• Courtesy
• The Local

A new wine and beer shop opened in Middlesex on Thursday, November 3, bringing a bit of buzz to Camp Meade's community and business hub at 961 Route 2.

The Local occupies the space most recently used as additional café seating for neighboring Red Hen Baking. It stocks Vermont beer staples and wines at various price points, highlighting producers who use sustainable practices. An attached tasting room serving small plates and wine and beer by the glass will open soon.

The Local owner Sam Rosenberg moved to Moretown from Brooklyn with his family in 2020. He fell in love with the food and event scene at Camp Meade, which is co-owned by family friend Russ Bennett.

"I wanted to do something to integrate into the community," Rosenberg said. "A wine shop felt like such a natural fit for the space and complementary to what Red Hen is already doing."

The Local's display cards are written with minimal "wine talk" to make shopping as straightforward and fun as possible, Rosenberg said. "We're going to do our best to speak in English," he added.

General manager and wine buyer Sarah Nagle hopes to guide customers to try new things, such as unfamiliar grapes or winemaking regions.

"This is a shop where somebody who lives down the street can come in and grab a super affordable bottle of wine for a weeknight dinner," Nagle said. "But it's also a shop where somebody who is really into wine can find cool and special bottles."