As a Sales Manager specializing in European wines, Rita Winkler had the benefit of traveling throughout Europe and Italy visiting vineyards and tasting wines. She soon noticed that in addition to growing grapes, many of the Italian vineyards were also now growing olives, producing and marketing their own olive oils and balsamic vinegars, which tasted better than any others Winkler ever had. Rita quickly developed an interest in olive oil and balsamic vinegars, indulging in her new passion by learning all that she could about both, sampling and collecting the best of each, and incorporating her newest finds in her diet and cooking.
But it was through her battle with breast cancer in 2003 that Winkler fully started realizing, experiencing and understanding the wide range of health benefits associated with incorporating olive oil into ones diet. While recuperating from surgery and undergoing chemotherapy, Rita focused on replenishing and keeping her body strong. She found holistic therapy in the artisanal olive oils she had collected while visiting Europe on her wine travels. She used olive oils as part of her dietary rehabilitation by taking 2 tablespoons a day and she included them in her juicing and cooking. As a result, she never had a mouth sore, her skin and hair remained soft and supple, and her metabolism significantly improved.
Fast forward 9 years and Rita's passion became reality when she opened her first Gourmet Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar & Specialty Food Boutique & Tasting Room in Greenport (New York) in April 2012. Following the quick success of her Greenport store, Rita opened up stores in Westhampton Beach in June 2012 and Southampton Village in April 2013.
In the Spring of 2015, Rita seized on the opportunity to move her shop from Main Street to 110 Front Street in Greenport overlooking Mitchell Park & Marina. To consolidate her business, following the completion of subleases, she closed both the Southampton and Westhampton locations, focusing on renovating her new Front Street location in Greenport and expanding upon the business’s core products and services as well as its online business, http://vinesandbranches.net.
In addition to the delectable selection of products the shop offers, Rita and her dedicated staff offer customized special services including: special event party favors for all special occasions, custom designed corporate gifts, a monthly club membership, hostess gifts, gift boxes & baskets. The store regularly participates in fundraisers, festivals, library seminars & community events bringing their samples and specialized knowledge of the products to an expanded geographical realm outside of Greenport....
A Celebratory Anniversary Weekend of Events – March 18th through March 20th 2016
This weekend, from March 18th through March 20th 2016, Vines & Branches will be celebrating its’ 5th Anniversary in Business and its’ first anniversary at its newest location on 110 Front Street in Greenport NY, with a Celebratory Anniversary Weekend of Events.
The weekend’s festivities include tastings and samplings from Vines & Branches’ variety of fresh, premium, extra virgin olive oils balsamic vinegars, savory olive tapenades, salsas, all natural condensed soups, sauces, pestos, spices & artisanal salts.
Tastings from Vines & Branches’ many signature recipes including: Black Truffle popcorn, ‘Scampi’ blend, blood orange and blueberry balsamic gelato and specialty dips.
Additionally, customers have the option of enjoying wines, tastings and wine pairings provided by Greenport Wines & Spirits
Among the more noteworthy of the Highlighted Events:
- A Special Cocktail Reception on Friday, March 18th from 4-6pm with Wines & Spirits provided by Greenport’s Wines & Spirits.
- Tantalizing ‘Virgin’ Cocktails made from Smart Sparkling Water, flavored with Vines & Branches’ All Natural Sweet Balsamics!
- Book sigining with John Ross, author of “Poetry in Cooking”
- Saturday, March 19th from 1-3pm – Donna Ledogar from Vino Biscotti sampling Savory Artisan Biscotti.
- On Sunday, March 20th from 12-3pm, Lily Dougherty Johnson, Owner of Lily’s Farm in Southold, New York will be offering demo’s, samplings & tastings of brunch recipes made from the farm’s organic eggs,with tasting of Vines & Branches’ “Bellini”
Additionally, guests can enjoy a number of beautiful botanical olive branch prints on display in the front of the store and provided by The South Street Gallery of Greenport. The prints are reproductions that are professionally matted and framed using conservation quality techniques and supplies.
All customers, guests as well 'first timers' are welcome to come and share the festivities, bringing old friends and new, as Vines & Branches' celebrates 5 years of serving the community and its’ 1st Year in its’ new location on Front Street!
Guests will share stories, recipes and tips as they experience the taste sensations of new products, flavors and combinations, surrounded by the beauty and intimacy of community, family and friends.
The Weekend Events, festivities, samplings and tastings are free and Open to the Public, requiring no advance reservations.
The weekend events set the stage and tone for the start of an exciting new season for Vines & Branches and Greenport as they kick off the Spring of 2016!
Vines & Branches is located on 110 Front Street, Greenport, New York.
For more information, visit their website at: http://vinesandbranches.net;
phone: 631.477.6800 or email: rita@vinesandbranches.net
MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Freedman, The Art Marketer: lisaefreedman@gmail.com; phone: 914.907.9842