A Visit to EB Wines in Governors Village

With Esteban Brunello, Marcus Ginyard, and a Few Very Good Bottles

“This is where I shop.”

That was the moment Marcus Ginyard said it, standing in Esteban Brunello’s cellar, scanning bottles from the 1970s, verticals of Rioja, and obscure biodynamic producers from Eastern Europe. It wasn’t said as a joke. It was said with the kind of quiet excitement only serious wine people have when they discover something special.

I invited Marcus to EB Wines knowing he’d appreciate what Esteban has built. Most people in Chapel Hill know Marcus as the captain of the 2009 UNC Men’s Basketball National Championship team. But basketball is just one chapter of his story.

After UNC, Marcus spent 11 years playing professional basketball across Europe, living in eight countries and playing for 13 teams. That experience shaped his palate in ways most American wine drinkers never get the chance to experience. (unc.edu)

Today, Marcus is back in Chapel Hill working with the University of North Carolina as Director of Special Projects, helping support university leadership and playing a key role in community engagement and planning for the future Carolina North development, the university’s planned research and mixed-use campus expansion. (University of North Carolina Athletics)

You may also recognize his voice from the Wine With Friends podcast, where he dives deep into wine culture with the enthusiasm of a true enthusiast.

And then there’s me, an appreciative taster.

Marcus and Esteban sit firmly on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Ten Minutes With Esteban

Tucked into Governors Village, just steps from my office, is one of the most quietly sophisticated wine shops in the Triangle: EB Wines. My company manages the space Esteban Brunello leases, but what he has created inside it goes far beyond retail. It’s a working cellar, a classroom, and, on the right afternoon, a stage.

If you have ten minutes, Esteban can change how you think about wine.

Esteban is a career sommelier who has worked in Michelin-star restaurants, including SPQR in San Francisco, where he performed tableside sparkling wine degorgement that literally stopped dining rooms mid-bite.

His philosophy about wine is refreshingly honest:

“I don’t want you to spend the money on this because you’re going to come back and tell me, ‘Man… this is not good.’ You need to understand what you’re drinking.”

He has turned down four-figure sales when he believes a customer isn’t ready for the bottle. And those customers come back.

What You Can Learn in 10 Minutes

You do not need a formal tasting to learn something here. In ten minutes inside EB Wines, you might learn:

Why vintage Champagne isn’t just about age.

Sometimes a 1998 costs more than a 1990 simply because fewer bottles remain in the world. “There’s less bottles in the world from this one. That’s why the price is higher.”

How sparkling wine degorgement actually works.

Certain sparkling wines are opened underwater to eject sediment while preserving the wine. “You need to do this really fast, because you don’t want to lose a lot of wine. You just want to lose a little bit. Then you pour this, and you’re in heaven.”

When not to decant a wine.

Decanting can sometimes flatten an older wine rather than improve it. “If you want the tightness of something, you need to be careful, because if you decant it, it’s going to… go.”

Why the most expensive bottle isn’t always the best choice.

Esteban will happily guide someone away from a $450 bottle toward a $120 bottle from the same producer if it’s the better experience. “You don’t need to spend the money. You need to understand how to buy champagne.”

That kind of honesty is why Governors Village is lucky to have him.

A Cellar That Rivals Major Markets

EB Wines carries bottles most shops in much larger cities do not. Vertical vintages, Jura Savagnin, biodynamic Eastern European producers, serious Barolo and Brunello collections, and rare aged bottles.

Standing in the cellar, listening to Marcus and Esteban debate vintages and producers, it felt less like a store and more like a private tasting salon.

And yet it remains completely approachable. You can walk in for a simple bottle and leave having learned something new.

For those of us who work nearby, it’s a gift.

Come Experience It

If you’re curious about wine, or just want to meet one of the most passionate wine professionals in the region, stop by EB Wines in Governors Village and spend ten minutes with Esteban.

Or better yet, join us for this upcoming gathering.

Come talk about real estate with me and taste EB Wines for yourself.

Tuesday, March 17th 6–8 p.m.

79 West Coworking & Innovation Hub

120 Mosaic Blvd #120, Pittsboro, NC

Free to attend. Drinks and lite bites provided. Sips by EB Wines from 6-7 p.m.

Contact chela@boldnc.com for info.