Sediment & Sentiment, founded by sommelier Jessica Green and writer and communications consultant Rachel Bosworth, is a business committed to connecting wine drinkers to makers through blind wine tasting and wine education events, and S&S blind tasting kits and subscription boxes. Focusing on biodynamic wines, S&S is passionate about making wine experiences inclusive, diverse, educational, environmentally-friendly, and fun.
Bosworth and Green have both worked in the wine industry, beginning in tasting rooms on the North Fork. Green continued her passion and experience by working harvest in New York vineyards, managing tasting rooms and wine clubs, developing corporate beverage programs, managing staff training, event support, wine buying, wine list curation, and retail ownership — complemented by education with Sommelier Society of America and Court of Masters Sommelier. Green bought Down the Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique in Sayville in 2018, shifting the shop’s focus to natural, organic, and biodynamic wines.
Bosworth, who studied advertising and marketing communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology, went onto open her own boutique communications firm, RB Collaborative, with a focus on nonprofits and small businesses, including wineries, wine shops, and restaurants. She has also worked as a journalist for East End publications. Her experience as a journalist, while also working with environmental nonprofits, has deepened her commitment to storytelling and sustainability both in life and business.
It became a natural next step for the pair to found S&S. We caught up with Green and Bosworth to learn more.
Congratulations on the launch of Sediment & Sentiment! Can you tell us a little about each of your backgrounds and how the two of you met?
Rachel Bosworth: We’ve been best friends now for 20 years, which is pretty amazing… and unbelievable that much time has gone by! We met in high school, and have worked at North Fork wineries and restaurants together over the years. Jessica continued her career in wine, earning certificates with Sommelier Society of America and Court of Master Sommelier, eventually becoming a wine consultant and buying Down the Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique in Sayville. She’s made a name for herself focusing on biodynamic, organic, and natural wines. It’s been incredible to watch! I studied communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and launched my own public relations and marketing firm, RB Collaborative, with a focus on small businesses and nonprofits, particularly those in the environmental space. We’ve combined our individual expertise to create Sediment & Sentiment, which is a combination of both of our passions. It’s something we’ve talked about for a while, and it’s been a fun journey exploring this venture together.
Your goal is to connect wine drinkers to makers through storytelling, while making wine experiences inclusive, diverse, educational, environmentally-friendly, and fun. Tell us more about the concept.
Jessica Green: Admittedly, wine can be a very intimidating space. Within my shop, it’s always been important for me to share what I know in an open, inviting way, and instill a sense of confidence in my customers. With Sediment & Sentiment, we want people to walk into a wine shop or restaurant and feel confident in what they’re ordering. We do this primarily through our signature subscription box, curated in collaboration with Down the Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique. The blind wine tasting kit is another product that invites people to explore wines without judgment, while also having fun. Rachel and I used to do blind wine tastings when we first started in the industry, wrapping bottles for each other to see if we could guess what we were drinking. We did this just for fun! Now, we figured there was a way to bring this to others to learn something new at the same time. Wine is for everyone — and it should be enjoyed together.
Talk about the name Sediment & Sentiment and the meaning behind it.
JG: The name is really a combination of our passions. Sediment is what’s left at the bottom of a bottle or in a glass, and it’s always questioned. What is it? Why is it there? Can I drink it? By talking about unique wines, particularly those made in the ancestral style of winemaking, we can answer these questions while instilling a sense of confidence in consumers. We think it’s important to highlight this type of winemaking as it is all encompassing. Many of these wines are from vineyards where diversity is part of their core values, which is something that’s very important to us as a company. Every hand that touches the land or the grapes is valued equally and is important to the process.
RB: Sentiment is a nod to the things that are most important to us, both in life and in business. We want to focus on what’s good for the environment and for people, and we do this through storytelling. By sharing the stories of the people that make these wines, what they’re passionate about and why they do what they do, we help deepen the connection between wine drinkers and makers.
Can you describe the importance of focusing on sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines?
RB: People care so much about what they’re eating, putting on their skin, the clothes they wear… the same should be said for wine. These wines are often presented in their most authentic form, showcasing the varietal without manipulation while considering the environment and its people. The thought and care put into producing these wines really makes them stand out. It’s a similar concept to knowing your farmer, for winemakers are farmers, after all.
What is included in some of your signature products like your S&S blind tasting kits and subscription boxes?
JG: Our signature subscription box includes three bottles of wine from Down the Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique paired with three wine cards with varietal characteristics and facts, and stories on the producers of these specific wines. We want people to really feel connected to what they’re drinking and why. It’s a quarterly subscription that also includes a luxury wine tool and access to members-only resources on our website. It’s educational, but really fun at the same time!
RB: The custom-curated S&S blind wine tasting kit allows you to discover wines without judgment. Each kit includes a detailed instruction card, three reusable burlap wine bags to enclose your wines, notepad with 25 blind wine tasting worksheets, pencil, and access to the members-only wine glossary. It’s definitely more advanced than what we used to do back in the day! And just a lot of fun.
There are so many to choose from, but do you have any favorite East End wines?
JG: Definitely a tough question! But right now, I’m really enjoying the As If “Gratitude” Pet-Nat by Alie Shaper at Chronicle Wines. Pet-Nats are among my favorite styles, and this one is particularly interesting for the North Fork.
RB: I’m always a fan of bubbles, and on the North Fork often find myself sipping the sparkling Pinot Blanc at Lieb Cellars.
Any upcoming events that we should know about?
JG: We’re super excited for an event at Chronicle Wines in Peconic — Exploring Sparkling Wines. On Friday, December 2, at 6 PM, we’ll pour a three-wine tasting flight featuring the As If “Gratitude” Pet-Nat, a Lambrusco from Italy, and a Cava from Spain. Guests will have a chance to taste just a few different styles from around the globe, while I guide them through the tasting and how to identify each of these styles. It should be a lot of fun and a chance for people to explore some new wines. After the tasting, we’ll all enjoy a glass of the As If “Gratitude.”
RB: We will also offer guests our December curated subscription box featuring a bottle of each of the three wines, wine varietal education cards, and a luxury wine tool. These can be picked up at the event, though we strongly encourage people to purchase in advance at sedimentandsentiment.com.
