“When we try wines from distributors there’s one in 10 that we try and we think is going to be accessible to a big enough group of the public that we would be willing to stock it,” Huth said.
Before opening the store in August 2017, the couple said they got their start researching wine when they began building a web-based recommendation program to help people find wine that suits their tastes. The process also helped them translate descriptions written by sommeliers, Huth said.
“[A sommelier] will say this tastes like flint, quince paste and eggplant, and you’ll say, ‘I don’t even know what quince paste is,’” he said.
The vetting process does not end with Huth and Obenar. After identifying a wine they are interested in stocking, the duo hosts group tastings for members of the community to provide feedback. They also host themed wine-tasting events, such as date nights and showcases featuring local artists. Huth said the process allows them to identify better ways to describe wines to customers.
“If 90-plus percent of the population believes that this is a semi-sweet [wine], let’s just call it semi-sweet and ignore that it says dry on the bottle,” he said of the feedback.
When a bottle makes it to the shelf, Huth and Obenar said they feel confident recommending it to others, but customers make the final call. Every wine in stock is available for sampling.
“We don’t want you to ever waste money on a bad bottle of wine again,” he said. “Try it first so you know you are going to get something that you like.”
Utopian Shift - A Wine Experience
2521 Rutland Drive, Ste. 600, Austin
www.utopianshift.com
Mon.-Fri. 4-7 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 1-5 p.m.
