The Doctor is In
You haven’t tasted Traverse City until you’ve spent a session at Ric Cerrini's neighborhood wine shop, Bon Vin.
What’s a little road construction when there’s wine to be procured? More specifically, no road at all?
Traverse City’s Bon Vin wine shop is smack in the middle of an otherwise highly trafficked stretch of E. Eighth St. (between Boardman and Woodmere avenues) closed for reconstruction until October. Having the main street to your business closed for five months is not something any owner wants — especially thesefive months. The good news? So far, shop co-owner and wine buyer Ric Cerrini isn’t seeing much of an impact since the barriers went up a little over a month ago.
Fact: His shop (and others on the north side of Eighth) are easily accessible via an alley or neighboring side streets. Cerrini said his regulars are making their way just fine. But, he acknowledged, the critical summer tourists might not as easily navigate the detour — or want to bother.
Regardless, the business of selling wine goes on. For Cerrini, that has been for more than four decades, though just a fraction of that time in Traverse City. He spent nearly 38 years at the legendary Village Corner in Ann Arbor, located at the edge of the University of Michigan’s main campus and like any good campus store also sold blue books, toilet paper and other essentials. Incidentally, it’s also where he made his northern Michigan connection.
Bon Vin is co-owned with John Dressler of Traverse City, who owns the entire commercial building that also houses Dino’s Pizza and Raduno. The Dressler family was originally from Toldeo, and both John and his dad were regular customers of the Village Corner. Cerrini said John “had been after me for years” about doing something with him in Traverse City. One week after the Village Corner closed in late 2010, the two had a plan in place.
Bon Vin opened in the fall of 2011 with about 900 labels. Today, the shop boasts between 1,500 and 1,800 labels, a selection Cerrini described as “diverse, eclectic and some of everything.” From Old World (Europe) to New World (the Americas, New Zealand and Australia) to local and regional wines, the entire geography of producers can be found on shop’s shelves. Prices range from $6.99 to $300, and everything in between.
BEST DETOUR EVER
Cerrini pretty much stumbled into his wine career — which started with a job he never applied for. With degrees in psychology and philosophy from the University of Michigan and a PhD plan underway, he showed up to work at the Village Corner one day, instead of his housemate who was employed there.
Clearly, it was a good move.
“That year off from grad school will get you every time,” Cerrini said of his 38-year career at the Ann Arbor store.
But it was there he found his mentor Dick Scheer, owner of the shop, who is still at it today. After the Village Corner closed, following 40 years at the corner of South University and South Forest, to make way for a new high-rise apartment building, it was time for Cerrini to head north. (The Village Corner reopened a year later by U of M’s North Campus.)
With just shy of 46 years in the business, Cerrini possesses knowledge of wine regions and producers, as well as grapes and styles and flavor profiles that are a rare find these days. He’s the face of the shop five days a week, and can regularly be found enjoying his coffee breaks outside no matter the weather.
Bon Vin has its loyal regulars or “family,” as Cerrini calls them, who are greeted by name and head straight to their favorite bottles. Others come in and go right to Cerrini to be pointed in the right direction. Still others like to first look around and see what’s interesting, and then maybe seek advice.
“I always greet, always offer to help, ask if they have any questions,” said Cerrini, of how he tries to make the sea of bottles approachable rather than overwhelming. The most important thing, he said, is to make sure people know he’s available.
Q&A
Cerrini thinks of wine as part of a meal and his recommendations reflect that. He always wants to know what food will be eaten with the wine, even how it will be prepared or any particularly strong flavors. A bit of an interrogation, if you will.
“I grew up in the tradition of wine as part of a meal,” said Cerrini. “If you get the right combination, both things taste better. I drink for what I’m eating.”
Case in point: a wine, he said, that is so satisfyingly thirst-quenching on a hot summer day is just as good in mid-February with a spicy shrimp stir-fry.
So what’s interesting now, as temperatures begin to rise and fresh local fruit and vegetables and grilled fish and meat fill our plates? That would be rosé. Cerrini remembers a time when “you couldn’t give the stuff away.” Then, two years ago, suddenly rosé exploded. “Like nothing I’d ever seen before,” he added.
Take a detour (literally) to the shop, and Cerrini will find a rosé, or whatever suits your fancy, for your glass.
Bon Vin is located at 530 E. Eighth St. in Traverse City. It’s open Monday through Thursday, 10am to 6pm; Friday and Saturday, 10am to 7pm; and Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. Use Franklin Street to access the large parking lot in front of the store.
SATURDAY TASTINGS
Bon Vin hosts free wine tasting every Saturday (with rare exception) from noon to 4 pm. This Italian trio was featured on a recent Saturday:
Gavi: a dry white from the Piedmont region produced by Stefano Massone (100% Cortese); $15.99
Marche Rosato: a rose from the Cingoli region produced by Tenuta Di Tavignano (80% Lacrima and 20% Sangiovese); $17.99
Rosso: a red from the Umbria region produced by Perticaia (80% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 10% Merlot); $16.99
CONSTRUTION PARTY GRILL OUT!
Neighbor Raduno has started up Friday night grill parties during the Eighth Street construction project this summer. Check out its Facebook page for specific details, but plan on something meaty from the grill, a free wine tasting from Bon Vin, and entertainment — all while checking out the construction progress!