Tabitha Arsenault

November 2025 Issue

by Lesley Kyle

Photography by Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, LLC

Tabitha Arsenault is happy to call Bluffton home. This hometown girl and her family moved from South Jersey to Bluffton when she was 15 years old. “Watching the island grow and change over the years has been incredible,” said Tabitha. “Some things have stayed the same, like the close-knit community, while others have evolved with development and growth.”

Tabitha is one of four siblings: sister Janice, and brothers Nick and Jimmy. Tabitha’s family has always remained close, and she got Nick his job at the same company where she currently works. Jimmy, just 22 months younger than Tabitha, used to work with his big sister at Red Fish Restaurant in Hilton Head. “Red Fish is the only restaurant I ever worked at, and it has shaped my life,” mused Tabitha. “I became more knowledgeable about food and wine, and it gave me exquisite and expensive taste when dining out.”

Several former Red Fish co-workers remain friends, including her sister-in-law, who introduced her to her husband, Corey. She sent Tabitha to the airport to fetch him, and they’ve now been married for 17 years. They share two children: son, Cayden, and daughter, McKinley. She also loves being Aunt Tabby to six nieces and a nephew. 


Tabitha worked her way through college at Red Fish, earning a degree in early childhood education with a minor in business. During her tenure, she learned how to thrive under pressure, juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, and stay organized in a fast-paced environment, all skills she has depended on throughout her career. She became interested in wines, met many industry people, and soon began a career in wine sales. “The transition from server to wholesale wine rep happened organically,” said Tabitha. “I’ve always loved wine and wanted to learn more about it.” She started working with a small distributor repping a limited portfolio. About a year later, a sales representative from another distributor mentioned an opening at Republic National Distributing Company, one of the largest wholesale distributors in the nation. Tabitha landed the job, has been with RNDC now for 15 years. Ironically, the sales rep who recruited her is now her boss.

An early riser, Tabitha tends to her family and then hits the ground running to manage her busy schedule. “As I got further into the industry, I realized I wanted a career with more flexibility —especially since I wanted to start a family,” she said. Wholesale wine sales offers variety with no two days being alike. One of the best parts of her job is the relationships she has built with local restauranteurs and business owners. And extra exciting days include working with winery supplier representatives who come to the market to gain insight regarding their brands locally. The Lowcountry is one of the larger wine markets for South Carolina.

As tourism slows, autumn turns up the pace for exclusive wine tastings and dinners. “There’s definitely a sales side to what I do,” Tabitha explained. With literally thousands of wine brands from all over the world, the competition is fierce. Each distributor only has rights to certain brands, and wine reps have to make sure their best brands are getting the play suppliers require. After all, it is sales, and quotas have to be met.

“Being around wine and spirits all day may sound glamorous, but it’s not always as fancy as it seems!” She revealed. Tabby might be wearing a a nice dress tasting wines for a new wine list, for example, but if a delivery truck breaks down en route to an account, she jumps in to rescue the product. She will hop aboard the truck in her dress to help the driver unload the order because the delivery still needs to be made—even if it’s in her personal car.

Another fun part of Tabitha’s job is getting to discuss and educate people about a variety of wines. There is so much to learn, and wine enthusiasts enjoying hearing stories and learning about the many facets of the agricultural art of winemaking. However, there is no one answer to the question: What is the best wine?

Tabitha’s best advice: “Drink what you like; everyone’s palate is different! Don’t shy away from trying new varietals. There are so many incredible wines beyond the more common chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.” Some may be surprised how well a light red may pair with seafood, for example.

While traditional pairings such as white wine with fish work well, Tabitha encourages wine lovers to throw out so-called traditional rules. “Don’t be constrained by rules that may not suit your tastes. Try different wines, keep an open mind, and let your taste guide you.”

A planner at heart, Tabitha loves to travel, as there is one outing or another on the family’s calendar at all times. And with pro-football in full swing, the Arsenault home is a house divided between the New England Patriots for the boys and the Philadelphia Eagles for the girls. They all love it, but Tabby is a die-hard Eagles fan! Just between us, she is planning a surprise trip for the children to attend their first NFL game. Shhh— don’t tell them! Whether it will be to the Patriots or Eagles, no-one knows, but we’re betting on the Eagles!

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Up Close:

Guilty Pleasure:
Getting lost in a good book. She’s on her 40th read this year!

Secret Skill:
Her green thumb, which she uses in her vegetable garden.

Favorite Cuisine:
Authentic Italian, a family favorite.

Best Unknown Wine:
Pinot Bianco. “It’s elegant, crisp, well-balanced—perfect for people who enjoy lighter, white wines.