Raising a Glass for the Library

Taking the edge off winter's chill, customers walked into Ancona's Wines & Liquors on Saturday to sample a few bottles of wine and a bit of holiday cheer - all for a good cause.

The wine tasting was held as a benefit for the Wilton Library, donating part of the profits from the sale of wines at the event to the library.

With a background of holiday music and the store's windows decked out with blazing blue snowflakes, shoppers milled around, glasses in hand, discussing each wine or wandering over to the shelves to choose a bottle for their holiday table.

"We'd like it to be an annual event," said Michael Crystal, who presided over the wine tasting at the shop.

Crystal is a longtime friend of Mitch Ancona, the shop's owner, and his wife works for the Wilton Library. It seemed like a perfect fit.

"We kicked around the idea of me coming in and doing wine tastings," said Crystal. "So all the stars and moons sort of aligned and we did it. But for me, it's just a hobby."

Four wines were selected and presented for tasting: a Sauvignon Blanc from California, a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir from France, and an Italian blend from Tuscany with three different kinds of grapes, Sangiovese, Merlot and Syrah.

"It's nice, it supports the library," said Barbara Meehan of the event. "It's just nice to get out in the evening."

"It's a great idea and a really creative way for the library to raise money," said Diane Stisser. "Especially on a Saturday and especially during the holidays."

As the event wound down, Crystal estimated that they'd sold about seven cases - over 80 bottles - of wine during the day.

"People have come in specifically knowing that it was for the library, which is great," he said. "To think that people are responding in that way to the library's need is wonderful."