WHO WE ARE

cork • a bottle shop is a unique wine shopping experience, featuring hand-selected wines from around the world with a strong focus on value priced wines. This means you'll always find 100 wines under $20, with choices from France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Portugal, California and of course the Northwest. Add to that a growing cellar of some of our favorite producers and you've got a one-stop shopping center for all your wine needs.

We keep our focus on supporting sustainable producers - whether they're certified organic, biodynamic or just committed to sustainable farming and winemaking practices. Throughout the shop, you'll notice green signs describing products which are certified organic, biodynamic, salmon safe, L.I.V.E. certified or indicate some other sustainable method used in production or at the winery.

The Chocolate Shop @ cork features a wide variety of chocolates from artisan chocolatiers. Included are bars and other items from Charles Chocolates, Chuao Chocolatier, Kshocolat, DoMori, Dolfin, Cocovic, Café-Tasse, Recchiuti Confections, Theo, Bruco, Bonnat and Valrhona, among others. We also have a selection of handmade truffles and bonbons from two of Portland's best producers, Alma Chocolate and DePaula Confections and other chocolate treats from Petits Noirs of Milton-Freewater. Stop in today to satisfy your next chocolate craving.

cork also sources some of the best extra-virgin olive oils from wine growing regions and sell them at bulk prices in our own private-labeled cork bottles. And there's a selection of gourmet specialty items which includes vinegars, balsamics, smoked spanish paprika, a terrific line of italian dried pasta and other goodies.

MEET THE OWNER

Darryl Joannides has spent the past 15 years learning about food and wine through a combination of cooking, winetasting, teaching and writing. As chef/owner of Assaggio, Darryl created a restaurant featuring traditional Italian dishes paired with an extensive Italian wine list. Assaggio was Willamette Week's Restaurant of the Year in 1996, and Darryl has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine and on the Food Network. His road to opening cork included an 8 year detour into green building, where he worked as a residential remodeling contractor offering green design/build services to clients.

During this journey, a desire to learn more about winemaking led Darryl to spend the 2001 harvest working in Sonoma and in 2002, for Andrew Rich at the Carlton Winemaker's Studio. But while winemaking was an invaluable learning experience, tasting a broad array of wines and sharing them with others was his true passion.

Darryl founded cork • a bottle shop in order to make wine more accessible to novice winedrinkers, while still catering to the savvy wine buyer's needs. And of course to feed his passion for specialty items like smoked paprika, extra-virgin olive oil and, most of all, chocolate! He continues to learn about the world's winemaking regions. Recent trips to Spain, Chile and Argentina have reinforced his other wine travels throughout Italy, the Rhone Valley, Sonoma, Napa and the Pacific Northwest.

MEET THE STAFF

Sara Shaw found a passion for wine early in life. After working two years as a Cellar Master at 5th & Maple and Rex Hill, she came to cork in June 2006. Learning about wine and winemaking techniques is second-nature for Sara and she loves to share her enthusiasm for new discoveries with customers. Whether it's the epiphany of having persimmon sorbet with Vin Santo or Cremant Rosé with oysters, Sara always has a story to tell. And if you are looking for someone who seems to know everyone in the Oregon wine business, Sara's a tough act to beat. Come test her knowledge of wines and winemaking the next time you're trying to find the right bottle for your dinner table.

Morgan Ennis brings her love of wine to work with her everyday. Whether it is a Riesling tasting she recently attended or a bottle shared with her husband over dinner at one of Portland's restaurants, she is filled with ideas of wine and food pairings that make customers smile. Having trained as a chef at Western Culinary, Morgan went on to receive her Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Prior to joining cork in October 2006, Morgan spent several years working the Tasting Rooms at Cuneo Cellars and Rex Hill. She tastes wines daily to increase her knowledge of the wine world. Talk about a commitment!