Last updated: October 29, 2024

In the Weeds

by Jacqueline Pennington

Wine focus: An eclectic mix ranging from North Carolina wine to the far reaches of Bulgaria
Wine value: Glasses are reasonably priced and the cost of the bottles varies with the broad selection available
Corkage fees: None
By-the-glass list size: The list has a handful of options for bubbly (including mimosas and bellinis), white, and red wine along with a couple of rosés and a selection of half-bottles across all categories
Food options: Any of the food from vendors in The Market at 7th Street

Assorted Table Wine & Shop in The Market at 7th Street has been a refuge for wine lovers within the 277 loop since it was opened by Josh Villapando in 2012. Despite the multitude of things attracting people to Uptown — museums, sports stadiums, special-occasion restaurants, and high-end hotels — if you need to pick up a good bottle of wine, the options are sorely lacking. If you want to kick back somewhere casual and have a wonderful glass of wine without going into a nice restaurant, Uptown doesn’t have much to offer in that respect, either. However, tucked in the back corner of the market are shelves lined with what Villapando says is the most comprehensive, esoteric international wine selection in Charlotte, if not the region. 

“It is nerd central,” Villapando says. “We have, obviously, your California cabs and your French Burgundies, but we have wines from Lebanon, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, the Finger Lakes in New York, Arizona, New Mexico, and sometimes Idaho. And of course, North Carolina — we have an incredible North Carolina selection.” 

Villapando isn’t kidding about nerding out. There are designated sections in the store labeled “Nerd Zone” where the most unique bottles congregate to be analyzed by the adventurous wine shopper. Labels along the shelves help organize the selection by region and grape, but also by preference, like one shelf labeled “Buttery, oaky chardonnay” and another marked “Clean, crisp chardonnay”. Once a bottle from the wide-ranging selection is chosen, it can be taken to go, opened to be enjoyed in the market, or at one of the thirteen bar seats that wrap around the back half of the store. 

If you settle into one of those bar seats, you’ll quickly notice that the staff know their stuff and want to share their love of wine with you. I once asked for a menu and was told, “You’re asking for the bible, but I’m the prophet,” and proceeded to have a South African pinotage poured for me that I never would’ve ordered but was very glad ended up in my glass. I later learned from Villapnado that the entire staff is going through sommelier training and two of his team members are currently hosting trips that the shop offers to wine regions abroad. The next one in 2025 will take place in Argentina and Uruguay and is already sold out. 

Being part of an open space where people communally gather to enjoy the vendors of their choosing, the ambiance at Assorted Table Wine & Shop is dependent on the rest of the market. The music, lighting, and vibe doesn’t scream “wine bar” but it’s still a nice place to meet a friend for a glass. One perk of the market setting is that if you find yourself craving dumplings from Momo Station or a pasta dish from Mano Bella, the staff at Assorted Table will happily pair your dinner with a bottle or glass selection that will complement your dish, taking your casual market meal to the next level.  

Villapando is fully immersed in his passion for wine with the shop and with his pursuit of a degree in Enology and Viticulture at Surry Community College. He also leans into his nerd with a selection of collectibles like post-war tin toys, Star Wars collectibles, and Hot Wheels that are also for sale at the shop. “Every single thing in Assorted Table is a passion project and every single thing in Assorted Table is a hand-sell,” he says. 

The Market at 7th Street was started as an incubator for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. Without that space, we may not have Assorted Table Wine & Shop and without Assorted Table Wine & Shop, there would be shamefully few, if any, places in uptown to grab a bottle of wine from a selection curated by someone like Villapando who is driven by sharing his love and knowledge of wine with Charlotte. 

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