This delightful cafe has a wonderful menu of items including six different Wine Filghts ranging from Rieslings and Gwurtraminers to Merlots and Cabernets. The food menu also includes sinfully rich Tiramisu Cocktails and Expresso Granitas...

In recent years, how have you seen the understanding of wine change? I think everybody these days is becoming more and more knowledgable about wine. It probaby has a lot to do with the World Wide Web and that people are researching items more than they used to. The average Chardonnay drinker these days is looking for something a little more different than a traditional Chardonnay. Now they’re buying great varietals such as Marsanne and Roussanne. And some lesser know varietals that they’re starting to discover. Between the World Wide Web, the Wine Spectator, and other publications people are excited to be researching and trying new varietals.

Bob Matthews Wine Director for Dean & Deluca Charlotte, North Carolina

How do you seen the evolution of wine rooms and wine bars? I think that when people go out, if they’re going to spend $7 to $9 on a glass of wine, they want something that’s high-quality and fresh, and not something that’s been open for two days behind the bar. They’re more educated and their expectation level is a lot higher than it used to be. For that purpose, we try to give them a top notch product every time. Everybody, in general, is looking for a better quality wine, and at a better price.

Tell us a little about Dean & Deluca’s growth in the Carolinas.

We’ve gotten serious about our wine program here and started tackling it about 6 months ago. The Wine Room is the 3rd Dean & Deluca location in Charlotte. We’re planing to open a 4th store up at the Lake [Norman] in September and then our fifth store downtown. So we’ll be five stores strong by the end of the year.

What will be Dean & Deluca’s Focus? We’re focusing on California wines. We’re going to be the specialists in this market. We have another store that’s located in the heart of Napa Valley that has a pure California selection as well. Where we’re headed as a company in our wine program is that we’re going to start piggybacking orders that they take on the west coast and deliver them straight to us here on the east coast and start distribution on this side. We going to start seeing a lot of labels and a lot of brands that are strictly for the Dean & Deluca stores, where we buy up an enitre allocation to distribute out to the public. If you’re going to be a specialist in California wines, you’ve got to go after the brands that nobody else has. Charlotte will become our east coast hub, our main distribution channel for the stores along the east coast.   Any recomendations for the novice wine drinker? Come on into the wine room and let’s taste! The White Zinfandel of today is the Chardonnay drinker of tomorrow is the Viognier drinker of the next day. Everybody has to start somewhere with the basic foundation of understainding and appreciation of the wine. We try not to get caught up in the “what’s good” and “what’s bad” of wine. Everybody’s palette is tasting at a very subjective level. I like to bring the novice in here and maybe it's a sip of White Zinfandel or a sip of a basic Pinot or basic Cabernet, but in any case be able to show them different styles of wine and wine- making side by side...

Phillips Place Court, Charlotte, North Carolina

Do you plan to have any wine-education courses?

We’ll start getting involved in classes and tasting groups in a couple of months. We’ve had a lot of interest in this.

What’s your favorite wine right now?

I’m a big fan of Girard estates. They are doing some blockbuster Cabernets. They’ve got about 45 acres in the heart of Napa Valley and in the next two years Girard will be changing over to Rudd estates. They may double in price in the high end of their Carbernets, but what their trying to do in their vineyards is unbelieveable, right now.

HBA would like to thank Bob Matthews for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us!

For those of you lucky enough to be in the Charlotte area, we highly recommend a visit to this wonderful wine room and cafe.

HBA Recommendations for the Wine Maker: Click on the name to order now!

Pinot Noir - Vintners Reserve - Red : Pinot Noir embodies complexity and delicacy at the same time, outpouring with elaborate flavors that may be simply ravishing. Yet the Pinot Noir grape is well-known for its fickleness and genetic changeability, making it a truly challenging varietal for winemakers to master.

Pinot Chardonnay - Vintners Reserve - White: Chardonnay comes from the finest white grape variety in the world, the green-skinned European vinifera grape. This is the grape that French winemakers transform into the great White Burgundy wines. North American chardonnays are growing in popularity and increasingly winning recognition the world over.

Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintners Reserve - Red: Cabernet Sauvignon is rightfully respected as the "King of Red Grapes." Originating in the Medoc region of France, Cabernet was introduced in California before the 1880's and has since become the best known varietal produced in the U.S.

Sauvignon Blanc - Vintners Reserve - White: Sauvignon Blanc is a versatile, generously-flavored grape that the French winemakers have lovingly exploited for generations as a natural companion to good food. Also called Fumé Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes said to be more popular with experienced wine lovers because of its pronounced flavors.Yet there are so many styles of this varietal available that even newcomers to wines can find a Sauvignon Blanc to love.

Concentrate Winemaking System: Includes:Two 5 gallon glass carboys, Carboy Brush, 6.5 gallon food-grade plastic bucket w/lid and spigot, #6.5 drilled stopper, #2 drilled stopper, Airlock (fermentation lock), 24" racking cane, 5' x 3/8" tubing, 3' x 3/8" tubing, tub of B-Brite (Sanitizer/Cleaner), Bottle Filler, Triple Scale Hydrometer, Winemaking, "The Concentrate Method"

Recommended Reading: First Steps in Winemaking by C.J.J. Berry

The publisher, Trans-Atlantic Publications , June 15, 1999 The Definitive Winemaking Primer More than three million beginners have been happily launched into the fascinating hobby of winemaking by the previous editions of this practical little book, the phenomenal success of which has made it the accepted introduction to the craft. This new, completely updated edition sets out some 130 detailed recipes, all arranged in the months best for their making, so you can pursue winemaking year round.

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