Free Wine Tastings Bring Life To Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe

Did you know that Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe has free tastings of local wines every day of the week?  Some locals come by daily just to see what’s being offered and to broaden their palate. 

“The tastings are so popular, they’ve given the store its life,” said Lori Carpenter, an employee of the wine shop.

The shop also features special events every Saturday with a local winery representative offering free tastings of wines. The winery representative also talks about the history of that winery and what products it offers for sale. 

Recently, the shop featured Jefferson Vineyard. 

“I think Occoquan is adorable and it’s great how there’s just a Virginia wine shop,” said Amanda Charette, Jefferson Vineyard representative.

Crab salsa, sold at the shop, was paired perfectly with the Pinot Gris, but it was the reds that stole the show.  The Meritage is a favorite among wine collectors, but the Petit Verdot was a delightful surprise and a must buy. Customers were offered 20-percent off of special ordered cases. 

Heather Massoth, a customer who attended the recent tasting event, was thrilled to find out that the shop carried many of the wines from Virginia wineries both near and far.

“I could just come in here instead of going to all those places. It saves me a trip," she said.

In 2009, owners Emil and Kim Wigode purchased Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe and gave it new life.  They changed the blue country style shop to a vibrant yellow and put in a new counter.  To replace the old garage sale dresser being used prior for tastings, they installed a full bar in the rear of the shop.  Another new addition are the paintings for sale by local artist Christopher Mize.

Some of the previous items are still intact, such as the frequent buyer punch cards provided by the old owners and still honored by new management.  However, whereas the previous shop solely sold Virginia wines and beer, the new owners have added Mid-Atlantic beers. 

The wine featured in the shop are a combination of big popular wineries and the small wineries that are hard for people to find. 

“We are trying to expand as the Virginia wine industry does,” Emil Wigode said. “As new wineries open, we try to search them out and bring them into the store.” 

Emil Wigode said he feels supportive of the smaller wineries as he understands the hardship of owning a small business.  Both owners hold primary jobs as they continue to grow their business.  Emil is a lobbyist and Kim is a teacher. 

“Our future goal is to do this fulltime and we are steadily growing to that point,” said Emil Wigode.

For a list of upcoming events visit www.olddominionwine.com or sign up for the email newsletter while you are in the store.