Interview with Paul D’Angelo, owner of the Wilmington Wine Shoppe
Several times during my visit with Paul D’Angelo of the Wilmington Wine Shoppe (google map), I had to resist the urge to reach over the counter and pinch him just to make sure he was real. Paul is now the solo owner of the store and he is absolutely charming. With a background in the hospitality business—as former manager of Circa as well as restaurants in Atlanta and Charleston—he certainly knows how to make his customers feel welcome as they browse the abundantly stocked shelves of wine.
The first time I walked in I steeled myself, prepared for the up-tightness and pretentiousness of the typical wine store. But I needn’t have. The shop itself is cozy, the lighting is low and warm, there are as many comfortable couches as bar stools. And the guy behind the counter (D’Angelo) was nice, knowledgeable, and helped me pick a wine out that, for the sake of my snooty wine club, I desperately needed to be obscure! No snobbery, no hard sell of some impossibly expensive wine. Just helpful recommendations of wines that would satisfy my wine snob friends (no offense, guys) and wouldn’t send me back to the ramen-eating days of my youth.
O.K., soft-core selling does not a prince charming make. But the store has been open less than two years, and Paul has already used his merchant status to raise more than $16,000 in donations for local organizations that include Multiple Sclerosis Society, Easter Seals UCP, American Cancer Society, Out Wilmington, and Wilmington Playwright Production Co., and has no intention of slowing down. D’Angelo’s former partner use to joke that the only reason D’Angelo opened the business was so to raise money for charities. D’Angelo says he did it because he wanted to do something he enjoyed, something social, forward-looking, and fun. Judging from the jovial interactions with customers, he has picked the right business. Did I mention that the guy has written a play that is being professionally read by the Wilmington Playwright Production Co.? Pinch.
Grove Project: What type of events do you host/co-host?
In the store we have complimentary wine tastings every Thursday from 6-8. If you are on the email list you will also receive information about upcoming wine classes that are conducted by a wine distributor (and soon to be sommelier) who teaches our customers about a different varietal for each class. We provide wine at Thalian Hall for the Cinematique film screenings and other Thalian productions. But the event that I am most excited about is our upcoming two year anniversary party, which is to be held in conjunction with our sixth benefit for a local organization. The party on December 6 will be hosted by Corporate Canvas, will have wonderful food, wine (of course), a ton of prizes AND the opportunity to help out a local organization.
Grove Project:If you were stranded on a desert island and a genie in a magic bottle offered to bring you 3 bottles of wine, what would they be?
Hmm, I would want a little variety to keep from being bored and just some good drinkable wine. I think I would choose Angeline Pinot Noir from California, Zolo Torrontos from Spain, Riondo Prosecco from Italy, and if the genie was loaded I would also want a bottle of Quintessa a blend from California.
Grove Project: What are the 10 bestsellers of the year so far?
- Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon $12.50 Chile
- Ca’ Luca Pinot Grigio $11.00 Italy
- Riondo Prosecco $12.50 Italy
- Evolution white wine $20.00 Oregon
- Broadbent Vinho Verde $10.99 Spain
- Castillo De Fuendejalon Tempranillo blend $10.50 Spain
- Protocolo red wine $8.00 Spain
- Angeline Pinot Noir $16.99 Russian River California
- Ceviche Sauvignon Blanc $10.99 California
- Haley’s Mill Cabernet Sauvignon $9.99 California
Grove Project: Thanks to the movie ‘Sideways’, Pinot Noir has become a varietal with celebrity status. Do you see any new trends?
I see that people want to try new stuff—not the same old varietals like chardonnay, cabs, zin, etc., but really interesting wines like torrontos, tempranillo. Also people seem to be moving away from the trendy high priced pinots and into merlot, which seems to have more variety for less money.
Grove Project: Who are your customers?
The lions share of my customers are repeat downtown residents who say they love to walk down to the shop say hey, pick up a bottle or two of wine and walk home. The rest come from all over—they see the shop while out strolling and pop in. We get a lot of people from out of town.
Grove Project: Do you have one really fabulous and affordable bottle of wine, say under $15, that our readers should walk into the store and buy today?
Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon $14.99 Australia
[where: 110 South Front Street, Wilmington, NC 28401]
From our little outpost here in Napa, CA we enjoyed your feature on the Wilmington Wine Shoppe. I was unaware of the Angeline Russian River Pinot Noir but will certainly seek it out. Thanks!
A terrific contribution by Rachel. And it looks like you’ve successfully garnered the interest of at least one fellow Californian! The Top 10 bestsellers list is particularly helpful. Corksuckers the world over are grateful.
[…] went last night to a distributor wine tasting that the Wilmimgton Wine Shoppe has every Thursday night and quickly fell into conversation with a wonderful, tipsy Russian named […]
Hello!
I am not only a journalist, but I used to live in Wilmington for a little over a year and went to the Wilmington Wine Shoppe tasting pretty much every single week. You are completely accurate about Paul, Rachel. And, I certainly wish this Grove Project was around when I lived there… I would have loved to have taken part.
[…] the end of the evening Paul D’Angelo, owner of the Wine Shoppe, was walking around to each table and pouring second tastes of people’s favorites from the […]