Wine 101

I’ve spent a ton of money there since it opened… but now since I work all the time I don’t get access to the good stuff. Good store though… I’m hoping the new store will have a lot more space… cheers!

Passed by on the way to dinner on a recent Friday and this place was spilling over with folks that looked like they were having a grand time, so when we were on our way back to the car after dinner, it was necessary to go in and see what all the fuss was about!
It had certainly thinned out, but was still hopping. There are two rooms, one for wine and one focusing on beer. When given that choice, the wine side would almost always be my choice… how great to have options!
. Now where I could have been just another body in the store amongst the crowd, I was made to feel noticed and special. For instance, when the wine dispenser machine was not working right, I was offered what was left of a really nice bottle of Chardonnay. Can’t think of a better way to make a Wine-​Loving Gal feel more welcome! He then proceeded to offer suggestions and knowledge about other bottles I was checking out.
Ended up picking a red made with organic grapes for around $ 15 that I very much enjoyed at home. This place hasn’t seen the last of me!

Love. Love. Love. So good! Can’t stop sharing w my friends!!!
Great place. Great recommendations. Good friends. Best place to meet some friends for drinks!!!
Beer or wine

Love this place. Good selection of craft beer. Great selection of tap beers and wine. Very knowledgeable staff. Only down fall is it is so awesome that it gets very packed sometimes.

WE LOVE SOME JOE & RUFUS!!!
This is the BEST PLACE in Wake Forest to enjoy a glass of wine, beer and have a GREAT conversation! I have been going here since they opened and have watched them grow into a place that I personally visit once or twice a week. Whether it’s purchasing a bottle, having a drink with a few friends or just a quick one before a massage (next door)…this place fits the bill.
I must add anytime we are looking for a special beer/​wine they have never let us down!
Thanks Joe for opening and creating such a fine establishment and Rufus… just because your you!

Love this place!!! They are always super helpful with recommendations. Love going and sitting out front with my dog. The employees are really friendly and so is the owner.

We love this place! We live in Apex, but bought a groupon for 6 wine tastings. They were hit or miss, as it depended on how much effort the caterer put into it, but what really makes the place is Joe. He is so charismatic and entertaining to be around. He always makes you feel welcome and is such a fun guy. We really got to know him by the end of our tastings and try to go back any time we are in the area. Every time we stop at a wine store closer to us, we wish that Joe and wine 101 would open up a little closer. Highly, highly recommend.

I had been here before but had not reviewed. I was here for the beer only, so I can’t say much about the wine choices or prices. The owners are very nice and knowledgeable about the beer. The selection is pretty good too and they had some brews on hand that were not available anywhere else in the Triangle. It pays to have a good relationship with the distributor, I guess. The beer prices were comparable to other beer stores in the area. It was seperated like Bottle MIx but with less singles to buy. Overall another nice store in Wake Forest.

Wow, I wish I lived in Wake Forest. This place is great!
The owner/​proprietor Joe is awesome and really understands what it means to be a host and provide great service. It helped what we entered with our friends, who were regulars, but I don’t doubt for a second that we would have had a great time on our own as well.
We came for a tasting — which is free. Many wine stores charge for tastings. I didn’t recognize any of the wines, but Joe gave a nice description of each without resorting to naming like 5 – 6 different flavor profiles. Just the basics. I rather enjoyed 3 – 4 out of the 5 we sampled and we ended up buying two bottles of our favorite.
But that was just the beginning of the evening. Across the hall they have a beer… lounge? 6 – 7 beers on draft that they sell by the pint, or you can have a free sample/​taste. I had a pint of a couple of beers I’ve never seen on tap, although have had from the bottle. Awesome stuff. Even my non-​beer friend really took to one of the ones I was bragging on.
We started talking favorite beers, and I mentioned one of my favorites, Cigar City Brewing from down near Tampa, FL. I complained that there stuff was impossible to get since they didn’t distribute. Joe overheard me, walked to the back, and brought back a bottle from his ‘personal stash’ and asked the bartender to open it for our table.
Wow.
Like I said, I wish I lived in Wake Forest. He’s opening another store in Raleigh off off Glenwood near Waraji (sp?) so I won’t have as far to go to get treated like an All-​Star.

