Wine Shop Interview: The Urban Grape

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 08-31-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring TJ Douglas, owner of The Urban Grape.

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is home to the wine shop run by TJ and his wife — and it sounds more like the destination for a squirrel than an oenophile. Yet the husband and wife team are hoping wine lovers flock to their open, welcoming store in the Boston suburb.

Located six miles west of Beantown, the village of Chestnut Hill is known for being the home of Boston College and part of the Boston Marathon. And while the affluent neighborhood may not be regarded for its wine society, The Urban Grape is hoping to change that by showing people the unintimidating side of the wine.

So unite and discover this gem of a store Bostonians! Just don’t confuse the wine with the tea. Check out our interview below the fold… Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Morro Bay Wine Seller

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 08-17-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Chris Battles, co-owner of Morro Bay Wine Seller.

Under the shadow of the massive rock that sits in the bay that the store is named after, Chris and his wife Vicky have created an amazing wine selection within a friendly and welcoming wine-buying environment.  The couple’s passion for wine started well before the two took on the challenge of running the store by themselves and was nurtured over years in the hospitality industry.

Having the advantage of one of the most picturesque backdrops wine shop owners could ask for, Chris and Vicky certainly are making full use of their location.  One of the “Nine Sisters,” the 576-foot high volcanic plug known as Morro Rock draws tourists from far and wide to enjoy the natural beauty of this once sleepy fishing town.  And with such a bounty of wine regions in proximity, it’s no surprise that oenophiles flock to the area to pleasure their palate.

Check out our interview with Chris below the fold… Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: 15 degrees C

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 08-03-2011

15 Degrees C Wine Shop Owner Ali Carscaden

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Ali Rush Carcaden, owner of 15 degrees C Wine Shop & Bar.

15 degrees C offers an amazing selection of wines — from small production Central Coast options to over 500 other selections from around the world. 15c also offers a wide selection of beer, sake, gift items and gourmet food.

Ali has been working in the wine industry for the past 8 years. She has worked for numerous wineries, including Castoro Cellars and Eberle. She graduated with a MS degree in Agriculture from Cal Poly and went to work for the Henry Wine Group as a fine wine specialist for 4 years.

Ali has completed the Advanced Certification with Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) as well as the certified exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She has also taught numerous university-level classes in addition to teaching the intensive, multi-annual, six-week-long wine education courses offered at 15c.

Check out the interview with Ali  below the fold.

Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 07-13-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Catie McIntyre Walker, owner of Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman.

The town of Walla Walla, Washington is quite similar to its name — unique.

The vast spaces on the plains of Eastern Washington indicate what a great area it is for cultivating crops. Miles and miles of wheat and corn fields show why the area supplies such a large amount of agricultural goods to the region. Yet amidst the immenseness of this breadbasket sits the town of Walla Walla, filled with art studios and tasting rooms as well as a few institutions of higher learning. Mix in the feel of the Wild West — evidenced by weekend rodeos and ten gallon hats — and you get the feeling that there is no place quite like Walla Walla.

Check out our interview with Catie below the fold… Read the rest of this entry »

Wining and Dining in San Diego

Posted by | Posted in Wine Events | Posted on 06-20-2011

The San Diego shoreline.

“San Diego. Founded by the Germans in 1906…” Even though the legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy was a bit mistaken on its history, California’s second largest city is nonetheless just as spectacular as the make-believe newsman states.

San Diego is, of course, well known for the glorious weather that attracts so many people to visit or relocate. The plentiful sunshine and numerous beaches make a compelling argument for anyone considering a move. Add in state parks, dog friendly beaches, funky beach communities, amazing coastlines and sunsets, San Diego makes for a great destination.

Yet “America’s Finest City” may not be known for another attractive feature: culinary diversity. Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Chesapeake Wine Company

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 05-18-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Mitchell Pressman, owner of Chesapeake Wine Company in Baltimore, Maryland.

Located in a hip neighborhood on the east side of Baltimore, Chesapeake Wine Company borrows its name from the Bay outside its front door. Situated on a main thoroughfare that connects the neighborhoods of East Baltimore with downtown and the famous Inner Harbor, the store certainly benefits from a prime location. And as more and more Americans and Baltimoreans choose wine as their beverage preference, Mitchell will certainly be a valued resource to help them quench their thirst.

Check out our interview with Mitchell below the fold… Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Grapes the Wine Company

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 05-04-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Daniel Posner, owner of Grapes The Wine Company in White Plains, New York.

Oenophiles love his store. Every few weeks, there’s another post on some wine message board about Daniel’s latest deal or the quality of customer service offered by his employees. His newsletter is legendary – not just for the wine specials, but also for the sport references, jokes, and no-holds-barred commentary on wine regulation.

Daniel is also very active in the online wine community – he tweets prolifically @grapestwc and comments on many wine blogs. Check out our interview below the fold…  Read the rest of this entry »

The Roots of Paso Robles

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 04-26-2011

Robert Haas explaining the terroir of Tablas Creek.

Of America’s up-and-coming wine regions, Paso Robles seems to be gaining quite a lot of recognition.

Hauling a yellow bin  filled with grapes, Justin Smith of Saxum graces the cover of Wine Spectator, reaping the benefits of having his wine named Wine of the Year. The cover story article chronicles his ascent to stardom, tracing his expertise in the vineyard and the cellar back to his days working in his father’s vineyard.

Another article in the same issue profiles other newcomer winemakers in the area, who are putting their collective thumbprint on the area’s prowess for Rhone styled wines. So while the coverage will undoubtedly bring a fair amount of recognition to the region, it begs the question: how did Paso Robles arrive at this point? That is, who laid the groundwork for this new generation of winemakers?

While there are certainly numerous entrepreneurs and innovators to thank, one of the key players in the rise of Paso Robles is Robert Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyards. How a kid from New York City came to influence an entire Californian AVA is quite an interesting story and we were lucky enough to learn about it from the man himself on a sunny Californian day amongst the vines that he first planted. Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Napa Valley Wine & Cigar

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 04-20-2011

Every other week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a wine shop owner. This week, we’re featuring Randy & Carrie Bowman, owners of Napa Valley Wine and Cigar in Napa, California. Some may wonder how it is possible to have a thriving wine shop surrounded by hundreds of wineries, but Carrie and Randy have been going strong for 12 years with no signs of stopping.

While this is their first foray into the wine industry, the couple has owned other businesses while working full time jobs — Randy as a Sergeant for the Napa Police Department and Carrie in restaurant management. The Bowmans, married for 31 years, are having the most fun they’ve ever had running the shop together. Not surprising, considering they’re surrounded by good wine all day long. Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Shop Interview: Le Tastevin

Posted by | Posted in Interviews | Posted on 04-06-2011

Each week, as regular readers know, Terroirist poses 16 questions to a winemaker. Because the series has been so popular, we’ve decided to expand on the concept and introduce bi-weekly interviews with wine shop owners. To kick off this interview series, we are starting with a relatively new wine shop, Le Tastevin. Owned by Timothy Clune and Hannah Choi, the shop is located in downtown Alexandria, a thriving Northern Virginia neighborhood right outside of Washington D.C.

Through social media we reached out to family and friends to find out where they go to find their favorite wines.  After a great response, we have a number of wine shop owners lined up for our interview series that you can check out every other week. With deference to our family, we are starting with our sister’s recommendation of a boutique shop opened by a former classmate.  So without further ado, the start of the Wine Shop Owner Interview Series… Read the rest of this entry »