey
Renewal is the theme of the season. Why not embrace it with a new wine, cocktail or nonalcoholic drink? Whether you need a glass of something to warm you up after a chilly beach walk, to sip while listening to a chorus of spring peepers in your backyard or to tote to your tailgate picnic on Daffodil Day, Nantucket’s drinks purveyors have an array of resplendent sips for you.
KEN WRIGHT CELLARS
HIRSCHY VINEYARD WADENSWIL CLONE PINOT NOIR, 2019 ($70/BOTTLE)
KEN WRIGHT CELLARS
WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHARDONAY, 2023 ($28/BOTTLE)
Recommended by Nancy Bean, owner, Nantucket Wine & Food Festival
Ken Wright, who has been making wine in Oregon for nearly 40 years, put Oregon on the wine map. Nancy Bean, who owns the festival, refers to Wright as a legend, someone who grew Oregon's Willamette Valley and is known for pioneering single-vineyard pinot noirs. This year, Wright will be spotlighted by the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival, with his 2019 Hirschy Vineyard Wädenswil Clone Pinot Noir featured at the Harbor Gala. A medley of black plum, huckleberry and red licorice, this wine boasts silky tannins with herbal and sweet spice notes, Bean said. It pairs well with all sorts of spring and summer foods—from grilled salmon, lamb chops and filet mignon to barbecue pork ribs, pepperoni pizza and beet salad with goat cheese.
For a refreshing spring white, Bean recommends Wright’s 2023 Willamette Valley Chardonnay. This wine is juicy with crisp flavors of white peach, green apple and pear. “It’s refined and elegant, and has great depth and complexity without being heavy,” she said. “With its bright acidity, crisp minerality and rich fruit flavors, it’s great to pair with seafood and shellfish.” After the festival is over, Bean said she looks forward to getting her kayak back in the water, sipping a glass of this wine on her back deck with a friend—and then going to chase the sunset at Miacomet.
SOPHIE SCHAAL ($22/bottle)
Recommended by Erin Hepinstall, Wine & Cheese Manager, Bartlett's Farm
"Don’t be afraid of riesling!” That’s the message from Erin Hepinstall, who hopes to encourage more Nantucketers to embrace the noble grape. Despite what many people think, riesling wines aren’t always sweet, especially when they come from Alsace, a region in northeastern France known for its ultra crisp, dry rieslings. This one from Sophie Schaal, which is made from organically grown grapes, is “super friendly and approachable,” Hepinstall said. “Honeyed florals and beeswax notes give great weight without any cloying sweetness. A laser-focused finish of citrus fruit and mineral-driven acidity keep things fresh and lively on the palate. It can go from sunshiny days to chilly evening meals pretty effortlessly.”
Hepinstall absolutely loves spring on Nantucket and tries to get outside as much as possible. As the days get longer, she looks forward to outdoor potlucks with friends. “This wine will absolutely be my contribution this year,” she said. Hepinstall recommends pairing this riesling with oysters—or any shellfish. “It would also be so delicious with any sort of soft, aged goat cheese, like a Bûcheron or Humboldt Fog."
DOMAINE PELLE LA CROIX AU GARDE SANCERRE, 2023 ($32/BOTTLE)
Recommended by Elizabeth Pereira, Owner, Épernay Wine & Spirits
Spring has its glorious moments, but it’s not every islander’s favorite season. “I don’t love the rainy spring days on Nantucket,” Elizabeth Pereira admitted. Pereira and her husband, Brian, took over Épernay Wine & Spirits on North Beach Street from Jenny Benzie and Kirk Baker last year. But on a sunny day, Pereira often rejoices with a bottle of fourth-generation winemaker Paul-Henry Pellé’s La Croix au Garde Sancerre. “This wine is refreshing and uplifting,” she said. “It rounds out a good day and gives hope of warmer weather to come.” Sipping it, “you can almost taste summer coming.”
