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WNC Business

Wine Sage Merchant and Wine Bar announces renovation and rebrand

May 28, 2024 06:20PM ● By WNC Business

For Merit Wolff, owner of Wine Sage Merchant and Wine Bar, it was time to remodel, rebrand, and refurbish the Main Street shop she has owned since 2017.

Located at 416 North Main Street, the business has been a downtown mainstay for more than 20 years, beginning with Purple Sage, a former catering and restaurant entity owned by the late Tom Young. Wolff bought Sage Gourmet from Christine Filka and Laurie Bakke, renaming it Wine Sage & Gourmet.

Wine Sage offers around 400 labels of different wines from around the world, specializing in small family vineyards that practice sustainable, biodynamic wine-growing practices. This is in addition to informed assistance from the knowledgeable staff wine consultants who deliver a unique buying opportunity for customers.

That is a point that both Wolff and Smith stress is a major cornerstone of Wine Sage; they are a clear and vastly different choice from grocery stores and major discount retailers. “We could never be Total Wine or Target, and we don’t want to be,” says Wolff. “What we are is a local wine merchant that is part of the Hendersonville community. We are locals helping locals discover and enjoy wine.”

So, what does the new Wine Sage have in store for its customers, both old and new? “For years, our wine collection has been located downstairs in our cellar. All the wine has now been moved upstairs to our ground floor level. This gives us much better visibility and accessibility.” In addition to moving the wine, the current wine collection has been studied and modified, retiring old labels, and bringing in exciting new options. 

Community in all its forms has always been stressed at Wine Sage. The newly redesigned upstairs space is a comfortable blend of both comfort and commerce. Customers can not only peruse the wine selection for sale, but also relax on couches and easy chairs. A communal bar is there to help customers enjoy wine by the glass. The downstairs former wine cellar space will now be a stripped back space for a variety of events that will evolve over time.

Learn more at WineSageAndGourmet.com.