Up until recently, we would get our beer at Peace Street Market or Total Wine and I would usually buy my bottles of Cupcake Wine (the brand, not flavor) at Harris Teeter. Then we got a recommendation from the Savory Spice Shop in Lafayette Village to try Wine 101. Since we trust our foodie friends who own a spice shop, we tried out Wine 101.
Let me tell you, you will not find a friendlier guy than Joe (the owner). He is the most laid back wine connoisseur I’ve ever met and really knows his stuff. He has never handed me a bottle of wine that I didn’t love! He also works within your budget, and often hands you a cheaper bottle of wine that is better than the expensive one! You’ll also find really interesting blends there that Joe will happily explain to you. You can also go in and say things like «I need a red under $ 15 that’ll go well with dark chocolate, caramel and sea salt» and Joe will immediately zoom over to a bottle that will, without a doubt, be perfect.
Wine 101 holds wine tastings every Saturday and there is always new stock in the store. They are expanding into the space next door and probably tripling or quadrupling their beer selection (which my husband is ecstatic about). They have wine and beer on tap and there are often «regulars» there hanging out with a glass of something tasty. It’s not exactly «Cheers» but I am beginning to think that everyone does know your name when you open that door!
They now offer beer and wine clubs, which are amazing deals if you, like us, buy some beer and wine on a weekly basis.
We’re really looking forward to the new expansion and will now be going to see Joe for all of our wine and beer needs :-)

Great staff. Incredibly friendly

Stopped on a Friday night to see what they had and to see if they could order a wine for me. They said they would talk to their distributor and get back to me about a Childress Blueberry (Dessert wine/​Port). We are now two weeks later and not a peep from them. Not following up is not a great way to promote customer service.
Just a quick follow up — the owner did follow up with an apology after seeing my review, and invited me back to talk wine and guitar collections. I’ll have to take him up on that the next time I’m over that way.

The little local wine shop where it seems that everyone knows your name — and KNOWS their wine! Had a great experience on my first visit as the staff really helped us understand the different wines and helped us pick out a wonderful champagne!

A great little gem in Wake Forest. Amazing selection of wines and craft beers, knowledgable staff. A chill atmosphere where you can relax and have a glass of wine out of the wine station or a beer on-​tap. Wine tastings are fun and educational.

For those who are familiar with the walmart affect… Wine 101 is like this. This business came into Wake Forest and intentionally advertises that they are cutting costs on wine that was incorrectly raised in the first place. For example, selling wine that they say was originally $ 20.00/bottle for $ 10.00/bottle when the original price is $ 10.00 anywhere else anyway. They bash other wine shops and shun people who support Twisted Vine. On multiple occasions they advertise wine tastings and when we arrive, they are not having it anymore. It’s as if it is a ploy to get us in the door. The environment is cold, flourescent lights, not cozy at all. If you want an enjoyable wine atmosphere with experienced, knowledgeable staff, go to Twisted Vine in downtown Wake Forest. You will never go to a strip mall wine shop again.

wine 101 makes me feel like I’m back in new york. they are great outfit have best beer selection in triangle as well as never made bad choice on wine. Joe will go out of his way to help who ever walks through his door with smile. I would never consider another wine shop
Glenn

Joe O’Keefe and staff KNOW wine. They also know that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to sip great wine. We ‘ve been shopping with them since they opened, and they never fail to wow us. They take the time to get to know you, your preferences and now, we just call ahead, and let them select our case of red each order. We love WINE 101 and their knowledge of wine and their customers. Wine doesn’t get better anywhere else.

Easily my favorite wine shop in the Triangle. The selection is great with offerings in all price ranges. The owner and staff are very friendlly and helpful. Their recommendations are always on the money and they never try to upsell.
They offer free wine tasting on Saturdays from 2−5pm and often have special events likes special beer and wine tastings. The events are always well run and a lot of fun. I highly recommend this place!

Just love this place and everybody in it. Great wine, knowledgeable staff and unparalleled customer service. Love it! There, I said it again. :) Joe has created a little gem in the heart of Wake Forest. And they sell great coffee and beer, too! Did I mention that I really really love this place?

Nervously entered this location last Saturday and meandered down the rows of wines to sort of take a tally on what was available before we headed to the counter at the back for the wine tasting. Several staff greeted and welcomed us and made us feel more invited. Everyone seemed to know each other, and apparently there are quite a few regulars here for the wine tasting sessions.
We cozied up to the bar and happily got educated on the wines offered, where they came from, what they contained, and what they’d pair nicely with. We really liked several of the wines tasted and left with a few new bottles to add to our collection.
Prices were very reasonable, and there were many brands I had not seen before. Even as we left a fellow thanked us from the tables out front. Super welcoming.
Hopefully we can head back to another wine tasting soon so we can be regulars at Wine 101.