Bright, crisp and aromatic, this sauvignon blanc from Sancerre in France’s Loire Valley pairs well with lighter spring foods and fish. “I love how well it pairs with white fish,” Pereira said, adding that it would also “be wonderful in a picnic with charcuterie, cheeses, pâté and some deviled eggs—a perfect part of any Daffodil Croquet party.” And with its citrus notes and minerality, she said, “it’s also amazing with pad thai."
THE QUEEN BEE
AT THE PROPRIETORS
Recommended by Orla LaScola, owner/operator with Michael LaScola, The Proprietors Bar & Table
"What is not to love about spring on Nantucket?” Orla LaScola asked. “All the restaurants and small businesses begin to reopen, our favorite guests start to return, Nantucket’s year-round residents come out of hiding. The community starts to reconnect after winter, it is the absolute best time here.” The Queen Bee, a new cocktail on the menu at The Proprietors Bar & Table this spring, “speaks to the freshness and brightness of the season—and our food menu at this time of the year,” LaScola said. “We love the light, fresh notes in this cocktail. It has a touch of sweetness, but it is tart and light. The floral notes in the gin and the hint of ginger make it very refreshing.”LaScola suggested sipping the Queen Bee and nibbling on some light snacks from the Proprietors menu, such as chef/partner Nathan Hanyzewski’s hummus plate with snap peas and pickled peppers or his smoked whitefish salad with brown bread and crudité.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin (LaScola loves Sông Cái Floral Gin in this recipe)
½ ounce of honey syrup*
1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon
Drop of ginger bitters
Lemon twist for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients over ice in a shaker. Shake for approximately 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Make a fresh twist of lemon peel, twist to release oils and rub over the glass top. Enjoy!
For the honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water in a small pot on the stovetop on medium heat until you can easily whisk them together. Leftover honey syrup will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to two weeks.
PEPE PICANTE
Recommended by Matt Hayes, bar manager, Ventuno and Via Mare
Created by Matt Hayes, the Pepe Picante is one of Ventuno’s most popular warm-weather cocktails. A tropical riff on the classic martini, Hayes’ version is made with tequila as its base spirit, instead of vodka or gin. He revs it up with mango and lime juices, as well as a jalapeño, habanero and poblano chile-infused agave-based simple syrup. “It’s light, fun and nicely balanced,” Hayes said. “You get sweetness from the mango juice, tartness from the lime juice and a little bit of sweet spiciness from the agave syrup.” The rich yellow color makes the Pepe Picante look like sunshine in a glass. “It can take you from spring right into summer,” Hayes said. And while he thinks the Pepe would be an ideal après-festival cocktail for any of Nantucket’s spring festivals (he loves going to all of them), he said, “It’s definitely the drink for a Daffodil cocktail party."
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces blanco tequila (Hayes recommends Casamigos)
½ ounce lime juice
1½ ounces mango juice
½ ounce spicy agave syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
For the spicy agave syrup: In a medium pot, combine 2 cups agave nectar, 2 cups water, 1 habanero pepper, 1 jalapeño pepper and 1 poblano pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from heat and let cool. Strain out the chiles before using, and store leftover spicy agave syrup in the refrigerator.
DE SOI TRÈS ROSÉ, $16/4-pack
Recommended by Matt Hayes, bar manager, Ventuno and Via Mare
If you want to rosé all day without risking a hangover, this sparkling nonalcoholic apéritif is a great option. Enjoy it as an alternative to actual rosé wine or use it to stay hydrated in between glasses of the real stuff. The base of this pretty pink drink is a blend of pear, grapefruit, raspberry and lychee juices. It gets a little kick from red wine vinegar and ginger extract, plus added nuance from chamomile, cardamom, rooibos and rose extracts. Marketed as “adaptogen rich,” the Très Rosé also contains extracts of lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms plus the amino acid L-theanine for a “mood-boosting buzz.” There are no mushroomy flavors in the drink at all. What you smell and taste is tart, juicy and refreshingly fruit-forward with dominant berry fruit leather notes and subtle florals. It’s more complex and more like a lightly effervescent sparkling wine (Lambrusco, for example) than a typical soda. De Soi Très Rosé comes in cute 8-ounce cans or 750-milliliter bottles.
Latest Stories
