Somm Insider: Vol. 6 ~ Hidden Track Bottle Shop

SOMM INSIDER: VOLUME 6
What: Hidden Track Bottle Shop
Where: 111 W. Monroe St #120, Phoenix
By: Darla Hoffmann

Owners of Hidden Track Bottle Shop, Danielle Middlebrook and Craig Dziadowicz, are dedicated to providing their community with an exceptional, global wine selection with an urban local flare. They want you to be able to find obscure wines, but also experience a presence of Arizona in your glass.

They have been involved in an Arizona wine-making project for a few years. “The wine making is a collaboration of ideas and requests from us, and production by Michael Pierce of Bodega Wines,” says Craig. Their first project was an Arizona chardonnay modeled after a burgundian chardonnay. “We wanted to reveal Arizona terroir with Michael’s patience at wine making,” explained Craig. “It came out amazing.”

They are now immersing themselves in project they call ‘The Historic District Series’. This is meant to exhibit Phoenix Historic Districts, wine, and local artists. “In our opinion,” says Craig, “these are experiences that should be shared with any tourist or local.” The current releases are the F.Q. Story, a 2017 chardonnay, and the Coronado, a 2016 petit sirah, both sourced from Rolling View Vineyard in Willcox. They have plans to release a ‘Roosevelt’, ‘Garfield’, and ‘Wille’ in the next couple of months.

Craig and Danielle are donating $1.00 per bottle back to each Historic District group. This is an incredible, avant-garde project that encourages people to learn about art and history in Arizona through wine. As a Sommelier, I have a great amount of appreciation for this project because every time I open a book or google a specific topic about wine, I learn about something else. Their focus is on Arizona and they want to share it with everyone. I think the message here is, never under estimate the power of wine, for it will leave you with so much more than a buzz.

Hidden Track expanded to include a café, attached to the shop, that serves cheeses, coffee, and fresh baked goods. Additionally, they have a BYOB license, so people can bring their own beverages at no charge if they order food. They can also choose from the shop’s 400 wines, cork what they don’t finish, and take it home. The shop/café provides people the opportunity to enjoy an esoteric glass of wine, support local, and possibly make some new friends.

Hidden Track Bottle Shop is located at 111 W. Monroe St #120 in Phoenix. The shop hours are Monday through Saturday 12 pm-7 pm; Café hours are 7 am-6 pm.

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Business owner, Darla Hoffmann, passed both her Sommelier Level 1 and Certified Level 2 exams with the highest score in her class, earning the esteemed “Walter Clore Scholarship”. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine and Hospitality Beverage under the Society of Wine Educators, a Certified Beer Server/Level 1 under the Cicerone Program, and a member of The Wine Century Club. Additionally, she works in the tasting room at LDV Wine Gallery, an award-winning winery in Scottsdale, has written for City Sun Times and MYnewsMesa, and has been a guest writer on The Society of Wine Educators’ site. Darla is the sole proprietor of About Wine, which focuses on wine education and marketing through means of tastings, classes, marketing, and promotions. She conducts customized classes at various restaurants and events in Phoenix, such as Wine 101: ‘The Grape Expedition’ series, and Italian Varietals: Wines of Bordeaux, Spain & Portugal. For more info, visit: www.aboutwineinaz.com.