Last night we had the pleasure of attending a wine dinner at The Windrift in Avalon. The Windrift, managed by Pete Compare, is the shining star of Jersey shore dining and nightlife. Recent renovations have made The Windrift a stand out in the restaurant and nightlife offerings in the region.

The wine dinner was hosted by Dick Vermeil a former NFL coach who now owns and operates along with his wife, a very popular wine brand and vineyard. The evening started with a one hour reception in the formal dining room’s bar with plenty of wine and tray served appetizers of very generous proportions. To list them all would only make me stop writing this post as the thought of how good they were would drive me to the kitchen in search of something to eat.

The reception was followed by a 7-course dinner, featuring a fish course, entrée and six wine pairings. Special guest speakers including Dick Vermeil took turns discussing the wines and each course as we ate.

Overall, the evening was memorable and very enjoyable. The staff at The Windrift was exceptional. They were very friendly and attentive. It was obvious that Pete, the general manager, is one of those rare few that understands the details of hospitality.

The Windrift has been honored with the 2009 Wine Spectator Award as having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world. This award is one of many and deservedly so.

The Windrift is right on the beach in Avalon and has many rooms which meet and satisfy many needs. You can enjoy brick oven pizza, Sushi, at either of the two Sushi bars, fine dining in the formal dining room (with its own wine room), frozen drinks on the deck while overlooking the ocean, and of course live entertainment in each area of The Windrift.

Join The Society Page at The Windrift on Memorial Day Weekend as we welcome the start of summer at this exceptional location.