Set in the south end of the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee, 2A Wine Merchants is the birth of our hospitality company. Our wine shop and tasting room is a result of over 45 years of collective experiences working with chef’s, artists, master sommeliers, award winning designers, hospitality geniuses, and even funky Dj’s. Throughout our hospitality experiences we have shared countless "ah ha" moments surrounded by popping corks and drinking juice.
Wine is now our platform for hospitality, chef partnerships, outreach into our communities, comfortable design, music that crosses barriers, and people who take true pleasure in creating memorable experiences for each and every guest that opens our door. We are driven to be approachable and accessible to all, whether you are a collector, everyday wine lover, special occasion consumer, porch wine drinker or just curious. 2A Wine Merchants is the all-inclusive space built for any of your wine needs.
We can talk wine all day, but why not get to the best part? Our tasting room is approachable for walk-ins, casual shoppers, or someone looking for a customized experience.
Exploring a monthly wine flight is a great way to taste with us and flights are always available for our walk-in guests. Monthly selections change and are built around Old World and New World regions. By "Old World" we are referring to regions in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa, while "New World" pretty much includes everywhere else.
Our Private curated tastings provide a more customized experience and are available to book in advance for any occassion.
The shop is divided into two main rooms with the front room having a lighter, brighter grab & go energy. The quick shopper can grab a wine snack and a cold bottle of bubbles to take on the run or peruse the staff favorites and other popular wines from the quick pick sections. A wine flight is always an option as well.
With rich wood tones, a turntable booth and cozy lounge chairs, slow down and explore our wine library as wine bottles blanket the perimeter of the room. The library room shows the depth and heart of our selections. Grab a bottle off the shelf for us to open, or again, order a flight to enjoy while you relax and take in the scene. By the way, there is no corkage fee.
We want to be more than simply a wine retailer. We are wine lovers steeped in hospitality. From online to in-store, our spaces are designed for you to experience. We love the ease of walk-in tastings and we are also prepared to help you entertain for private events with groups up to 75 people. Our private curated tastings offer a more intimate, tailored experience for you and up to 10 guests.
The Selections
A variety of factors play into our shop selections. First and foremost, we look for wines that are full of energy and representative of the grape varietal and places from where they are produced. We look for artisan smaller producers that take more traditional approaches to winemaking (which often includes organic and natural wine production). We seek to represent benchmark regions and producers around the globe as well as emerging regions and winemakers who are opening new frontiers of possibilities.
The world of wine is constantly changing for endless reasons and we embrace the student mentality in everything we explore with our purveyors. We are constantly learning as we go and we look forward to sharing our wine selections with you along the way.
Ownership Team: Rob Levin & Tony Bisciglia
Rob achieved his first restaurant General Manager position six months out of college. This would be the starting line for his journey in wine, with the creation of a small organic wine list for the nationally recognized vegetarian restaurant The Blind Faith Cafe. Over the course of his career, Rob has been blessed to create wine lists for such companies as KDK, The Four Seasons, Boka Restaurant Group and Levy Restaurants to name a few. There is something unique and special about every bottle of wine which compliments the moment in which it is consumed. Finding that bottle for each guest is the quest and mission for Rob and the 2A team.
Wine was Tony’s gateway into restaurants early in his career. Following 15 years of senior management roles in hospitality, he sought a refresh and refocus to get back to wine and also start his own company. His desire to step back into the world of wine took him to the supply and distribution side. He is a Certified Sommelier with the CMS and WSET level 3 with the American Wine School. He is driven by a passion for learning, sharing, and bringing others together through food and wine.