Have you ever tried wine from Austria, Slovenia or Greece?

An Edge District wine shop features a collection of vintages you may not be familiar with right now, but the owner thinks could soon become your new favorites.

Rootstock Wine Merchants, which opened in 2022 at 644 Madison Ave., is a venture from wine industry veteran Scott Smith.

Australian winemaker Noah Ward of Unico Zelo Wines and Rootstock Wine Merchants owner Scott Smith on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Smith and his team feature wines from small-production, family-owned wineries across the globe, and the shop boasts a robust collection of off-the-beaten path wines from Italy, France, Australia and the United States. 

Rootstock is not a place to purchase brand-name wines found easily on grocery store shelves, according to Smith. 

“When the laws changed and allowed grocery stores to sell wine, we needed to find a way to differentiate ourselves,” said Smith, who has been in the wine business for decades.

On Monday, March 31, Noah Ward from Australian winery Unico Zelo made a stop in Memphis on a worldwide, 12-city tour. Memphis was one of only six stops in the United States.

“This is super exciting to me and all of us at Rootstock that he is coming to Memphis,” Smith told me when he invited me to a small tasting lunch with Ward.

Unico Zelo is part of a new wave of winemakers in Australia. With its focus on sustainability, the winery experiments with heat- and drought-tolerant varieties that can thrive despite climate change.

“Our goal is to make wines that are both delicious and sustainable. There is a shift happening more toward Mediterranean grapes that need far less water than European varietals,” said Ward, noting that Australia is in a drought.

Smith described the wines, which cost less than $30 a bottle, as “fun to drink and uncomplicated.”

For the tasting lunch, Ward requested what might seem like an odd cuisine for a wine pairing. But, as we sat around a table at the Midtown location of Petals of a Peony, Ward explained that flavors in fare from China really highlight Unico Zelo’s wines.

Australian Unico Zelo Wines at Rootstock Wine Merchants on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

“Australia is essentially part of Asia. We are a crossroads between Asia and Europe,” Ward explained. “This type of food highlights our wines.”

Wine distributor Damian Serong of Franklin Selections said that Rootstock’s Smith was the reason Unico Zelo decided to visit Memphis.

“He was one of the first who raised his hand when we started bringing in wines from Unico Zelo. He has been a big supporter of this new wave of Australian wines from the beginning,” Serong said.

Smith said he was excited to expose his customers to the winemakers behind his wines.

As part of Unico Zelo’s visit, Rootstock hosted a free “Meet the Winemaker” event for its wine club (officially called the “Buzz Club”) members. The Buzz Club does events such as regular classes and a weekly tasting every Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. 

Smith said he is thrilled with the global attention that Memphis is now getting from winemakers who see the value in visiting.

“We have a woman from Venezuela who studies in Germany coming for a six-week internship,” Smith said. “How exciting is that!”

This Week on Memphis’ restaurant scene

Kinfolk owner Cole Jeanes surveys the construction of his restaurant Aug. 29, 2024, as renovations continue after a building water leak July 27, 2024. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Ever wonder why so many restaurant openings seem to be delayed? I spoke with five Memphis restaurateurs about the challenges one faces during the construction phase of opening a new restaurant.

In Food Files, Sophia Surrett reported that the new (and expanded) JoJo’s Espresso has officially opened, and she offered a first look at the new Thornwood coffee shop and cafe.

Aarron Fleming reported Wing Guru owner Billy Richmond has been indicted for theft and tax fraud, according to local court records.

Aldi is set to open a location in the Medical District next week, at the 785 Union Ave. building that once housed an Office Depot. 

The new Aldi store at 785 Union Ave. will open April 10. The first 100 customers will receive a gift bag filled with a sampling of products and a gift card. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

The former Railgarten site is now for sale. The Midtown bar and entertainment space never reopened after it shut down suddenly in December, ostensibly for renovations.

On last week’s Sound Bites podcast, Holly Whitfield spoke with Teddy Pepper, the head brewer for Flyway Brewing Co.’s Memphis location, about craft beers and the taproom’s offerings.

The owners of Cameo and Mary’s B.O.T.E., Biscuits & Jams and the former Edge Alley discussed the struggles, successes and realities of the restaurant industry last week on WKNO’s “Behind The Headlines.”

My What to Order column this week featured Napa Cafe’s double-stout-braised short ribs. This signature dish is owner Glenda Hasting’s homage to Memphis barbecue.

Joshua Carlucci’s $10 Deal this week comes from a folding table on a sidewalk. Ricos Tamales “El Ruco” is located outside the Rio Grande Supermercado at 5110 Summer Ave. and has six special varieties of tamales.

Thanks for joining me for this week’s Table Talk. Be sure to look for this column weekly for all the latest food news in Memphis.

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