In Spain, the wine makers built fires from dried grape vines, and he ate fresh roasted lamb chops in the fields. In Bordeaux, he tasted 200 wines a day, and then relaxed with the winemakers’ families in the evening and drank wine with dinner. Jim Nejaime lives in Richmond with his wife and three daughters. He and his family own wine and cheese cellars and other retail businesses across South County.
Nejaime’s father moved to the Berkshires from Connecticut in 1962, he said, and bought the Stockbridge Center Market. Nejaime grew up in retail. His mother and a sister run a travel agency, Nejaime’s VIP Travel Inc. A second sister and her husband own J. Berger’s Deli, in Lenox and at Guido’s.
Nejaime’s third sister works with him and his brother in the wine cellars. After college, Nejaime worked in finance in Boston, and disliked it. He gave free reign to a passion for wine and food, and opened the Stockbridge Wine Cellar. He expanded it with his brother, and his sister came in as personnel/marketing director. She had been a food service broker.
The Stockbridge Wine Cellar moved across the street, to a larger location by the Lee Bank. Nejaime opened a Lenox Wine Cellar in downtown Lenox, and later moved it to its current location on Main Street. He and his family started a second Lenox Wine Cellar on Holmes Road, at the Lenox-Pittsfield town line. They have been in the business 22 years. They work with 25 associates, who average 12 to 15 years with them. Some have been there for 21.
In one morning, Nejaime said, he had tasted 20 Italian wines. He would bring maybe one of them into the store. He has 5,000 different wines on his shelves. He and his associates have tasted maybe five times as many.
They search out wines all over the world, Nejaime said. They travel, looking for wines that are affordable — $8 to $15 a bottle — and delicious. That is the fun part, and the challenge, he said. It is easy to spend a lot for a good bottle of wine. He and his brother and associates, including his cousin George, have travelled to California, and to Italy, Spain, France. The European countries are very hospitable, he said, because it is often hard for them to break into U.S. market.
He was recently Bordeaux, tasting wine futures. “When you buy wine,†he explained, “wine made from the 2000 vintage will not appear on the shelves until 2003.†Wine retailers will taste the vintage after it has vinified, but before it is completed. They will make a judgment on its quality and pre-sell it to customers at a discount. They have to know what they are doing, he said, since the customers rely on their judgment — but this makes it exciting.
Nejaime is also looking at newer wine markets: Chile, Argentina, South Africa, the south of France, Australia. Australian Sheraz, named for the grape it is made of, is becoming very popular. France makes Sheraz wine in the Rhône, but there it is by the name of the region where it is made. California also makes Sheraz now, because some California wineries have hired Australian wine makers.
Australia can produce such consistently good wine so cheaply, Nejaime said: $5.99 for a very good Chardonay. California does not have the benefits of cheaper labor and supplies. “In some industries, if your suppliers get expensive, you get locked in and have to raise prices,†he said. With wine, as something gets expensive [California Cabernets have, for example] he can fill in with a less expensive but equally good vintage — “as long as you explore. If you enjoy it. If you buy and sell what you love.â€
Nejaime’s Wine and Cheese Cellars also do some special things for customers. They have built and provided cellaring that people can rent for a nominal fee, Nejaime said. People who have no storage space at home can keep a small cache of wine.
They also run a a program like a Christmas club: people who want to build a small store of wine, and do not have time to stop by the store every couple of weeks, can set aside a small budget. The Nejaimes will put aside a few bottles of interesting wines in the right price range, when they come in. They also write up notes about serving each wine. By the end of the year, they will have three or six cases, or however much they specified, of different wines.
Nejaime said he is lucky that customers have responded. He is also lucky that Massachusetts, unlike Connecticut and New York, allows the sale of alcohol and food together. Nejaime also sells cheeses and fine foods. He buys many good local cheeses, he said: Berkshire blue cheese, Monterey chevre, Sheep Herding Company in Old Chatham N.Y., raw milk cheeses in Hubbardston and Westfield.
In Richmond, Hilltop Orchards now makes local wines. West County Cider in Colrain has just received some national press, and is having a hard time keeping up with demand. The local vines here are not wine grapes, and the Berkshire has too cool a climate for much wine making, he said. But sometimes people bring homemade wine into the Nejaimes’ wine tastings. They have tastings monthly at the wine cellars, sometimes to benefit local organizations.
They also love finding wine to match foods, Nejaime said. They just matched a menu for the Williams College Faculty Club. Every fall they host a harvest dinner with a local restaurant. They ask the chef to prepare a menu, and match wines with each course. They have done this for 21 years.
When he talks about his job, Nejaime said, people often tell him it does not sound like work. Retail means a lot of hours. The shop is open six days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. They spread out the hours among the staff, so no one does too much, he said. And tasting 200 kinds of wine in a day is, in fact, exhausting. But Nejaime said his job is a lot of fun. And he lives in a beautiful area.
“The people in the business, from growers to vintners to importers— 99 percent love it,†he said. “They love good things: music, art, good food ... They enjoy things in life.â€
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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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