Harbor wine shop pours with the big boys

Water to Wine recognized as King 5 Evening Magazine’s ‘Best of Washington’ wine shop

Susan Schell

of the Gateway

Water to Wine received a special gift for its 10-year anniversary. The Gig Harbor wine store was awarded third place in King 5 Evening Magazine’s “Best of Washington” contest in the wine shop category out of nearly 60 listings. The honor was announced last week.

Water to Wine Owner Steve Lynn said the store was recognized by The Peninsula Gateway as the best wine store in Gig Harbor in 2008 and ’09, but this honor covers Western Washington.

“We’ve expanded our profile,” Lynn said. “This award covers the area from Bellingham to Vancouver. This shows that we have something unique, and our customers are extremely interested in wine throughout the world.”

The shop carries wines from across the globe and the Pacific Northwest. What’s unique is that the staff knows their stuff — they personally test almost every bottle that comes into the store. That way, when a customer describes a particular flavor, the staff can easily find a match.

“We have a well-versed selection of wine,” Lynn said. “From affordable everyday wine up to something special for your cellar. We have wine for everybody’s palate, and we’ve tried the vast majority of wine before it comes into the store.”

Lynn is the sole proprietor of the shop, which had its name coined in a very literal fashion. Its founder was a retired water purification system distributor who started the wine shop as a hobby.

The store has had several homes in the harbor, including next to Anthony’s and behind Spiro’s restaurants, before landing at its current location at the corner of Peacock Hill Avenue and Harborview Drive.

Lynn bought the business last year. Water to Wine prides itself on customer service and staying a step ahead of trends, he said.

“When a magazine comes out with a great wine, they’re all sold out because it was usually a great wine six months ago,” Lynn said. “We find the values when they’re values, not years later.”

“That’s a huge service for our customers,” manager Ty Cline said. “We know what wines will fit them best. It’s like a fashion boutique, and we’re a personal shopper.”

The store offers fresh complimentary ready-to-drink red wine through an “Enomatic system.”

“It allows you to keep a variety of wines fresh for sampling,” Lynn said. “You can look on our Web site and see exactly what wines are on our machine that week. They change to keep it stimulating.”

The shop offers tasting by hand from 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays and from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Each week features a different kind of wine.

“If we’re open, we’re letting individuals taste wine,” Cline said. “At these tastings, we’re assisting you. It enables us to leave our customers with educated palates and educate ourselves about our customers as well.

“The odds are, you’ll be going home with a bottle of wine you really like,” he added. “We have a hugely impressive selection of wine under $15.”

Lynn said affordability is a key issue. Of the 16 wines available for tasting, 10 were less than $15 a bottle.

“We don’t want anyone to undercut us,” Lynn said.

Lynn’s philosophy is that, even if someone buys a bargain brand at a grocery store, it’s still wasted money if the buyer doesn’t like it.

The staff tries to eliminate mistakes by making sure customers go home with the right wine, no matter what the cost.

“Some people try a wine because of its label,” Lynn said. “We’re driven by what’s inside the bottle.”

Water to Wine

Water to Wine is located at 9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Suite 103A in Gig Harbor. The store hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

For information on tasting specials and wine pours, visit www.watertowineshop.com.

Reach Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell at 253-853-9240 or by e-mail at susan.schell@gateline.com.