It can be intimidating to learn about wine. What to drink with what meal, how to drink it, and what distinguishes a good bottle of wine from a not-so-good one (if that’s even a thing) are all valid questions that a new wine shop called “Terrior — A Place For Wine,” is willing to answer.
Savvy wine enthusiast Andrew Wilt leads the new retail wine shop, formerly of Steel, Abacus, the Melrose, and Hotel Crescent Court. Wilt was also the president of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association.
His latest venture, Terrior, will feature unique and unfamiliar labels and will be located near Casa Linda Plaza in East Dallas.
“I’ve always run restaurants and been in charge of wine programs and felt like a wine shop would focus on the part I was passionate about,” Wilt tells Culturemap Dallas. “I’m hoping people will enjoy talking and learning about wine.”
While Wilt vows to stay away from mass-produced wines and those that are uber-expensive, there will be few high-end selections; Wilt says, “My goal is to do fun, interesting wines that most people can approach, that are a little less expensive.”
Wilt hopes to share wines from his native state, Washington.
“I’m from Seattle, so I do lean towards the Pacific Northwest, and I’ll also have wines from California and the major European regions,” he says. “But also wines from places like Portugal and Greece that you won’t find at a grocery store may serve as fun ways to discover new wines with names you might not know.”
The wine boutique will not be able to sell glasses of wine as it will only operate at a retail store; Terrior can offer tastings and educational series featuring wine experts.
The location will have wine barrels and wood tables made from wine crates to create an ambiance. There will be a sensory area for guests to interact with, including “apothecary jars where you can smell the different aromas of woods and grapes,” says Wilt.
Terrior — A Place for Wine will open in mid-August at 9225 Garland Rd. #2120, on the ground floor of the Reserve at White Rock Apartments. A small selection of craft beers will also be available.
“The idea is to create a relaxed space to chat about wine,” says Wilt. Nothing is intimidating about that.