Seifert & Jones Opens Wine Shop in Bellingham
If you’re a wineophile who’s been keeping your eyes open and your ears peeled you know that there’s a new wine shop in downtown Bellingham.
However, if by chance this has slipped under you wine radar, let me fill you in on a few details and suggest you check it out.
Owner/proprietors Ted Seifert and Diane Jones opened Seifert & Jones Wine Merchants just a few weeks ago at 19 Prospect Street. The shop entrance is located a few extra steps off the street at the corner of Prospect and Champion.
Both individuals have plenty of history in the wine industry, albeit from somewhat different backgrounds. Jones has more “front-of-the-house” experience, having worked at the former Il Fiasco restaurant for 10 years and then as the Wine Specialist at the Haggen Fairhaven Market for the past 15 years.
Seifert’s work has been more behind the scenes. He recently marked 21 years of service with Unique Wine Company, working as a wholesale salesperson for the Bellingham and San Juan Island areas.
Together, they’ve opened a charming new wine shop that reflects both their own preferences and, hopefully, those of local wine enthusiasts as well.
“We have our passions, but realize that we need to react to our customer base,” Seifert says. You have to “stay true to your soul,” he explains, “by emphasizing (but not limiting yourself to) small, specialized producers and artisans.”
His and Jones’ passions include wines from Oregon and Washington, particularly pinot gris and pinot noir. Roughly half the space is dedicated to the Pacific Northwest region and California, while the remainder focuses on European wines.
There are higher-end wines, to be sure, but a browse through the shop reveals plenty of good selections priced at $12.99-and-under along with a dazzling presentation of pink and coral colored rosés near the entrance. “It is rosé season after all,” Jones says with a smile.
Other nice touches include a display of local art, currently featuring Tom Wood and Randy “FishBoy” Clark. Jones says they plan to showcase other local artists by rotating out the display about once every three months.
And in-shop wine tastings are also in the works, most likely to be held mid-afternoon on Thursdays and Saturdays, with winemakers and wine industry people who’ll be on hand to pour, chat, and answer questions.
A two-day grand opening is scheduled for May 31 and June 1, and regular business hours are from 10am to 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information phone (360) 393-3271 or go to sjwinemerchants.com.