When you first walk in, it seems like a regular wine store, nothing fancy, just bigger. If you see…read moreBob Harkey there stocking the shelves or working the register, you might think he's a regular clerk, except really tall. But this is no ordinary wine retailer. Bob Harkey is a world renowned wine expert. No exaggeration! He's a graduate of the German Wine Academy in Kloster Eberbach, Germany and for 25 years he's been all over Europe doing whatever it is that wine experts do over there. He's a very down to earth guy, very approachable, and he really loves it when people ask him for wine advice. If you ask for a wine to go with chicken, he's going to ask what cut, how it's cooked, what spices are being used, , grilled or broiled, the side dishes, how much you're spending, etc, then he'll give you a couple of choices at very competitive prices.
I went in there once and didn't see Bob, and I had a tricky wine decision to make. Bob's mother was working the register. She picks up the phone and called him, tells him there's a regular customer with a tough wine question, and put me on the phone with him. After answering all his questions, he talked me down towards the back of the store, giving me the exact shelf location of the perfect bottle. I had assumed he was in another area of the store, like in the office, but his mom told me he was home on a day off! I was embarrassed that she had put him out, but she assured me that there is nothing Bob loves to do more than help people with wine questions.
I asked him once about a gift idea for my sister who is a real spirit enthusiast (and a bit of a snob about it). Bob produced a reasonably priced bottle of cognac that my sister still raves about years later.
I've saved my favorite part of the store for last....the index cards! Bob travels all around the world buying wines and he tastes them all. For almost every wine in the store, he hand writes a brief review and recommendation on a large index card, which is affixed to the shelf or box where the wine is displayed. How great is it to know that the store's owner, a real expert, personally tasted the wine for you? I've spent way too much time in this store browsing the wines and reading Bobs index card reviews. I've moved a few towns over, and thanks to Bob I'm pretty good at picking out my own wine now, so I don't get over there too much any more, but Bob's still there, so I'm sure it's still the best place on the planet to buy wine. I wish I could give a sixth star.
