Raise a Glass to Uncorked!
Fine wine, great beer, beautiful art…and more
BY: AMI BROWN
When you enter Uncorked by the Sea, you are greeted with an impressive selection of wines, beer and some incredible art. You can’t help but feel the warm, relaxed atmosphere and friendly hosts. Located at 602 North Howe Street, it’s easy to find, park and they even offer outside seating in the shade for those perfect summer days. Jim and Gina Poppe, Rhonda Till and Paul Wasserman met at Uncorked by the Sea during a wine tasting event back in 2012… they became friends and decided to join forces. The rest they say is history… and now they are the proud owners of this thriving wine business. Uncorked is a quaint wine shop, gourmet and craft beer house and fine art gallery supporting local artists. They also have some of the cutest hand crafted specialty gifts I’ve seen in Southport – all with a bit of a wine flair. If you are looking for a unique gift for a wine lover – this is definitely the place to go.
WINE SELECTION TO DIE FOR!
Uncorked offers a great selection of wine ranging from quality everyday wine to highly allocated wines. From domestic to imports, there is something for everyone to enjoy. I asked each owner for their favorites and recommendations, so you have it from the best. Paul recommends the Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon. Jim is a Zinfandel wine lover and his favorite is a blend from Paso Robles while Gina’s favorite includes a Penner-Ash Viognier.
A PASSION FOR WINE!
Paul’s passion for wine was completely accidental. While he was living in Washing DC back in the 70’s, he needed a job to pay the rent. He landed a job selling wine and was having so much fun, he never wanted to get a “real job” again. Whereas Jim was working at Trader Joe’s bringing home the “wine of the week” to taste. Before they knew it Gina and Jim were taking trips to Napa Valley and Sonoma Wine Country and loving every minute of it. Rhonda enjoyed choosing new wines together with her fiancée at dinner and it became her passion as well.
HAND SELECTED CRAFT BEER!
You’ll never run out of choices with the extensive selection of unique craft beers. They are focussing more on North Carolina beers and also hand selecting new labels as they become available. With new beer coming out every week, this place stays on top of all the trends and offers a mix and match beer option – with no up charge. This is a great way to select your “6-pack” and explore a variety of tastes. They also have a nice selection of craft beer in cans – perfect for the summer beach parties.
WINE TASTINGS!
Every Thursday evening from five to seven, Uncorked hosts a wine tasting event. For a $5 donation, you can enjoy an evening full of wine, get to know your neighbors and support a local charity. You get to taste 5 hand selected wines for the evening and then have a second round of your favorite. This is also a great way to step out of your comfort zone, and taste wine that you may not normally buy or even consider. The June charity is Step up for Soldiers, providing local veterans with things they need.
A typical wine tasting evening brings between 25-65 people! Some locals have discovered this little gem and return week after week. I had a chat with several of the “tasters” and they all come back for the great atmosphere and the conversation. Sheryl Burnett recently moved here from Winston Salem and she has met several
new friends at Uncorked. The reason she comes back is not only the great wine, but because of the friendly atmosphere and the socialization.
“We have two levels of wine clubs – Everyday and Cellar. Our wine clubs give you the opportunity to try new wines at a great value.” – Gina
SUPPORTING LOCAL ARTISTS TOO!
These people have thought of every- thing. The walls are adorned with incredible art, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional. Three times a year they hand select three local artists to feature in the gallery. They have an opening night at the beginning of each show. “There are so many talented artists in the area. We are happy to be able to show their artwork in our gallery”, Gina adds.
Uncorked is more than just a wine shop, it’s a lovely atmosphere, friendly people with a genuine love of wine and beer with a sense of community spirit. Southport is lucky to have such a great group of folks that continue to support others while letting us all enjoy life (and great wine) a little bit more. For more information visit uncorkedbythesea.com
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By: Ami Brown
Ami is an artist, writer and all around creative person. She recently moved back to NC from a ten year stint in New Zealand, where she owned her own art gallery. She began her journalism career back in high school, but reconnected with her writing roots over the past few years. She is now a professional screenwriter and editor and loves watching great movies. She lives in Oak Island with her husband Norm, a boating enthusiast. Her two grown children stayed in New Zealand – her daughter Ashley is an artist and graphic designer and her son Trey makes movie magic at Weta Digital.
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