When you think about the most memorable places that you have visited, there is often a point during which one may think “I would love to live here” or “I would love to work here.” Most of these places are probably in exotic locales or cosmopolitan cities; however, as an oenophile (lover of wine), my dream job turned out to be just down the road.
When I first approached The Telegraph to become a wine writer, I was hoping to expose readers to unique local wine experiences that are worth seeking out. From Corks at Bedford Village Inn, to Unums and Cucina Toscana in Nashua, I have covered a diverse scope of wine experiences in a short time.
However, there was one place I knew I had to visit at some point.
Stonehedge Inn & Spa in Tyngsborough, Mass., is one place that sets itself apart as being a remarkable destination on the world wine landscape – and, yes, I did say world. Just down Daniel Webster Highway over the state line, you can find the home of the largest wine cellar in New England, which houses some of the most finely crafted bottles of wine ever produced.
It was not just the fact that Stonehedge is one of only 72 Wine Spectator Grand Award recipients in the world, or houses amazingly impressive bottles of 1945 Chateau Latour and the 1982 Bordeaux First Growths, or the 2,400-bottle wine list, or the 112,000 bottles in the cellar that drew me there.
As a person of Turkish descent, my main purpose was to find out how a Turk would come to be the proprietor of an establishment so steeped in wine.
For those of you who do not know, Turkey is a largely Muslim nation, although it has no official religion, and alcohol has been publicly frowned upon until only recently. My intent was simply to try to learn something from someone who has an amazing track record as restaurateur, wine writer and educator. I obtained far more than I bargained for.
During my initial meeting, co-owner Levent Bozkurt offered the story as to how he began to appreciate wine. As a former professional soccer player in Turkey, he would travel with his team throughout Europe for matches.
Prior to leaving for these different destinations, his father would give him a “shopping list” of different wines to pick up depending on where his team was playing. Bozkurt would then return home with the wines from the list. However, more times than not, his dad would have to correct him.
You see, as a young guy, Bozkurt did not realize the importance of selecting the appropriate vintages. Thus, although he had brought back the wines from the wineries that his father had asked, he did not bring back the desired wines.
It was only after this practical education into the complexities of wines that Bozkurt began to appreciate and seek out more knowledge. Eventually, this led to his passion for wine.
There was something about Bozkurt’s story that resonated with me after I left the initial interview. I felt that Stonehedge Inn was a passionate place with a unique story. However, due to time constraints, I would have to revisit the inn to achieve the second purpose of my visit – a tour of its prestigious wine cave. And, yes, it is actually a cave!
My second visit was another eye-opening experience, as I finally visited the wine cave. I learned that this cave is singularly home to 60,000 bottles of wine, as the rest are in cellars at the restaurant.
For any oenophile, being in the presence of such a large amount of amazing bottles of wine is nothing short of a dream. I believe it is things like this (the fact that I get revved up about bottles of wine) that Bozkurt picked up on.
Upon sitting down to speak after the visit to the cave, I quickly realized that I was not only interviewing Bozkurt, but he was interviewing me, as well. This is when “I would love to work here” became a reality, as he then offered me the newly vacant sommelier position at Stonehedge’s restaurant, Left Bank.
With my acceptance of the role being a foregone conclusion, I began to recognize the significance of this opportunity. I envision this as a mutually beneficial endeavor for you and myself.
With access to unique experiences, approaches to collecting and selecting wines, personalities and education, I hope to continue to convey practical and enjoyable information to you. (I will be continuing with my Date Night pieces, as my goal to shine light on unique wine experiences in the area.)
Most important, this opportunity also gives me the venue to do what I love – enhance experiences through wine. Quite honestly, I cannot think of a better place to do that then at the Stonehedge Inn.
I hope you continue to seek out the best wine experiences that the area has to offer and look forward to welcoming you at the Stonehedge Inn sometime soon!
Erol Senel, of Merrimack, is the owner of Senel Wine Consulting (www.senelwine.com), which specializes in personal and restaurant wine consulting, as well as the sommelier at Stonehedge Inn & Spa’s Left Bank restaurant. He can be reached at erol@senelwine.com.
