Angelini Brothers
Angelini Wines, Ltd.

Angelini Wine, Ltd., is an importer and distributor of Italian wine based in Centerbrook, Connecticut. The Angelini brothers spent their childhood years in the farming village of San Lorenzo in Campo, within the Marche region of Italy. The family farm encompasses 200 acres of land with 5 specialized acres devoted to vineyards of Sangiovese, Vernaccia & Merlot. Relocating to New London, Connecticut in 1972, they spent the next thirteen years living and studying in the United States. They decided to abandon their engineering careers in 1986 and joined by their long time friend, Ron Plebiscito, created Angelini Wine Ltd. Angelini Wine Ltd. currently employs eighteen people of which nine are salespeople in Connecticut. The company focus has always been to provide the American consumer with authentic, good quality Italian wine from a range of very small to midsize wineries. The three partners make frequent trips to Italy where they meet with each producer and visit the vineyards and wine cellars. The personal relationship with the producers is of utmost importance to the company. Each wine is carefully selected after many tastings, which ensures the best wine for the best value.

Our goal is to work with a small selection of distributors and form solid, long term relationships. This sometimes takes longer to accomplish, but we are still young and dynamic and have our whole life ahead of us to enjoy.

Judy Blake
Peter Paul Wines

Jude Blake had the good fortune to grow up in a family where good wine and conversation about it regularly graced the family dinner table.  Premier cru Bordeaux was her father's wine of choice in the 60's, but in the 70's, Napa Valley's finest bottles found their way to the home table in St. Louis, Missouri.

In the early 80's, when Jude struck out on her own, she carried on the tradition started by her father.  Fine wine and conversation graced her tables in Minneapolis, Chicago, Zurich, Switzerland, Northern California, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she now lives.  As her knowledge and passion for wine grew, so did her personal wine cellar.  She can tell great stories about moving her wine collection across the Atlantic and back.  And she has never wavered on her desire to learn about and enjoy great wine from around the world.

Jude now pursues her wine passion as the Marketing and Events Executive for Peter Paul Wines. Proceeds from the sale of Peter Paul Wines are donated to local organizations and worthwhile causes that make life better for kids, families and the community. 

As a former corporate marketing executive, who worked for General Mills, Pepsi Cola and several players in the telecom industry, Jude is active as a Trustee of the University System of New Hampshire and serves on a multitude of committees and boards.. She is the guest lecturer on California Wine in the Beverage Management Course UNH, where she graduated with a BS in Business in 1977.  She also holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.  Beyond her role in serving the University, Jude also pursues many other philanthropic endeavors, often associated with wine. 

Jim Collins
Frei Brothers Reserve Vineyards

Benjamin Knack
Bedford Village Inn

Executive Chef, Benjamin Knack studied at New York Institute of Technology and started his career in Phoenix, Arizona at the renowned Christopher's; a four star restaurant rated as the top 20 in America. Most recently, Benjamin presided over the kitchen at The Lanam Club in Andover, MA, and has held similar positions at Sel de la Terre, L'Espalier and Beacon Hill Bistro all in Boston. "Food is more than something to eat. It brings family and friends together. It creates experiences that are memorable for a lifetime," says Knack, "I'm a very technical chef; I don't do things that are floating on your plate." These attributes landed Benjamin on the TV episode of Hell's Kitchen season 7. Of Knacks decision to compete; "I worked in physical kitchens with a bunch of French and Italian chefs who would scream, yell and throw things, so when I heard about Hell's Kitchen I said, 'I can handle that!'"

"I am pleased to join the prestigious Bedford Village Inn and look forward to imparting my culinary philosophy and skills I acquired at similar properties throughout the country to create a memorable dining experience for all our guests at the BVI. I am also anxious to create a unique children's cooking series at the Inn involving recipes I will be using in my book series." 

Knack currently resides in Medford, Massachusetts with his wife and two young daughters.

Simon Lambert
Four Restaurant

Chef Simon's cooking style is as unique as his background.  His interest in food began at home watching his Belgian mother cook everything from scratch.   He spent the summers of his youth in Quebec where he was influenced by the local cuisine.  After college Simon began working in restaurants where he gained experience with different kinds of cuisine including French, Asian, Italian and contemporary American.  He blends all of these influences with his own imagination and individuality to create the menu at Four.

Peter & Diana Merriam
Merriam Vineyards
 

Peter Merriam brings his love for living on the edge and a finely tuned sense of focus to his vineyards and winery, with passions that span from the extreme in adrenaline to the extreme in patience. An avid skier, Peter has broadened his skill to include heli-skiing — off-trail, downhill skiing accessed only by helicopter, a variation that would allow him to experience the wild, natural environs that have inspired him throughout his life. In the most extreme example of Peter's passion for the edge, he dropped 12,000 feet on Alaska's Chugach Mountain Range. At the other extreme, Peter is an accomplished fly fisherman, participating in an ancient method based on quiet patience and focus. Peter sometimes fishes for eight-hour stretches, catching only two fish within that time. "I focus on the details at a very slow speed," says Peter. Now, as a vintner, Peter is finding that the discipline, determination and singular focus that he has developed through skiing and fishing are the skills that serve him best in the vineyard. Working in the vineyards is another expression of Peter's love for nature. A natural conservationist, Peter has always been an outdoor person. It was the beauty of Sonoma County that compelled him to plant vineyards and build a winery in Russian River Valley. 

Ryan Phillips
La Bella Vita Ristorante

Jerry Prial
Gerard Wine Company

Shauna Troy
J. Lohr Vineyards

Randy Ullom
Kendall Jackson

Geoff Whitman
Medusa & Spellbound Wines