Where the wine flows
By Frank Mustac
Describing a brand new restaurant in Fairfax City called The Wine House takes more than a few words, because the intimate seven-table space trimmed in soothing wood and enveloped in comforting earthy tones is more than an eatery, more than retail wine shop, more than a wine club, and more than a place to learn about boutique vintages from around the world.
New Zealander Michael Pearce, owner and operator of The Wine House at 3950 University Drive inside Old Town Village, has combined all of the above to create a warm and welcoming experience for anyone who loves good wine paired with light fresh handcrafted food. The restaurant opened its doors for the first time in late April.
"It's been really good," said Pearce sitting for an interview on May 9 at the restaurant he owns with his wife, Jaqueline, an Alexandria native. "We've been really lucky. The people of Fairfax have really opened their arms up to us."
"For me, this place is about good people, good times and affordable prices," said Pearce, who previously worked at wineries in both New Zealand and Napa Valley. "It's an adult place for the locals to come in and have a glass of wine."
"I didn't want a place where people would feel intimidated or threatened with formalities," he said. "I wanted a casual place. If somebody wanted to come in and have dinner in their shorts, they can."
An integral part of The Wine House is its selection of more than 500 different wines conspicuously shelved along two long walls. Instead of a wine list, Pearce and wine specialist Jennifer Rogaliner invite patrons to peruse the shelves to choose a bottle to pair with their food selected from a California-inspired menu of handcrafted dishes created by Executive Chef Kenneth C. Hughes.
"Our target market is coming to eat and drink wine as a opposed to buying wine and eat," Pearce said.
The Wine House charges the same retail price for a bottle of wine whether it is purchased to consume while dining or to take home. Twenty varieties are also available by the glass.
The Wine House also offers membership in its Epicurean Wine Club. Three wines personally selected by Pearce and Rogaliner are delivered to club members four times per year.
In addition, The Wine House holds wine tastings three times a week, on Thursdays and Fridays from 5-6 p.m., and Saturdays from 2-4 p.m.
"We open up some wine, have some fun and do some tastings," Pearce said. "You're in a nice environment. You're not in a supermarket dodging shopping carts, and you're drinking from a glass, not plastic."
"I make it an experience," he said. "People get wine that they enjoy, they meet new friends and socialize. So it's really wonderful here."