The wooden racks cradle a stellar selection of wines that even the most particular purists will cherish, but the demeanor of Dee’s Wine Stop reflects the ease and charm of its Bay View neighborhood. Deanne Wecker opened her wine store at 2327 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in February after deciding that a new endeavor was needed to replace her co-owner ship in Barossa restaurant, which closed last summer. As if owning Lee’s Luxury Lounge wasn’t enough…
What compelled you to open a wine store?
I wanted to open Bay View’s first and only wine store. The area has changed drastically since Cafe Lulu and Stone Creek Coffee opened and I thought the time was right for this type of business in my neighborhood.
Where did you acquire your knowledge of wine?
Working at Mimma’s for five years. I didn’t create the wine list with [Mimma Megna’s] daughter Maria, but I did help her set it up and learned about Italian wine under her while doing so. That was an award-winning list with 500 different wines from Italy alone.
What do you offer at Dee’s Wine Stop?
I have wine from all over the world. I have the same amount of Old World wines from classic winemaking regions in Europe as I do New World wines. People kind of gravitate toward the “Hippie Wines” section, which is fun because I showcase organic, fair trade, vegan and local wines. I also have a huge selection of wines $10.99 and under, as well as dessert wines and sparkling wines. Then I do the “Guzzler of the Month,” which is a fun, patio-pounder kind of wine. Next I’m starting a new rack called “Wine Made by Women.”
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What’s the price range of your wines?
Right now, $6.99 to $139.99, which is a 2004 Pahlmeyer Cabernet from Napa Valley.
Does Dee’s Wine Stop offer wine tasting and classes?
In the beginning I was having wine tastings here in the store and there’d be 40 people taking part in that while other people were trying to come in and shop. The art store next door closed, so I talked to the landlord and said I wanted the spot. Now I can fit 40 people in there easily and not interrupt regular business.
Tell me more about the wine tasting events.
They’re definitely going to be once a week. The first one [was] Thursday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m. It is educational, but guests aren’t sitting down in a classroom; it’s more of a social setting. We usually sample seven different wines. They get the first wine and sample it while the host talks about it. It’s $10 to $15 per person. The [last] class [was] “Napa Sonoma,” and the wines are pretty expensive, so it [was] $15, but I try to keep it right at $10. I’d rather people come in and buy wine, rather than spend all their money tasting.
Deanne Wecker | Photo by Don Rask
