New Sommelier at Chesapeake Wine & Spirits Says "Tasting is Believing"

David Steinbrecher, the new sommelier at Chesapeake Wine & Spirits in Chesapeake City, Maryland, brings customer service to a new level.

Chesapeake City, MD (PRWEB) May 26, 2005

David Steinbrecher has only been here a month, but has already started making improvements and dreaming up plans for fun events at Chesapeake Wine and Spirits in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

“I’m really looking forward to becoming a part of the local community,” said Steinbrecher, who just arrived from Pennsylvania, where he was Sommelier Beverage Manager at Skytop Lodge in the Poconos. “I’m getting to know people here from our weekend wine tastings and just getting around the area,” he said.

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner for four years running, Steinbrecher has been in the food service business for about 12 years, and a certified Sommelier (steward of wines) since 2000. He said he began thinking about becoming a sommelier when he first started in food service. “Back then I didn’t know how to tell a good wine from a bad one and thought I’d better find out quick, so I started taking classes. It took about three years to train my palate,” he said, grinning, “but once you get started, it’s really a lot of fun. We want it to be fun for our customers as well.”

With warm weather bringing more traffic to the winery and deli, both local and seasonal, Steinbrecher and his staff are working hard to launch a new season of improvements, especially to the deli. “We want our deli to have a fresh, new look,” he said. “Freshly-made sandwiches and salads and other gourmet goodies—I’m looking into local fresh cheeses as well to round out our selections—we have a clean, inviting look, which goes hand in hand with our large selection of wines.”

Steinbrecher hopes to use his experience and connections with Mid-Atlantic winemakers to not only improve the already impressive selection of wines at Chesapeake Wine and Spirits, but to share knowledge about wines with the community at large.

“First and foremost, I don’t want anyone to come in here and feel intimidated or uncomfortable,” explained Steinbrecher. “I’m really lucky to have inherited a knowledgeable staff, and together we’re doing our best to help our customers select wines and gourmet items that complement each other. We’re planning some events to get people familiar with us, such as a Springfest on June 4th, where people will get the chance to taste all kinds of food and wine to raise money for the Breast Cancer Center at Union Hospital, and we’ll also have some winemakers from New Jersey and California down to give talks on wine later in the year. Of course we have wine tastings every Saturday from 1 to 4pm, and I’m hoping to open a local wine club—sort of a Wine 101 class. It’s fun learning about all the different varieties and what tastes well. I like to get people to try something different and experiment.”

Steinbrecher’s affable personality makes him easy to approach, and he welcomes every opportunity to answer questions and help out. “Some people know what they’re looking for, and some don’t. It can be pretty intimidating to see all these labels, so we use our expertise to help people select something they’ll like.

In addition to wine and deli products, Chesapeake Wine and Spirits offers other liquors, beers and upscale gourmet picnic baskets, and has a new upstairs room comfortably furnished with wood and leather, oak barrel tables and a well-stocked bar—perfect for private parties and receptions. Along with deli improvements, Steinbrecher plans to cater more, and he hopes to expand tastings to include Scotch and Cognac as well as wine. His short-term goal is to improve customer service and get to know more of the local population and work with local businesses.

“I encourage people to call us anytime with questions. We take special orders, put together customer gift baskets, and help carry purchases out to the car. We’ve even been known to stay late for someone that needs to pick something up and couldn’t get down here on time. It’s all about service…doesn’t matter who walks through that door…our goal is to do everything we can at Chesapeake Wine and Spirits to make their day better.”

For information on Chesapeake Wine and Spirits, call David Steinbrecher at 410-885-5858.

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