Winery owners encourage palatal exploration, relaxation

 By: DONAVON CAMPBELL

The 45-foot tasting bar, the plush leather couches and chairs in one of the two lounge areas, or the rustic, Tuscan decor aren’t meant to intimidate.

At the Winery, a new wine store and bar that recently opened its doors at 8231 N. High St. north of Worthington, co-owners Dave Hunt and Shannon Carroll want nothing more than to make customers feel relaxed and comfortable.

“(We want) to leave all the pretentious stuff out the door,” Carroll said. “We’re here to help you explore your palate.”

With more than 1,400 labels currently in stock, the Winery has plenty to explore. Wines hailing from every imaginable region fill a long row of 9-foot shelves, with prices ranging from $6.99 to $300; long display tables stretching down the center of the 3,200-square-foot space are packed with hundreds more bottles.

For Hunt, a former traveling salesman originally from northern California, the Winery is a dream come true.

“Growing up (in northern California) I went to wine country all the time,” Hunt said. “I just fell in love with it and I wanted to recreate that atmosphere here in Ohio.”

A private room is available for gatherings of up to “15 comfortably,” but Carroll insists he has seen as many as 22 people crammed inside and still having a good time. Huge wine barrels also are scattered here and there around the display tables.

“They were really used in making wine,” Carroll said of the barrels, which serve as makeshift tables. “If you smell the bunghole, you can still smell the wine.”

But Hunt cautioned against such olfactory exploration.

“It just smells like old vinegar now,” he said.

Hunt, Carroll and friend R.J. Sorokash, the man both owners are quick to point out came with all the “know-how,” built almost everything in the Winery.

“We’ve got sweat equity in this place,” Carroll said. “We couldn’t afford labor costs when we were getting started.”

The pair got to know each other more than 10 years ago when Hunt was still a salesman and Carroll a bartender at T.G.I. Fridays. The Winery opened its doors two days before Thanksgiving last year; one day later, Hunt was in the hospital receiving a heart transplant.

“(The store) had been a dream of mine for 10 years,” Hunt said, “and since my heart transplant, now I’m really happy to be in a relaxed business like this.”

The owners taste 40 to 50 wines a week and said they would like to their see their stock get up to 2,000 varieties. They also want to build a fenced-in patio area for the summer and, though they currently carry a selection of cheeses and crackers, they also are looking to add organic gourmet pizza to the menu.

Still, for both Hunt and Carroll, it’s all about wine, comfort and an unencumbered atmosphere of exploration. On Thursdays, the two owners, along with sommelier Tommy Quitter, hold themed tastings that include a flight — four two-ounce pours — of wine, cheese and crackers, tasting notes and, of course, conversation.

Carroll said they will even, when possible, bring in the winemaker or distributor to add a bit of insight and authenticity to the experience. In fact, Carroll said, customers often will find the owners enjoying a few glasses right along with them.

The Winery has 32 wines available by the glass every day in eight different varieties, which can be tasted in flights as well. Sparkling wine costs $15 a flight; everything else is $12.99. There are also, at any given time, five or six artisan beers chilled and ready for consumption.

Store hours generally are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., but Carroll said doors have remained open until 1 a.m. some weekends.

For more information visit the Web site thewinerywineshop.com — still under construction but planned to be fully operational by mid-March — or call the store at 614-847-8115.

(this article appeared in the Feb. 27, 2008 issue of the Worthington News)