Mario's Vinotheque

When I first moved to Queens I knew the transition was going to be hard. A state, an island and several rivers would separate me from family and friends. The entire small-town style I knew was being replaced with a new apartment in a city I knew nothing about and nobody in (and I am not referring to Manhattan).

I've said in the past I found my comfort in the varied cuisines which grace each differing town in Queens county. But just three blocks away from my house, I found my home: Mario's Vinotheque.

It should come as no surprise when I say I love wine. I've always loved wine. It's the bouquet of all things love at the end of a long day. But, I never really knew anything beyond the cheap Yellow Tail I would get (magnum size) in college and on girls' nights. Joe and I would go down to Mario's on evenings we were working on the apartment and get several bottles of $5 table wine which we drank without thought and for the soul purpose of getting a buzz (and thus the inevitable hangover from overly sugary vino).

However, something happened along these mindless purchases, a relationship was formed. Not just your typical I-buy-wine-he sells-it-to-me relationship, either. No, no, no, this was deeper and much warmer than a mere exchange of money for bottle.

I forced myself under the wings of owners Mario and Dante, delegating them my wine mentors. They took to the position with little frustration and great patience recommending Rioja and Tempranillo from Argentina, Chile and Spain and having me note the differences; Chianti verse Super Tuscan; what Crianza and Reserva mean; Rhone blends from California against their native Rhone Region... the list goes on.

At their first mega wine tasting event I met their nephew Vladimir Garcia, who is the GM at Chelsea Wine Vault, and he's expanded my wine world to interesting blends from Portugal, Oregon, Southern Italy, and the high dry mountains of Spain where Numanthia is produced. Miguel Cano, wine maker and distributor, comes in every so often and offers his knowledge on South American varietals as well. Lucy, Mario's wife, brings the motherly figure I miss so dearly as we talk about traveling, food, wine, art, culture, dancing, etc and how it makes us feel.

They saved me the past few years. When Joe took his night job, a lonely me would go down to the wine shop to hang out. After an hour or so, I end up coming home with several bottles to share (or not) and a big ol' smile on my face.

While I'm not sure they will ever truly know the influence they've had on my heart and spirit, I know that I will forever be grateful and in love with Mario's Vinotheque.