March 30, 2017 By Staff Report
Wine and art now have a shared home in Astoria.
The day before Valentine’s Day, longtime Astoria residents Carlos Milholi and his wife Adriana opened a new boutique wine and spirit shop at 37-16 Astoria Blvd.
Milholi, who has been an Astoria resident for nearly 30 years, set out to open the store appropriately named “Wine Art,” after gaining experience in the hospitality business and having a strong desire to open a family business.
Milholi, who lives on 27th Avenue, said that his entire family is involved in the store. He said that his wife and daughter provide a lot of ideas as to how the shop should look and operate.
The Milholi Family
“We really set out as a family to start this business, and wanted every one to have their input on what the store should be like,” Milholi said.
The idea to feature artwork in the store free of charge originated from Milholi and his wife’s appreciation for local artists.
“We wanted to help local artists bring their work into the store, and provide exposure for their pieces,” Milholi said. “There is a growing community of creatives in Astoria, and we want to be there to support that growth.”
“I also believe to appreciate wine is an art itself,” Adriana Milholi said. “There are so many things you need to study and learn about the process of how wine is made and kept, that I believe that true lovers of wine will appreciate our taste in selection for wine and art.”
Carlos’ daughter Amanda, who currently attends St. Francis of Assisi school in Astoria, also had a hand in the look and feel of the shop, putting forward ideas as the interior design and layout.
While art work will be on display and rotate in and out regularly, the pieces will not be sold at the store. Instead, customers who are interested in acquiring a piece on display will be given the artist’s contact information.
In celebration of their opening, the store will be hosting free wine tastings every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, beginning at 5:30 pm until late.
On April 28th, Brooklyn distillery “Kings County,” will be hosting a tasting of its bourbon at the shop from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The company will be sampling its 2-year-aged bourbon, chocolate bourbon, as well as its seasonal batch. In addition, there will also be limited tastings of Kings County moonshine and single malt.
Hours of operation for Wine Art are:
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 am to midnight
Sunday: 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Note: Wine Art is an advertiser of the Astoria Post.
