APRÈS-SKI WINES
By Leslie-Ann Sheppard
Nantucket generally doesn't hold enough snow to excite most folks in search of powder, and its hills are lacking the 'vert' that is necessary to keep a snowboard in motion. Still, the occasional flakes in the air are enough to remind us skiers and snow-sport enthusiasts that it is winter, and that in many other parts of the country and world, it is time to get our kicks on the ski slopes.

I'm one of those people in search of seriously high quality snow, so I'm spending my vacation time in the Teton Valley, Idaho, home of Grand Targhee Ski Resort. It borders Teton Valley, Wyoming, home of Jackson Hole Ski Resort. This location offers some of the best snow and terrain in the world, with ultra-light 'desert' snow, much like the feathery flakes bestowed upon Utah, that awe-inspiring but not always snowboard friendly state. We have the option of the wide-open, barely-peopled Targhee, or the more 'resort' style and thrilling terrain of Jackson Hole. Both provide breathtaking scenery, and hours and hours of the best kind of exercisethe kind that provokes laughter and giant smiles with every turn into the powder.

At the end of the day, many skiers and boarders belly up to the local bar for an aprés-ski beverage. Aprés-ski is a European invention (hence the name) that has been adopted everywhere I've ever skied or snowboarded, and this covers over twelve American states and three other countries. Good ideas travel well.

Beer is very popular as an aprés-ski libation. Often, bars will feature pitchers of either a local brew or a 'blue collar special' like PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon, of course). However, this year more than ever before, I've noticed more wine glasses on the tables of the aprés-ski crowd than pitchers of beer. Perhaps people are choosing wine for its alleged health benefits? It's possible, but it seems more likely to me that folks just stick to what they drink at any other time that they choose to imbibe. Since more people have switched from cocktails or beer to wine for other occasions, the aprésski scenario is just another perfect moment to enjoy a glass of wine.

Selection though hasn't quite caught up with the trend. At the Trap Bar at Grand Targhee, I asked the bartender what he was pouring for red wine. I got the answer that I seem to be getting everywhere around these parts: Cabernet, Merlot or Shirah. Yes, Shirah. Some people have blended the words 'syrah' and 'shiraz' into the self-styled Shirah. Being a bit of a wine snob (occupational hazard), I'll ask who are the producers of these wines. The standard answer is one 'brand' for all of the 'house wines.' Mondavi, for example, or Sutter Home. The whites offered are usually Chardonnay and/or Pinot Grigio. And, yes, White Zinfandel is offered by the glass at many establishments out here in the Old West.

Perhaps I've been spoiled by the wonderful wines by the glass selections on Nantucket. In pretty much every restaurant on the island, when you ask about the wine by the glass selection, you're presented with a wide selection, and offered names of producers and even vintages on occasion. We are very fortunate.

Restaurants and bars in Jackson Hole and other larger resort areas will have a higher caliber of wines than in smaller, laid-back, mom-and-pop types of places. But sometimes, wine selection must be sacrificed in pursuit of fresh powder. Sometimes it's the little guys, serving the same wine selections for years out of tiny, goblet-like glasses that get the best snow, and the best (or least) crowds.

In the winter, I'll take these little holes-in the wall, with a glass of Shirah. It'll be predictable, it won't be 'thought provoking' but it will be fruity and smooth. Just the thing to pair with buffalo wings and fried mozzarella sticks. And after an epic day on the slopes, it can sometimes taste as good as a carefully cellared bottle from a star producer. In a moment of celebration of simple natural pleasures, sometimes the other factors elevate the wine- the view, the satisfaction of tired muscles, and the person

with whom you clink glasses. I

Leslie-Ann Sheppard is the owner of The Cellar, a seasonal wine and cheese shop on Surfside Road. The Cellar reopens in April for its fourth season.