For as long as I can remember, food and cooking have been a passion of mine. All the way back to age 7 when I almost set the kitchen on fire while attempting a Bananas Foster (with adult supervision of course). And then in my early 20’s I met wine. My relationship with wine was never bingeful, but one of respect and curiosity. If we wanted to throw ’em back at a college party with friends, well we had beer for that. Wine had an air about it that seemed to demand a certain level of respect.

Although, like many who walk into a wine store, I felt challenged and overwhelmed. A visit to the wine store would always result in me leaving with my usual go-to’s like Beringer White Zinfandel or a cheap California Chardonnay. Steak on the grill? Estancia Pinot Noir. Now I am not saying that any of these are bad wines, they just literally were the only ones I drank or knew anything about. Everything else was a mystery, in my mind, reserved for those with gravitas and sophistication. The “wine snob” in other words, or so I thought. But you don’t have to be a snob to enjoy, appreciate and learn more about wine.

I came to realize that learning more about and truly growing to appreciate wine would be a journey. As I started to explore, I began to learn certain wines would go great with certain foods, but I still hadn’t the faintest idea what the hell Sangiovese was, much less a Gewurztra-what?? The handy “red-with-meat, white-with-fish magnet” on the fridge was my guide. Man would I be in for many surprises. As an aside, my dad is a big fan of Gewurtztraminer, but his efforts to pronounce it makes the both of us laugh every time!

Nobody is born an expert, and my passion for wine was born out of curiosity and a willingness to start learning more about the breadth and depth of wine at a shop tucked away in a then-quiet corner of Northern Virginia. In 2006 Jackie and I stumbled upon our place at The Curious Grape, a wine store in Shirlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. It was there that we found the compass we needed to explore the world of wine. At first somewhat intimidating, that cozy and oh-so-friendly shop became an escape, a challenge, and a comfortable academy of wine all wrapped into one of the most welcoming and unpretentious shops one could ever imagine. It showed us that you can enjoy and learn about wine without the snobbery.

“The Grape”, as we called it, offered tastings of wines I had never heard of, seminars with wine and cheeses from regions in Europe I had only dreamed of one day visiting. Each subsequent visit revealed to me what I had really wanted in wine; a culinary adventure.  I was completely fascinated with it all. I still am fascinated. Sadly our favorite little store is no longer there, but The Grape inspired us and formed my philosophy on wine: make wine approachable and make it an experience. 

There is no such thing as a dumb question, there is not always a “right answer,” and everyone tastes wine differently. It’s hard to see, smell, sip and savor your wine when one’s nose is turned up at others, right?

Wine truly is an experience for everyone to enjoy. A bottle of wine can transport you, whether it be flying economy to Italy with an affordable but delicious Chianti Riserva or Montepulciano, or cruising in a G650 to Bordeaux with a Château Lafite Rothschild, Petrus, or Chateau Margaux. (Okay, so I’ve never flown in a G650, or had the chance to enjoy a Petrus but please bear with the metaphor.) The aromas and flavors harnessed in each bottle take you right to that bottle’s birthplace. Wine can also be a time machine. It can take you to back to your first date, holidays and gatherings with family, your wedding, honeymoon or anniversary and everything in between.

Each bottle has a story to tell. It is filled with the heart of the winemaker and the soul of the terroir, or the natural environment in which the grapes are grown. It is the end product of a backbreaking work, art, science, luck, and whatever Mother Nature can throw at the vines that growing season. With so much in each bottle, I argue there is no room for pretense in wine, only respect.

So it is with respect that we continue our journey. Thank you again for visiting our site, and we hope to be a part of your wine journey. If after reading this you have questions, please send them our way. Let us know what you’re interested in and how we can help as you explore wine, whiskey and food. -EZ