by Kara Daly

“Wes” Wesley has been running the McNinch House wine program for 21 years. Kara Daly/UP

Anthony “Wes” Wesley has been a part of the evolving Charlotte wine scene for more than 35 years. “The wine scene is great in Charlotte, it’s become great,” he says. “I’m excited because a lot of younger folks are into wine right now.” Wesley says he is pleased to witness the wine industry shifting to accommodate the preferences of a newer generation, and finds a sense of ease within the change. “You’ve got to go with the flow.”

Originally from Libera, Wesley has also lived in Philadelphia and New York, moving to Charlotte in 1987. He had a background in finance and only the sense that he enjoyed wine when he dove straight into the heart of Charlotte’s fine-dining scene, landing a job at the famous Lamplighter Restaurant. When his interest began to grow, his team members decided to mentor him. “When they explained to me the different varieties, this and that, it sounds like Greek to me,” Wesley recalls with laughter. “Finally, they gave me a couple of books to read. That’s when I started to develop some interest…I was curious about tasting what I had read. It just took off from there.”

Wesley’s mentors made sure that he had a well-rounded understanding of the business, advising him to work at a variety of restaurants while he continued his wine studies. Once he gained a foundational understanding of wine, he went to New York to enroll in Kevin Zraly’s Windows On The World Wine School, a legendary 8-week course located in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and relocated to a Marriott after the September 11th attacks. A lesson he quickly learned was that “if you think you know, there’s always more to know.”

This year marks Wesley’s 21st as the sommelier at the McNinch House in the Fourth Ward, where he’s known for taking a subversive approach to wine and food pairings. “Writers and critics will normally match wines with food suggestions based on notes, flavors, nuances they get from the wine in making it easy for the general public,” he says. “How I decide the wine, I always taste the sauce. The sauce can reject the wine.” Wesley has been known to break other rules that sommeliers have been known to live by, like the age-old “white before red” rule. “No, no, no” says Wesley, with a laugh. “It depends on the food. There’s some appetizers that are great with red, and then your next course might go with white.”

McNinch House diners anticipating a visit to their table by a sommelier will be charmed by Wesley’s warmth, humor, and humanity. His approach to wine is devoid of any of the pretentiousness that has become associated with wine expertise. His wine lists have won several awards from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Now, he’s taking his grounded approach to wine education and launching The New School For Wine.

Classes are geared towards wine enthusiasts who want to know more about how to identify wine styles and understand the differences between regions. Students get a chance to draw a connection between what they like to drink and what happens in the vineyard to create that style. The name of the school was inspired by Wesley’s time as a student at the New School of Social Research in New York City, which allows students to pick and choose what they want to learn about. “It’s non-traditional,” Wesley says. “You’re not going to get a certificate. It’s a place where you go to learn what you want to learn.”

The New School For Wine meets every Saturday morning at The Market at 7th Street in Uptown. 101 and 102 classes are geared towards beginners, covering major wine styles, regions, and varietals. 201 and 202 are rotating sessions focusing on New World and Old World regions, respectively. But Wesley encourages his students to explore what interests them, rather than forcing a linear academic route. “If you’re a fan of Napa, come to the Napa class,” Wesley says. “If you only like Italian wine, just go to the Italian session. Don’t worry about the rest of the stuff.”

Referencing one of the first things he learned about wine, Wesley invites even advanced students to re-visit beginner concepts: “You think you know; you can always learn more.”