3 Day Hard Target Vacation #3: West Palm Beach! As Subscribers know, John and I do 3 Day Hard Target Vacations (7 days, including travel for international trips). The Hard Target in Madrid was "The Head of the Dog by Goya at the Prado, the Detroit Institute of Art and Motown in Detroit and, last week, the Rembrandt Exhibit at the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach. But always, the experience is taken from a wine perspective.
Chef Sam Etheridge at Quench! Wine Bistro’s Paella Party
By Gina Malone, Editor
Even in Asheville and surrounding towns, where an abundance of exceptional eating options abound, people tend to settle on their own favorite spots, returning again and again—either because of high-quality, creatively prepared food or for the ambience and personality of the place, a combination of décor, seating and lighting as well as the other diners who gather there. At Quench! Wine Bistro in Woodfin’s Reynolds Village, diners—newcomers and regulars—are not disappointed in the place or the plates.
Owners Gina Trippi and John Kerr, who also own Metro Wines, opened Quench! in August, 2024—just two weeks before Hurricane Helene hit. “We had to close,” Trippi says, “but, fortunately, Woodfin was on a different water system so we were able to open sooner. So that was a little bit of a difficult start.” Since that time, however, the restaurant—serving lunch and dinner as well as hosting themed dinners and weekly wine tastings—has settled into its role as a beloved community gathering place.
Trippi sings Chef Sam Etheridge’s praises, calling him the best chef around. “I’m not just saying that because it’s my restaurant,” she says. “You ask anybody. This is top-notch dining that you only see in a big city and in downtowns.” She appreciates Etheridge’s creativity and expertise in coming up with dishes and his vast knowledge about wines that pair well with food. “Sam does know how to run a restaurant,” she says.
Many know him as the chef and owner of Ambrozia, in North Asheville, which he ran for about six years. His friendship with Trippi grew out of catering jobs he had done for Metro Wines—and the wine shop’s Fantasy Football league. In a casual conversation one day, Trippi mentioned a restaurant in San Francisco that served only soups, bread and salad. That was the initial idea with Quench!, but the menu has evolved and grown.
Lunch items now include appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and charcuterie and cheese boards. For dinner, there are small plates, boards and suppers. “We try to keep it open to everyone,” Etheridge says of the offerings. “We always have vegetarian and gluten-free items. We can do substitutes. You can have almost everything.”
Etheridge credits his knowledge of food to a lifelong passion, having begun work in restaurants at the age of 15, going on to pursue culinary studies and never having another job other than cooking. “A lot of it is just studying,” he says. “I was obsessed with cooking most of my life. I’ve read every cookbook out there. And the internet. I just studied. Especially international cuisines.” He lived in Miami and New Mexico, absorbing the Latin influence and cuisines of both places. “I’ve been chef of an Italian restaurant and an Asian restaurant,” he adds.
For Quench!, “I try to keep it ‘bistro,’” he says, “a little French-leaning. ‘Bistro,’ to me, means home cooking—beef bourguignon, cassoulet. We don’t do any fried food. We try to keep it on the lighter side, not overbearingly heavy.”
The menu changes frequently, keeping things fresh and exciting. “Because we’re so wine-oriented, we try to base it on wines that are in season,” Etheridge says. He keeps the wine list in categories from lightest to heaviest. “The wine dinners are probably my favorite here,” he says. “That’s where we can really be creative.” The dinners are based on the cuisine of a particular country—Portugal, for instance, or Georgia. “So, I’ll have to learn that cuisine,” Etheridge says, a challenge but also a way to keep things fun for him and engaging for the customers.
Chef Sam Etheridge
The wine dinners have become so popular that reservations are required. “They fill up so fast,” Trippi says, usually within hours after being announced. The Wednesday Wine Tastings are free and open to the public, but tasters planning to have dinner afterwards are advised to make reservations. Joining the email list, via the Metro Wines website, is the best way to know about tastings and special dinners.
Quench! is also a retail store for select wines. “You can pick them up, and we also have delivery services—food and wine.” Staff members besides Etheridge are always able to help with wine selection.
