Beyond the Bottle: The Art of Wine at Wine Gallery 108
Walk into Wine Gallery 108 and you will immediately notice a difference from the ho-hum wine aisle at your local supermarket or big-box retailer. This wine shop exudes creativity, warmth, and hospitality. Wine Gallery 108 has been in Old Town Alexandria for just over eight years and is the creation of owner Lisa Katic, who has been in the wine and hospitality industry for most of her adult life. A bit of "insider history" about this shop: in 2022, the business moved from 108 North Patrick St. to its current location at 108 North St. Asaph St. Yes, you read that correctly!
There is an energy at this local shop that welcomes you in as if you are walking into someone’s home. Why? Not only is Lisa a wine aficionado, but she is also a creator at heart—a true artist who sees the world through multicolored lenses—and it shows in what she has designed within this boutique space. In fact, the name “Wine Gallery 108” reflects Lisa’s artistic spirit and her vision of bringing all of her passions and talents under one roof, blending wine, art, and hospitality into a single curated experience. That same energy is evident in the staff at Wine Gallery 108.
Unlike the aforementioned big-box stores, the staff at this neighborhood shop know the inventory and can guide you toward wines based on your preferences, your dinner menu, and your budget. Instead of wandering, overwhelmed, past rows of bottles with no one to guide you, Wine Gallery 108 employs knowledgeable professionals who can tell you the story behind a small-production Burgundy or Bordeaux, recommend a perfect pairing for your seafood dinner, or introduce you to an unexpected gem from an emerging wine region you may never have heard of.
The curation at this boutique wine shop represents another key advantage over mass-market alternatives. Rather than stocking whatever moves fastest or yields the highest margins, Lisa carefully selects the offerings based on quality, uniqueness, and value. You will find wines from small family estates, natural winemakers, and lesser-known regions that never make it onto grocery store shelves because they are produced in limited quantities. The result is a thoughtfully selected collection that rewards exploration rather than presenting a wall of commercial brands focused on mass appeal.
Importantly, the shop offers a wide range of price points to suit every occasion—whether you are looking for an everyday wine, a thoughtful gift, or a special bottle worthy of a collector’s cellar.
This boutique shop hosts tastings, classes, and events that bring neighbors together and build community around the shared pleasure of wine. Wine Gallery 108 is a gathering place where you might run into friends, meet fellow wine lovers, and develop relationships with staff members who come to know your tastes and set aside special bottles they think you will love. In an era of algorithmic recommendations and impersonal transactions, there is something truly valuable about walking into a shop where people know your name and genuinely care about your experience.
