TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Wine tastings....?

Hi all,
Visiting in July. Bringing my brother ans his girlfriend who are wine drinkers. Does anyone know of wine tastings on the island?

Jeannie of Shop n Drop Grocery was organizing wine tastings, but I think she's stopped doing that. Carole at L'Epicerie Gourmande may also be doing them, although I don't think she has anything on a regular schedule. I believe (and this may have changed) that she'll do tastings upon request, and I'm sure you'd have to set it up in advance.

I can heartily recommend Sylvain at Select Wine Cellar. You can let him select the wines, or tell him what you want to taste. Get a larger group together and you can taste more bottles, as I don't think he sells tastes. You order full bottles.

You can also have lunch delivered from Champagne Bistro next door that serves traditional bistro fare.

Thank you both.

yes indeed I used to host a few in the last number of years... I still want to as I enjoy hosting them and get to meet and socialize with many wonderful people...

Unfortunately becuase of timing issues with running a business it has become a challenge for me...

I am hoping once i get one or two more reliable staff I can depend on to assit me with the day to day operations I hope to resume the wine tasting...

Well good luck, we are looking forward to resuming the wine tastings!

Jeannie, if you are getting back into doing them again before our July 23 trip please let me know. Robert, Carol, Grace and myself enjoyed the wine party last visit and would do it again.

Rick

Wife and I will be there for three weeks in July. We might be interested in participating if you don't mind us joining in. Can help share the cost (and fun).

sounds great. Jeannie looks like your high in demand for wine tastings...lol

Yes indeed ... I will try and see what I can do . I normally charge $30 per head this includes the wines and some bites for food pairing. Let me start working on it and get back to you guys...

I generally host it one of the restaurants on the island ... How does Il safaro sound... I will ask Burt and then I have to find a wine expert as Jas is no longer here on the island...

Looks like I have 10 already I only need 12 to make this happen ... now the time to organize is the only thing i need to find ...let me see what I can do

Excellent, keep in touch. we are a party of four maybe five.

There are two of us and we will be there the first three weeks of July. Hope we can make this work.

With all due respect to Jeanie, for some wine lovers, it is not simply the act of tasting wine. My husband and I enjoy wine tasting to learn more about wine. I learn more about wine from sommeliers and wine makers. I heartily recommend Sylvain at Select Wine Cellars in Orange Grove. He is a trained sommelier so there is much to be learned from wine tasting with him.
He regularly travels to wine making regions in France and recently went to Portugal. He is extremely knowledgeable.
When we first met Sylvain, we told him what kind of American and French wines we liked. He gave us recommendations for wine that he had in his shop. And he has NEVER been wrong for us. Sylvain is one of our first stops on the island since he is an Oenophile like ourselves.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say there. Jeannie does organize the wine tastings, but she does have a sommelier there, who describes the wines and gives information about them. Now truthfully, her wine tastings are meant to be more fun and not straight up serious, as we can attest to, from personal knowledge!

Thanks Carol... yes indeed I just organize these tasting... I have several wine experts I deal with as I sell wine on my website and need to ensure the quality of wines I have on my website...

It is one of the sommelier that actually conduct the wine tasting... I am there to smile and make sure everyone has fun!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" /> Majortiy of the afternoon is presented and overseen by the wine sommelier...

My sincere apologies Jeannie. I did not know that a sommelier was present during your wine tastings. I was thinking that your tastings were similar to the ones at grocery stores where you just get to try the wine without the experience of the sommelier.

Jeannie does it right. Sommelier present and he pairs the wines with some food tasting from the host restaurant as well. You get to meet some TTOLers, eat and drink wine. What could be better? It's really a fun night.

sounds great! cant wait

No worries... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

We attended one of Jeannie's wine tastings and I have to say, it really was a fun event. Between the music and the atmosphere of the setting, the wines and 'bites' and the really great company, it remains one of our special recent years island memories. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

WE have attended many of Jeannie's wine tastings and they are extremely well organized and very enjoyable. Jeannie does this out of the goodness of her heart and only charges an amount to cover the food, wine and sommelier. She makes no profit on any of the special things she does for island visitors and just wants everyone to have a good experience and fun trip. However, Jeannie has been very busy recently expanding her business in SXM and establishing in other islands, so she may not find time to do these extra things right now. AS suggested,if Jeannie cannot do this when you are visiting, there are other places where wine tastings can be arranged if interested in a group activity.Enjoy your July trip!