An informal polling of customers and staff comes up with words like “family,” “homey,” and “accommodating.” “Generally, I know everybody here,” Etheridge says, something he loves about Quench!. “The staff knows everybody here. The bar is set up so that you can stand behind the bar and talk to all the customers and see everybody. We get the same people in all the time so you get to know them, what they like and don’t like.”
Quench! Wine Bistro is located in Woodfin’s Reynolds Village, 60 Merrimon Avenue, Suite 105. Hours are Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to close and Saturday, noon to close, with last seatings daily at 7 p.m. Make reservations for dining, special wine dinners and Wednesday Wine Tastings online at QuenchAVL.com. Online ordering is also available. To keep up with upcoming wine dinners, join the email list at MetroWinesAsheville.com.
Lunch
Asheville Restaurant Week Lunch-$20 per Person
Choice of Salad:
– Simple green salad-market veg, house vinaigrette or buttermilk dressing
– Caesar wedge-garlic parmesan dressing, parmesan crumble, croutons
Choice of Soup:
-Soup of the Season-see chalk board
-Creamy Tomato bisque, basil pesto
Choice of Sandwich:
– Three cheese grilled cheese
– French onion grilled cheese-caramelized onion, sherry, gruyere cheese
– BGT grilled cheese-bacon jam, aged gouda, fresh tomato, sourdough
-Cuban sandwich-roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, mustard
-Smoked trout Melt-white cheddar, tomato, pickles, sourdough
Choice of Dessert:
-Bourbon butterscotch pudding
-Raspberry Chocolate Bar
Dinner
Asheville Restaurant Week Dinner-$40 per Person, Optional Wine pairing additional $25 per person
Choice of One:
-She crab soup- sherry, crab butter toast
-Arugula, apples, cranberry/almond crumble, apple cider vinaigrette, buttermilk blue cheese
-Roasted beets, rosemary burrata, cherry beet gastrique, tomatoes, piñon
Choice of One:
–Beef Bourguignon–braised short rib in red wine, potato puree, oyster mushrooms, pearl onion jam-$28
-Bouillabaisse-mussels, tuna, shrimp, white wine lobster broth, saffron aioli-
-Local mushroom and winter greens ravioli, seared Lion’s Mane, leeks, white wine, roasted garlic, parmesan crumble-$24
Choice of Dessert:
-Bourbon butterscotch pudding, sea salt caramel
-Raspberry Chocolate Bar, raspberry cream
Comments posted yesterday in the Next Door neighborhood email:
Barbara Alexander, Beaverdam·23 hr ago
Just found this restaurant that’s absolutely DELICIOUS and on the north end! Quench Wine Bistro in Reynolds Mountain center. Creative dishes!
Frances Walton, 22h·Morningside Park
What did you eat?
Barbara Alexander, Author21h · Edited·Beaverdam
Frances -I tried the grilled bacon jam tomato and smoked gouda cheese on sourdough, and my husband had the Cuban sandwich. Last week I tried French caramelized onions and grilled cheese, and it was outstanding as well!
Rachel Smith, 21h·Stoney Knob
Love their food!!!
I will never get a table now! Good place.
Barbara Alexander, Author20h·Beaverdam
Deas, I know! I thought about that, but they are the nicest people and they seem to all be friends in on this together, and you can feel the love in the food!
The woman who owns it also owns Metro wines on Charlotte Street
Karen Light, 17h·Stoney Knob
Thanks! I'm looking forward to trying this.
Beth Barrie, 16h·Town Mountain Preserve
We love Quench!
Teresa Mizelle, 15h·Reynolds Village
If you haven’t tried it, you have to try their tomato soup. It is absolutely fabulous.!
Ellen Pappas, 14h·Lakeview Park
It’s a fabulous place!
Laura Westbrook, 9h·Woodfin
Great folk!
1
Absolutely! Good food and service and deliciously quiet.
