THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2004

By Kathleen Deely and Nancy Tuttle , Sun Staff

WEST CONCORD.But down a winding road on the other side of Route 2 lies its less investigated, more rebellious side: West Concord. Next door, Eric Broege and Carolyn Kemp bring world-class wines and craft beers to the area at Vintages, Adventures in Wine. For four years, the husband-and-wife team have sold wines from every part of the world and thanks to their annual spring junkets to Italy, they’ve have carved a niche with Italian vintages beyond Tuscany or Chianti.

“We want to make this a destination for people. We try to find the best wines from around the world and introduce them to our customers,” said Broege, who is also an artist.

He savors the discovery as much as his customers. “I like to find an interesting grape or a winery with a level of authenticity. I like the intellectual challenge of tasting a wine and understanding it,” he said Broege. In the rear, a cheese case boasts French and Italian cheeses that can be paired with wine by the knowledgeable staff for a great party starter. Wines here range from $7 to $1,000 a bottle. The shop also has an impressive selection of ales from Belgium, England and France.
(Excerpt from article)