Sea Bright, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/01/2015 --Ama Ristorante at Driftwood, the award-winning oceanfront restaurant on the Sea Bright beach, is pleased to present a totally revamped wine program with a new wine list, new specially priced monthly wines available at retail, and new monthly winemaker dinners. Additionally, Ama continues its popular Tuesday and Wednesday night specials: Half-off all bottles on the entire list on Tuesday, and half-off all wines by the glass on Wednesday.

The man behind the new wine initiatives is Ama's Beverage Director Beau Keegan, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University's renowned Culinary Arts program and his class Valedictorian. Keegan also earned his sommelier degree from L'ecole de Savignac in France. He has since worked as chef, sommelier, bartender and manager at Michelin Star-rated restaurants in the United States and France.

Earlier this year, Keegan revamped the wine list at Ama, a 90-seat, oceanfront restaurant that offers a main dining room, full bar, private dining room and seasonal el fresco deck. The restaurant, which opened in Sea Bright in 2012, is owned by the Stavola family, which also owns the adjoining Driftwood Cabana Club. The restaurant offers spectacular ocean views and sunset views over the Shrewsbury River.

Using his extensive wine and food knowledge, Keegan has compiled what is arguably the best wine list on the Jersey Shore. It features a well-balanced and progressive selection that prizes quality and sourcing and which is created precisely to compliment Ama's award-winning, Tuscan-inspired cuisine. The majority of these wines are not available in retail markets, but are offered for retail sale at Ama.

As part of the new wine program, Keegan will also select two premium wines per month, which will be available for retail sale at discounted prices. He also provides guests at Ama with insight and advice on selecting wines for their own cellars.

"Over the past 12 months as Beverage Director, I have worked to produce an award-winning and prestigious wine program," Keegan said. "I have used my close connections with the wine world, where I've acquired unrivaled access to extremely low-produced boutique wines."

Additionally, Keegan will host monthly wine tasting dinners that will include attendance by the selected vineyard's winemaker or owner. The first of these will be Tuesday, April 14 at 6:30 and will feature wines from Oddero, located in Italy's Piedmont region. One of the Oddero's winemakers - Luca Vaglio - will appear at the event.

The April 14 event will feature Barbara D'Alba, Barbaresco, Barolo and Moscato varietals, which includes the highly anticipated release of the 2010 Barolo that ranked #39 on the most recent Wine Spectator Top 100 list. A specially prepared four-course tasting menu will be created by Executive Chef Charles Lesbirel. The wine tasting dinner is $78 per person plus tax and gratuity.

Reservations are recommended by calling 732-530-9760 or by visiting amaristorante.com

About Ama Ristorante
Ama Ristorante offers an award-winning menu of both traditional and newly-imagined Tuscan inspired cuisine in a charming, elegant setting resembling a Tuscan seaside estate. There are also unique and traditional ingredient driven cocktails and a boutique wine list filled with rare, premium wines that cannot be found in a retail market.

Ama has been recognized by local and national food reviewers and earned a Zagat rating of 25 (Food), 24 (Decor), 24 (Service). Most recently Ama has been named winner of Opentable.com's "Diners' Choice 2015" and Tripadvisor's "Certificate of Excellence 2014." In the past Ama has been named "New and Notable Restaurant of 2013" by New Jersey Monthly magazine, and has been awarded the No. 1 Italian restaurant in 2013 by the readers of Monmouth Health & Life.

Regular Hours open for Dinner are Tuesday - Sunday. Closed Monday. Complimentary Valet parking. Private dining room available for up to 60 seated guests.

Mid-Week Specials - Tuesdays, 1/2 off wines by the bottle; Wednesdays, 1/2 off wines by the glass and ½ off all pasta dishes; Thursdays, $7 cocktails and free bowl of PEI Mussels with every 2+ entrées; Fridays & Saturdays, Prix Fixe 3-courses $30 5-6 p.m.; Sundays, Prix Fixe 3-course $30 and no corkage fee.

AMA at the Driftwood, Driftwood Cabana Club, 1485 Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright, NJ 07760 732-530-9760 http://amaristorante.com/ amaristorante@hotmail.com