Thanksgiving Offerings- All items are prepared for 4 people. All items will be cooked and just need reheating. Items will be ready for pickup between 2pm-&7PM Wednesday, November 26th
Soups-
Butternut Squash Bisque-$18 _______
She Crab Soup-$26 _______
Sides-
Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce-$12 _______
Brown Butter and Herb Mash Potatoes-$16 _______
Lobster Mac and Cheese-$25 ________
Black Trumpet Farms vegetarian stuffing-$18 _______
Duck confit and cornbread stuffing-$24 ______
Bourbon Sweet potato casserole with honey glazed pecans-$18 ______
Total_$____________
Name_______________________________ Phone#_________________
Dear editor,
While the individual statements in Edwin Arnaudin’s November 5th article “Where in the World is Woodfin?” are essentially true, his implied conclusion that Woodfin offers little is false. We ask Mountain Express to print our response as well as write an article that covers all aspects of Woodfin.
Our response to “Where in the World is Woodfin”
Your article highlights what is missing in Woodfin but you didn’t say what you’ll miss if you don’t visit Woodfin. Yes, it’s true that it’s hard to find the town’s borders. But within those borders you’ll find many small, local businesses that offer a surprising array of services and products. And all offer free, easy parking.
Like affordable dining? There are so many good, casual dining places here. We have BBQ, a deli, sandwich shops, burger joints, breweries, coffee shops, an ice cream parlor, a sports bar as well as ethnic restaurants that serve Italian, Greek, Chinese, Thai, Guatemalan and Mexican fare. We even have a 5-star bistro in Reynolds Village. Most serve lunch. And there are local food producers that offer specialty items like small batch kimchi and traditionally made tortillas.
But it doesn’t stop at food. Businesses here provide you with a wide range of services and amenities. You’ll find boutique lodging, luxury personal care, art studios, Pilates, yoga, a YMCA, a riverside park, markets with local produce and artisan products, knife sharpeners, a wine importer, fabric shops, medical providers, gardening stores, dog groomers, hand crafted upholstery, florists, caterers, hair salons and professional bra fitting where women cross state lines just to shop there. And if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, you can spend the night in a spaceship with a view. Google ThisIsWoodfin.com to see a list of some of Woodfin’s businesses.
Where are these places? Next time you’re driving through to the next town, slow down a bit and check out the Mills at Riverside and Reynolds Village, as well as the single buildings and mini-malls along the main routes. Woodfin has much to offer. And once Taylor’s Wave, a world class kayaking and surfing experience, opens this coming Spring, it will only improve for years to come.
Many people enjoy our town’s amenities without realizing they are in Woodfin. I invite Edwin to join me for a tour to see what he missed. Woodfin is worth a second look.
John Kerr
President, Woodfin Business Association
Auction Winners!
MetroWines and Quench offer Charities an Auction item for Fundraising Events.
The Action item is a Lux Lunch on Saturday at Quench!
including a Wine Tasting with a Metro Wines Sommelier and dishes
paired by Chef Sam Etheridge for a table of 8.
The winner chooses the wine theme for the event.
Previous winners have chosen Italian Reds, Little Known Wines Everybody Loves,
and last, week, the theme was all Pinot Noir from around the world. (The table choice is below!)
Request an Auction item: Call John at 828-575-9525!
And the Winner at the Table?
This wine? Complex floral and rooty nose. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir is not enormously concentrated, but has wonderful textural complexity and finely-nuanced sour cherry fruit. Cranberry freshness at the crisp and delicate finish. A cuvee of wines from the Altenbourg and Rosenberg sites. Matured in Stockinger barrels with 0% new oak. From bio-dynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.
News Release: October 27th, 2025
About: Philippe Bourgeois Hosts a Burgundy Wine Pairing Dinner
with Chef Sam Etheridge at Quench
Please Join Philippe Bourgeois and Chef Sam Etheridge for an Exclusive "Fall" Burgundy Wine Pairing Event, as only these two food and wine masters can do, on November 18th, 6pm at Quench in Reynolds Village, Woodfin.
Burgundy is the most famous, and arguably the best region for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the planet. Global demand has pushed Burgundy’s prices through the roof. But our secret weapon for prices is local importer Philippe Bourgeois.
French-born Philippe knows Burgundy’s small, family producers to provide you the best for reasonable prices. After tasting these wines, Sam decided to offer this dinner to showcase their quality. Enjoy a perfectly paired 5 course meal with 6 Burgundies. A perfect way to start the holiday season.
Reserve your seat here: https://quenchavl.com
Parking is Free, Close and Easy in Reynolds Village.
