Wine Shop Opens in Avondale Estates: The Little Wine Shop

So I'm finally moved out of my old office, and tomorrow is move-in day for the new one. Yes, I think I'll need a nice bottle of wine to celebrate. Thanks for your patience, and look for more frequent updates from now on...

Eco friendly canvas wine bag:



I'd be excited about The Little Wine Shop opening in Avondale Estates even if it wasn't selling my favorite beverage. After years of stalled development and depressing empty storefronts, it's a welcome, vibrant addition to College Avenue. Hubby and I were invited to the sneak peek in September, where we got a taste of the good things to come.

Previously a gallery, the space now occupied by The Little Wine Shop immediately invites you in with its warm wood, but also appears larger due to the high ceilings and openness. The selection of wine doesn't hurt, either. Owner Rebecca Hadj-Taieb and Wine Guru and CSW Marty Shaver aim to sell good wine at affordable prices. They carry three hundred labels, forty percent of which are in the $10-$13 price range, and thirty percent between $13 and $18. Sure, there are more expensive bottles for special occasion, but this is a great place to stop by for a bottle – or case – on the way home from work.

Wine newbies need not fear. Although the boutique aims to be a "cute little place" like in NY, Hadj-Taieb promises that it's "not uppity," and my (and others') experience with Shaver has been that he's helpful and not at all snobby. He seems to enjoy talking about wine as much as I enjoy drinking it! In other words, the atmosphere is just as one would hope to find in a neighborhood shop.


Marty Shaver is ready to serve the wine, bread, and cheese.

The selections that Shaver had open for the sneak peek event impressed me. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised that he'd gone past the typical white varietals to pick an Austrian white for the first pour. The 2008 Domäne Wachau Federspiel "Terrasen" Gruner Veltliner had green apple and pear on the nose, and citrus going to mineral for a nice finish.

The reds were equally as interesting and good:

Domaine Des Meurgets Bourgogne (Burgundy, France, imported by Scott Levy):
Yep, Burgundy is the French Pinot Noir, and this one had smooth texture balanced with bright fruit on the palate and a pepper bite at the end. I found it to be very cheese-friendly.

2008 Don Nicanor Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina):
Gorgeous dark color. Smooth and dark on the palate with hints of chocolate and tobacco. This was probably the most expensive wine poured that night at around $18, but it would make a nice Sunday dinner bottle with a roast or steak.

Other good-to-know facts:

The store also carries breads from Holeman & Finch and a great selection of cheeses from Atlanta International:


They'll have wine open every Saturday and tastings once a month.

Have a fear of commitment? Then you'll like the walk-in wine club, $85 for 6 bottles that change monthly.

The event capacity is 30-40 "mingling." However, since it's not licensed as a wine bar, these are tasting events only.

Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Address: 100 North Avondale Road, Avondale Estates, GA 30002