Everyday Wines Isn’t Your Everyday Party Store

You’d think a store with a name like “Everyday Wines” would be pretty ho-hum. Maybe they’d stock a huge volume of bottles from a handful of well-known distributors, one would imagine, or offer discounted California wines that appeal to casual drinkers.

Everyday Wines of Marquette does neither. (Well, it does have huge volumes of bottles and more than a few California wines, but those aren’t its key selling points.) It’s not exactly a full-service party store, but it doesn’t limit itself to the same well-worn paths to which less inventive establishments adhere. Its name says it all, actually, just not in the way you might expect: Everyday Wines doesn’t carry “ordinary” wines, but it is a place where you can shop for wine every day. Got that?

The Angle

So if Everyday Wines prides itself on a selection of out-of-the-ordinary wines, how can it call itself an “everyday” kind of wine shop? Because it’s affordable and accessible, that’s how. Although its website admits to “cheating” every now and then, the vast majority of the store’s wines cost less than $25 per bottle. Most, in fact, come in at less than $15. And you won’t find any Kendall Jackson or Sutter Home here. You may have heard of some of its more popular vintages, but all of Everyday Wines’ choices – including a handful that come right from Michigan’s favored wine-growing regions – stand out in one way or another.

As a small shop – it’s a single room with just one double-sided wine rack in the center and shelves on three walls – it’s closely watched over by one or two (depending on the day and time) wine experts who are more than happy to point confused customers in the right direction. Whether you need a dry white to pair with a dinner of fresh-caught whitefish or a hearty red to go with your next steak meal, they’ll give you more options than you know what to do with – except you will know what to do, because they’ll gently guide you to make the right call.

 

The Selection

Everyday Wines has a handful of stalwarts – an Austrian varietal called Gewurztraminer and its selection of Spanish reds come to mind – but it’s hard to predict what the store will stock on any given day. That’s perfectly fine: The “Everyday Wines experience” is all about breaking new ground. The store’s website breaks up its selection, predictably, into white & rose, red, bubbly, and “fortified & other” categories.

No matter how much you know about wine – and you certainly don’t have to know much to feel at home here, as the proprietors love imparting their considerable knowledge on novices – you’ll probably find some familiar varieties at Everyday Wines. Syrahs from Australia, Chardonnays from France, Merlots from California – they’re all here.

If you’re in the market for something more exotic, Everyday Wines has you covered too. Cannonau from Sardinia? Check. Barbera from Piemonte, Italy? Check. Aligote from Bourgogne, France? Check. Although the place’s selection changes from week to week, your best bet for finding familiar varieties lies in the centrally located double rack. The walls tend to have more exotic fare, including the $25+ “splurges.”

 

The Website

Want to peruse before you buy? Everyday Wines has a well-kept website that features descriptions and tasting notes for many of the varieties that it carries. Since part of the store’s appeal is its proprietors’ never-ending lust for new offerings, the site doesn’t feature a comprehensive rundown of its selection – maintaining such a catalog would be quite a task. It’s certainly nice to be able to visualize select bottles, though.

By the way, Everyday Wines’ name is slightly misleading: In addition to grape-derived alcoholic beverages, the store also carries high-end chocolates, olive oils and other consumables. Better yet, it boasts a small but high-quality selection of beer, from Michigan-made IPAs and porters to Belgian lambics and wheat beers. You can purchase bottles and cans singly or in custom six-packs – the choice is yours.

Oh, and did we mention Everyday Wines’ favorite weekly ritual? Every Saturday, from 3 to 5 p.m., its proprietors host complementary wine tastings for interested patrons. There’s no dress code or purchase required – but you’ll have to do your best to resist the appeal of Everyday Wines’ not-so-ordinary vintages.

Everyday Wines is located at 129 W. Baraga Avenue in Marquette. Call 906-225-5470 for more information.