Wine Warehouse

Wine Warehouse at 99 West Fairbanks in Winter Park held a wine tasting event where 3 French wineries were flown in to offer samples of their unique wines. I arrived about an half hour early and spoke with Glen Menderos who is the owner of the store. His establishment is small and intimate offering select wines for discriminating costumers. He said the local papers tend to only talk about the huge wine stores in town, but he prefers to offer a more one on one exchange with his clients. His 2 English Bulldogs stay with him in the store and they are content to lounge behind the counter on a large pillow under a table and then excitedly greet costumers when the costumers kneel down to pet them.

Several people expressed an interest in my sketch. Terry pulled a fast one by coaching someone to walk up to me and ask the one question the I can not tolerate when I am sketching, a woman asked “Are you an artist”. I never just want to reply “Yes” I prefer to say I am a plumber, electrician or delivery boy, lately I just say “I am a blogger.” I want to shout out “Well, I am holding a sketchbook and painting in it with a paintbrush, what else could I be?!” I noticed Terry laughing and then the woman next to me laughed. Flushed I decided I needed a glass of wine.

When I finished my sketch I joined Terry and Caroline and asked what wine they had liked so far. Caroline suggested the white wine grown by Claude Jordan from Langeudoc, France. The person behind the taste counter showed me pictures of the vineyard which is right on the Mediterranean and she said the breezes off the water offered a one of a kind growing environment. The white wine was sweet and delicious. It didn’t have the bitter sharp taste I get from most whites I drink. While I was sketching her purse managed to bump a bottle off of the counter and it shattered on the floor. So we ended up getting a whole box of wine out of guilt.