‘A PERFECT
PAIRING’ THE ZUCKERS EXPAND INTO PORTERS NECK by LYNDA VAN KUREN photo by MEGAN DEITZ
10
WILMA
AUGUST 2021
F
or SUSAN and DOUG ZUCKER, co-owners of Bridgewater Wines + Dines, wine is more than a beverage for special occasions. It is an integral part of a meal, as essential as a protein or vegetable. “Wine ties everything together and brings that social piece to a meal,” says DOUG ZUCKER. “We want people to think of wine as part of their life.” It’s this philosophy the couple is spreading throughout the Wilmington area, first with their Leland wine shop, 1132 New Pointe Boulevard, and now with their second one in Porters Neck, 178 Porters Neck Road. The wine shops are more than second careers for the Zuckers. They are the culmination of a dream, one the Zuckers have long prepared for.
Doug Zucker has more than twenty years of experience in the wine business, having served as the director of operations for Stew Leonard’s, the well-known wine and food emporium, in three states. While there, he met with winemakers the world over, which makes it easy for him to stock his stores with wines that have wide appeal. He also has a master’s degree in business administration from the Bordeaux School of Management in Bordeaux, France. SUSAN ZUCKER, who heads up the food part of the shops, also has a wealth of knowledge and experience. She has worked in numerous restaurants, and she taught culinary arts at CUNY Queens College and at the high school level. “We are the perfect pairing,” Susan Zucker says. “He does the wine, and I do the food.” The Zuckers’ wine shops serve everyone from the wine novice to the
