Jessica Gualano
Owner
“Wine is about lifestyle—there is a profound communal aspect to it. All the winemakers whose creations appear on the shelves intended for their efforts to be shared. When someone tastes a wine that’s really good— and they get it —that makes it all worthwhile. I’m committed to making people happy.”
Email: jessica@winestudioasheville.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ashevillewine
Brian Dunsmore
Marketing Director
What got you interested in wine?
Wine appealed to my love of exploration. There is so much to learn about with wine. You can spend you life studying, tasting, and exploring and still not know it all!
What’s the most exciting region?
Austria is interesting with its meaty reds and brilliant whites. The Languedoc in France is a interesting area to find diamonds in the rough.
Advice for those just getting into wine?
Keep an open mind and an open palate! You might not buy every bottle, but always be open to tasting and sampling new wines.
Carah Robbins
Retail Manager
Do you have a favorite varietal?
The varietals I love tend to change with the season. Winter demands zinfandel or tempranillo by the fire. Springtime welcomes all things rose! Summer I love a crisp albarino. A brisk Fall night is well spent with a dusty, little carmenere.
What is your favorite pairing?
One of my favorites is the Vietnamese Pork Hoagie from The Admiral and a glass of Langhe Arneis- (an Italian white)
What’s the best part of your job?
Best aspects of the job include experiencing different wines and meeting new people, listening to whatever music I want and the fact that my dog, Tupelo, gets to come to work with me. She loves being shop dog!
The Wine Studio opened it’s doors in November of 2009 on Charlotte Street in Asheville, North Carolina. The Studio exists to facilitate a better wine experience for all wine lovers. Our primary goal is to help wine lovers explore the world of wine by offering a friendly, pretense-free experience and clean, affordable wines!
Our shelves are home to a mere 500 labels, so great care is taken to ensure that we are able to offer a diverse and dynamic set of wines from around the world. We take the time to get to know our suppliers and the importers and producers they represent. We also believe that a wine’s “sense of place” is more important than grape variety and so organize the space by region.
We believe that you should be able to enjoy honest, well-made wine with your meals and everyday occasions without breaking the bank. That’s why we always feature at least 200 wines at 12 bucks and under! We don’t want you to spend $10 on a bottle of wine that you don’t like….EVER! That means dialogue with our clients is crucial. It is our job to listen to what you tell us you like (and perhaps, more importantly, don’t like!) and make sound recommendations that are sure to please!
But, The Wine Studio isn’t just a place to buy a bottle of wine. In fact, it’s probably unlike most wine shops you’ve ever visited! We believe that the absolute best way to learn about wine is to experience it! The more you taste, the more the world of wine opens up to you! And that’s why we offer an extensive schedule of tastings and classes each month!