Wine Shop Owner Suggests Thinking Outside the Box

An O'Fallon wine shop owner would like to see people stop making snap decisions about wine.

Michael Durbin, the owner of Gambino's Fine Wines in O'Fallon's Four Seasons Plaza, said that it's like people who walk into a museum and stroll past the pieces of artwork, thinking "I like that, I don't like that."

"Why don't they give it time?" he said.

Durbin said that it's tough selling wine in the Midwest, as opposed to France or Italy where wine is part of their culture.

"It's the hardest thing I've ever done," he said. 

He says that he doesn't try to compete with the grocery stores. People generally don't come to his store for the under $10 bottles. "You've got to spend something," he said. 

Durbin also mentioned that Midwesterners tend to prefer sweet wines—but that those often have added sugar.

"It's like putting sugar on your Sugar Pops," Durbin said. 

He suggested a German Riesling or Pinot Grigio for its crisp green apple flavor—and again, "give it time."

Durbin offers wine classes at this shop. Coming up are:

• Rosé, 7 p.m., Fri., June 21
• American Classics, 7 p.m., Friday, July 5
• Viva Italia, Friday, July 19