Meet the New Murphy's Wine Guy

Michael Kunz moved to Atlanta from Chicago three years ago to pursue a musical dream. Kunz took a restaurant job to pay the bills at first before following an interest in wine to a career in the wine business. The Chicago native said he received most of his education in wine from "bugging guys" at stores just like .

When he’s not helping customers pick out the perfect pairing, the lead singer records vocals and plays keyboards and guitar for the band Romeo Spike.

Patch asked the new guy on the block what got him into the industry.

Q: What is your wine expertise?

A: I was a wine consultant at Pearson’s Wine Consulting in Buckhead. Most of our business was walk-in. When you work as a wine consultant you have to have a pretty broad expertise. Much like a fashion consultant is going to find clothes that work for their body we have to find something that works for their taste. And the atmosphere is good.

Q: What's your personal favorite?

A: I prefer European, champagne and Italian red wines from Piedmont. It’s this amazing balance of being equally powerful and delicate. It’s a fun balance.

The beauty of wine is that it’s sort of artistic. It’s abstractness versus just thinking of it as grape juice.  If you look at wine in more of an ethereal and abstract sense, then food and wine are connected to your emotional response.

Q: Most requested wine?

A: The customers here are pretty broad range. You get a request for pinot grigio because it’s summertime. Pinot noir is also a bit of a seller, but it depends. The Murphy’s customer is actually fairly diverse.

Q: What do you like so far about working here?

A: I like the environment. It’s a different kind of thing. Here there’s a lot less walk-in business and a chance to sit down with the client. It’s a good, positive environment.