The Wines from JPB Imports:
Numa Cornut Nuit St Georges and Bourgogne Rouge
Numa Cornut Winery is a family-run estate with a winemaking heritage spanning nine generations. Focused on terroir-driven wines, the winery blends tradition with modern techniques. Numa Cornut studied viticulture, oenology, and wine marketing, gaining experience with the ADVINI Group in Languedoc and Rhône Valley, including Ogier Châteauneuf-du-Pape. He has also worked in Bordeaux, Switzerland, and Australia, refining his approach to winemaking. Drawing inspiration from his experiences in Europe and Australia, as well as the ancestral knowledge passed down by his parents, Numa crafts wines that express his winemaking journey—a journey that spans generations and continents, rooted in Burgundy’s timeless terroir.
The winery practices sustainable viticulture with minimal intervention. Working with indigenous yeasts, Numa embraces the unique mosaic of Burgundian terroirs, prioritizing terroir over extraction. The vineyards, set on clay-limestone and marl soils, provide the ideal structure and drainage for producing expressive wines.
In the cellar, Numa minimizes the use of new oak, allowing the wines to age patiently and develop their unique character. He refrains from filtration to preserve the specific aromas of each terroir, ensuring that every bottle truly reflects its origin.
Louis Dorry Macon Buissieres En Prole
In the village of Bussières, winegrowing runs deep in the Dorry family. For seven generations, vines have coexisted with livestock and mixed farming, producing wines that have always been an integral part of family life. The vaulted stone cellars at the heart of the domaine date back to the 14th century, having once belonged to the monks of Cluny Abbey, and still shelter the wines as they mature in the quiet village.
Today, the Domaine is guided by Louis-Paul Dorry, the youngest of a large family, who chose to continue the family’s legacy on his own terms. As a student, he planted his first vines in 2006, and by 2010, he had launched his first vintage. With just 3.5 hectares under vine, his approach is hands-on and exacting: he ploughs instead of using herbicides, employs biodynamic practices where possible, and uses systemic treatments only when absolutely necessary. Fermentation is done with native yeasts, élevage in both barrel and tank. These choices result in wines that reflect the terroir of Mâcon-Bussières.
For Louis-Paul, winemaking is both a continuation and a quiet rebellion: honoring centuries of heritage while shaping his own path in Burgundy. The wines of Domaine Louis Dorry reflect this balance — authentic, thoughtful, and crafted with a sense of endurance that mirrors the ancient stone walls of the cellar themselves
Alexis Pollier Macon Villages and Pouilly Fuisse
Born in Fuissé in 1995, Alexis Pollier is the fifth generation in a family of dedicated winemakers from the heart of Pouilly-Fuissé. With a deep connection to his family’s winemaking legacy, Alexis took the bold step to cultivate and vinify his own vineyards at the age of twenty, embracing both tradition and innovation to craft exceptional wines. Alexis’s vineyards span some of the most prestigious appellations in Burgundy, including Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Mâcon Milly-Lamartine, Mâcon-Villages, Bourgogne, and Beaujolais.
In 2019, Alexis built a state-of-the-art cellar, equipped with oak barrels and thermo-regulated vats. This modern facility enables him to fine-tune the vinification process, ensuring his wines are both balanced and expressive. His attention to detail, coupled with his hands-on approach, results in wines that are celebrated for their quality and distinctiveness. But what truly sets Alexis Pollier apart is his commitment to the environment. His vineyards are HVE (High Environmental Value) certified, demonstrating his dedication to sustainable farming practices.
Le Nid Moulin a Vent
In the heart of Moulin-à-Vent, the Lardet family tends their six hectares of vines with a deep respect for tradition and a passion for renewal. The estate, affectionately named Le Nid (“The Nest”), symbolizes family unity and their commitment to nurturing this treasured land. Parents Paul and Danielle, together with their three children Delphine, Jocelyn, and Stéphane, represent the latest generation to shape the Domaine’s future. Since taking ownership in 2012, they have combined heritage with fresh vision, refining viticulture and winemaking while preserving the character of their historic terroirs. With the support of their cellar master and oenologist, the Lardets craft wines that capture the essence of Moulin-à-Vent: generous, structured, and built to age, yet always inviting at the table.