By John Flood
Vino 100, a wine store that offers wines at $25 or less per bottle, opened on Main Street Oct. 4.
The idea of a wine store offering a variety of wines is not unique. But Vino 100 takes a different approach by offering 100 moderately priced wines from small wineries from around the world with an onsite staff to assist customers with their purchases.
“We wanted to open up a wine store that would take the guesswork out of buying wine, and when we discovered Vino 100, Paul and I knew we had to bring this great concept to Los Altos,” said Colleen Carr-Gessert, who co-owns the store with her husband, Paul Gessert.
Vino 100 is a Philadelphia-based franchise company with 44 stores around the country. Its sister franchise, Tinder Box, is a nationwide chain that sells cigars and tobacco products.
Each Vino 100 store selects wines according to local consumer taste and the wineries in the area, said Carr-Gessert. The Los Altos store offers wines from Europe, Latin America, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States.
“We have total freedom to go totally local. All they (the corporate office) ask is that we have 100 wines for $25,” said Carr-Gessert.
In addition to its wine selection, the store offers wine tastings and advice on pairing wines with cuisine.
“There’s a big gap for something like this downtown. … We couldn’t understand why somebody wasn’t here with a nice combination of a wine bar and tastings,” she said. “Downtown Los Altos is an ideal spot to open a store like this.”
Wines are arranged in the store by flavor, from the lightest to the heaviest, making selection easy for the customer, she said.
Recent data about American wine consumption suggests that Vino 100 is entering a market with promising opportunities.
According to a 2005 CNN/Money.com article, by 2008, U.S. consumers will account for 25 percent of all the wine drunk in the world, up from 19 percent today. Per capita consumption by Americans is expected to rise by 28 percent over the next three years, according to the article.
The owners of Vino 100 Los Altos aren’t hesitant about recommending their favorite wines.
“My new favorite this week is Moletto Presecco, a sparkling white from Veneto, Italy,” Carr-Gessert said.
“This week, I like the Santa Chiara, a Pinot Grigio,” Carr said. “It’s a great drinkable wine for $11.”
The store also offers accessories, gifts, chocolates, cheeses and other gourmet foods.
Store hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Vino 100 is located at 163 Main St. For more information, call 559-8466.
