Wines and Signs
Bellingham native pairs wine with astrology
STORY BY ALEX KILLIAN | PHOTOS BY BAILEY BARNARD
“What’s your sign?”
The answer to this classic question might predict a person’s future, but it can also predict something else, Katie Bechkowiak says: what wine matches their personality.
Bechkowiak coined the term “vinostrology” while writing a wine blog, when she decided to look at astrological sign characteristics to see how they sync up with features of wines and wine varietals. A varietal is a wine made primarily from one grape variety, such as Merlot or Chardonnay. She views wine as having more personality than just tasting notes, and uses these personalities to compare wine to people.
Throughout her 51 years, Bechkowiak has never been an avid follower of astrology beyond the hopeful horoscope check we all submit to now and again (she’s a Sagittarius, by the way). Still, the zodiac provided her with something else: a new way to think about her passion, an unpaved road leading to a fresh understanding of wine.
“Let’s say you had an interesting Rosé,” Bechkowiak says. “Rosés don’t tend to take themselves too seriously, so I’d compare it to Lucille Ball, just kind of lighthearted.”
Aside from looking at the finished wine’s flavor and body, Bechkowiak also incorporates her knowledge of the grapes and their behavior depending on where they’re grown, as this impacts their development.
“You can taste a Syrah from France and a Syrah from Washington state and although they’re the same varietal, they taste diabolically different because of the part of the world they’re grown in,” Bechkowiak says.
Syrah is a dry, red wine that features bold flavors such as dark fruit and chocolate, with medium acidity and a peppery aftertaste, according to Seattle-based wine website Wine Folly.
BUILDING A BUSINESS
Vinostrology turned into more than a wine blogger’s idea when Bechkowiak opened her wine lounge under the same name in May 2013.
A longtime wine lover, Bechkowiak worked in various jobs within the industry, from back room stockperson to distributing. These jobs allowed Bechkowiak to constantly expand her knowledge of wine and helped lead her to where she is now.
After she was laid off a wine sales job at the height of the recession, Bechkowiak decided to focus on her dream of opening a place where people who were curious about wine and full-blown connoisseurs could coexist.
Maxwell Vukas, 22, is a Western student who has frequented Vinostrology for a year and a half and now helps out there part-time. He was an instant fan of the vibe and the fact that even the older crowd was willing to talk to younger customers, which was a nice change, he says.
“One thing that bothers me about wine is that people think it’s an elitist drink, and I’ve really tried to stay away from that idea,” Bechkowiak says. “When people come in and say they don’t know anything about wine, I’m psyched.”
WINE ON TAP
Bechkowiak was always bothered when buying a glass of wine and not knowing how long the bottle had been sitting open, as wine gradually loses its robust flavors after it is opened. This lead to a standout feature of Vinostrology: the WineStations, which sit in a shiny row of five stainless steel boxes behind the bar.
WineStations dispense wine in 1-ounce tastes, half and full glasses, as well as preserve the wine they hold. Most wines lose their natural aroma and flavor after two or three weeks at best, but the WineStation preserves them for up to 60 days. This keeps the wine tasting like the cork was just pulled.
“The wine list is a living thing here,” Bechkowiak says. “Something usually runs out every day so there’s always something new, and that helps to keep people coming back.”
As a guest, Vukas agrees that it’s fun to try such a wide variety of wines in one place, especially since they change so frequently.
Bechkowiak tries to have something for everyone in the stations. In addition to always keeping eight whites and 12 reds on tap, plus the occasional port or dessert wine, she makes sure to include wines from different countries, price points and more.
Vukas enjoys the wines from Corbières, one of France’s largest wine-producing regions, which Vinostrology offered in April 2015.
Bechkowiak believes everyone has their own taste and there’s no right or wrong varietal of wine to call your favorite, whether it’s a sweet white or bold red.
Today, Bechkowiak is sharing her passion through her business, honoring her hometown, and debunking wine myths one sip at a time.
“I love seeing the look on people’s faces when they’re hell-bent on not liking a certain wine, then they try it and they like it,” Bechkowiak says. “It’s good to have that adventure sip.”
