Cellar Dweller
 
Innovative Enoteca Invites Exploration

By Warren Rojas

Photography by Warren Rojas

Although our area presents plenty of opportunities to sup choice wines during after-work hours, at dinner or even alongside foreign dignitaries at embassy functions, most wine stewards would gasp at the thought of cracking open an auction-worthy Bordeaux without running a full credit check.

For Whole Foods wine team leader Walter Martley, it’s a part of everyday life. Martley oversees the new Fair Lakes Enoteca, a state-of-the-art wine tasting facility boasting 80 bottles available for sampling in 1-, 3- or 5-ounce increments.

“We want to have people come in and taste all the wines without breaking the bank,” Martley states quite matter-of-factly.

The assorted wines—currently arranged according to similar styles/flavor profiles, with blurbs listing the name, price and a staff description of each wine posted nearby—are stored in 10 temperature-controlled enomatic units which customers can access via a rechargeable tasting card (like a pre-paid credit card). Customers swipe their card, select the wine and the amount they’d like to taste, and the corresponding price is debited from the card while the automated dispenser fills their glass. Meanwhile, the wines can be enjoyed with rotating flights of cheeses (typically three pieces: mild, medium and strong, all from the same region) plus a surprise accompaniment (mixed nuts, olives, honey).

During a recent visit, the wines ranged from $1-an-ounce California sauvignon blanc to a $600 1996 Domaine de la Romanee Echezeaux ($30 per ounce; $99 for a 5-ounce glass).

“We have no qualms whatsoever about putting really expensive wines in here,” Martley asserted, pointing out that at least one enomatic unit remains dedicated to the higher-end gems plucked from the adjoining cellar.

According to Martley, many of the cellar wines are “not available for purchase [anywhere else] in Virginia,” noting that buyers are often dispatched to find hard-to-find vintages from private collections.

“People are really starting to tell their friends, ‘There are these great, rare wines,’” he said of the buzz the cellar selection has garnered from local collectors. Moreover, he stressed that Whole Foods will provide a full refund for any wine that appears to be corked—whether it was selected from the cellar or the bargain bins—that is returned to the store in a timely manner.

“We’re going to take care of the customer because that’s how we’re going to build our business,” he stated, quickly adding, “We stand behind the wines.”

Martley is already toying with the idea of introducing thematic units—featuring wines from the same region, or all the latest California cabernet sauvignons—later this summer, and noted that one unit has since been switched over to nothing but sweet wines to accommodate customer demand.

Meanwhile, management is considering plans to make the Enoteca available for private tastings during the week. Likewise, weekend congestion could be alleviated by planting satellite tasting units throughout the store.

Whole Foods Market, 4501 Market Commons Drive, Fairfax; 703-222-2058. Enoteca open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. For more information about the Enoteca, please visit: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/fairlakes

(June/July 2007)