Holiday Spirits (and Wine!)

Kowalski's Wine & Spirits is well stocked with everything your home bar needs, including experts! We asked members of the team to share a little about themselves and the drinks they most often pour themselves (when they’re off-duty, of course!).

Tiffany Bolk (Woodbury)

Expertise: I have 12 years in the business, with the last 9 ½ at Kowalski's!
Home: St. Paul.
Fave cocktail: Anything with Champagne! I usually stick to wine, but I really like Death & Co. Moonsail Fizz and Aurora Highball canned cocktails.
Fave wine: Champagne, Châteauneuf du Pape and rosé.
Fave pairings: Sadly, I don't cook from scratch very often, but I found a great pesto spaghetti squash recipe that I really like that's easy and tasty. I would drink Champagne or rosé with this. I really love pizza and like visiting The Pizza Shop in West St. Paul! And yes, I would drink Champagne with pizza! (Okay, I can’t exactly afford Champagne every day, but a nice sparkling rosé would suffice.)
Fun stuff: I went to school for photography and have my BFA and MFA in photography. I've had my own photography business since 2006, and I shoot weddings, fashion and boudoir. I also love nature and hiking. I have been to all of Minnesota's 66 state parks and several national parks. I love cats and have one cat named Hazel.

"I could drink Champagne every day!" — Tiffany

Michael Wirzylo (Shoreview)

Expertise: Almost one year at Kowalski's but 23 years in the biz.
Home: The Seward neighborhood in South Minneapolis, a stone's throw from the U and the Mighty Mississip'!
Fave cocktail: I'm solidly focused on wine, but a pisco sour in summer or a boulevardier in the winter usually hits the spot.
Fave wines: Villa Cafaggio Sangiovese Toscana. It is well balanced, fresh and features brighter fruit and less rustic tannin and acidity than a typical old-fashioned Chianti. It has the ease and medium-weighted grace of a pinot noir with that zesty, aromatic red fruit only sangiovese seems to be able to exhibit. It's also a fantastic value!
Fave foods: I like linguine carbonara. When I'm feeling homesick for Ohio and a little nostalgic, I'll grab some of our Market Sausages Smoked Kielbasa and some Bubbies Sauerkraut and attempt to duplicate my Polish grandmother's signature sausage and potatoes recipe – no easy feat!

"Above all, wine is a condiment and an integral part of cuisine. Kowalski's intimately understands this aspect of what can be a very rewarding discovery of the world's produce." — Michael

Paul Wood (Excelsior)

Expertise: I've been at Kowalski's for five years and in the industry for seven. I've achieved WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Level 2, and I'm working on Level 3.
Home: The Westonka area.
Fave cocktail: Most of all, I really enjoy exploring different red wine styles, but my favorite cocktail is a gin and tonic.
Fave wine: Domaine des Gaudets, a Beaujolais AOC wine, is made from Gamay grapes. It has a light body, bright red fruit and lively acidity. The Gamay grape is like a pinot noir, only with a well-structured tannin finish.
Fave pairing: My favorite to pair with Beaujolais is braised beef ribs, but it's also good with roasted poultry, pasta and pork.

"Staying informed with the new and particularly the old styles of wine production are important to me." — Paul

Sue Machnik (Grand Avenue)

Expertise: Four years at Kowalski's, 35 in the industry.
Home: St Paul's North End.
Fave cocktail: A vodka gimlet. I also love a Negroni and Bourbon on the rocks.
Fave wines: My favorites are from the Loire Valley: cabernet franc, Sancerre and Vouvray. They are a great value, and there is a wide range of styles to experience.
Fave pairings: I like beef stew with a cab franc or chicken tikka masala with Vouvray.

"I am fortunate to work with the brilliant and skilled people I do. I learn something new every day." — Sue

Leslie Forster (Oak Park Heights)

Expertise: I've been at Kowalski's for four years!
Home: The Stillwater area.
Fave cocktail: I love a gin and tonic with a gin that is soft on the juniper.
Fave wine: Champagne!
Fave pairings: We love shrimp and grits at our house. My current version is maple-Bourbon shrimp and grits with chorizo, paired with a Spanish Rioja or a cold beer.

"After 30-plus years teaching early education, I decided it was time to reinvent myself. I'm loving round 2!" — Leslie

Richard LeClaire (Eagan)

Expertise: I've worked in this industry for 62 years, and I've been at Kowalski's for 11.
Home: Thomas Lake neighborhood in Eagan.
Fave cocktail: A classic Manhattan.
Fave wine: Bussola Valpolicella Ripasso.
Fave foods: A like pasta with a homemade red sauce and our Market Sausages Mild Italian Sausage. I also love Chinese takeout!

"I love the Kowalski's clientele here [at Eagan]! The everyday contact with customers over the years has given me the opportunity to develop long-term friendships." — Richard

Kowalski's Wine & Spirits is located at our Eagan, Excelsior, Grand Avenue, Oak Park Heights, Shoreview, Uptown and Woodbury Markets. Stop in to shop our selection of wines, spirits and beers this season. Our knowledgeable staff are happy to provide recommendations and pairing ideas for your holiday entertaining!