Meet the Wine Guys

Bob Eppich, Owner

I started my "Lifelong Love Affair With Wine" in the fall of 1980 while taking the class Geography 275 during my senior year at Miami University. The "Geography of Wine" class was taught by the passionate professor and wine enthusiast, John Dome. I walked into the classroom that first Monday evening and on the screen was the beginning of a cartoon slide show. The first slide showed a happy couple with a bottle of wine that was spewing hearts everywhere. When all the students had quieted down and the class began, the first thing out of Professor Dome's mouth was "Tonight, you will start your lifelong love affair with wine".

I am not sure how many of the other students in the class that night still care about or still drink wine but for 27 years I have. Sure, wine is a beverage one can ocasionally drink and leave it at that. However, for me, the first sip of the first wine I tasted that night launched me on a lifelong odyssey to learn as much as I could about the fruit of the gods.

I bought my store in 1997 and took over on January 5th, 1998. The tenth anniversary of my ownership of this business is coming up soon and looking back I know I am so lucky to have the opportunity to make a living in an industry I am so crazy about.

I want to share my education, excitement and enthusiasm so come by the shop, introduce yourself and I can start you on the way to your "Lifelong Love Affair With Wine".

Patrick Kohn

Although it may seem that I would be a bit of a greenhorn when it comes to the wonderful world of wine I have been steadily honing my knowledge, and concomittantly, my love, of wine over the past five years. I guess I could say it all began on a crisp autumnal afternoon when I attended my very first wine tasting as a result of my part time job at a liquor store while in college. Having only tasted perhaps a dozen wines at that point I was overwhelmed and overjoyed at the prospect of many times that amount, and all in one place!. It was at this point I realized that I was only scratching the surface in terms of different smells, tastes and colors of the sublime beverage that is wine.

I love wine. Why, you ask? Simply put, hedonistically, wine satisfies like few potent potables do. Personally, I love a nice jammy Zinfandel blend. Big fruit, but with the complexiteies that Cab, Petite Sryah, Cinsault or any other grape can expand the dimensions of the wines character. Of course, a bit of a dilletante, I would never limit myself only to this option. On warm summer evenings I prefer the refreshing fruit and creamy butter of a of oaked chardonnay (Thank goodness for malolactic fermentation!). In all honesty I haven't really found a bottle of wine yet that I haven't enjoyed on some level (unless, of course, it's corked), and I like to tell people my real favorite bottle of wine is the next one. In Vino Veritas!

So, in the words of the late Rod Roddy, "Come on Down" to our one of a kind store and tell us what you love about wine and see what we can do to fulfill all of your needs whether it's a gift, a party, or just a relaxing evening for one. I also consider myself somewhat of a beer nerd, so if a mug of quality suds is what you're after do yourself a favor and stop on by.