Wine and Decor Combine for a Tasteful Combination

On a recent day at Napa Flair, robust American wines fill the table. Owner Luann Shapiro is commemorating the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

But a stroll around her new store reveals wines from as far away as Chile and Australia. Also well stocked are gourmet olive oils, tapenades along with glass and pottery gifts.

The store is a testament to all the things Shapiro loves.

"I wanted to have the total experience," said Shapiro, glancing around the store. "It's the way I live my life."

A life that up until a year or so ago Shapiro and her family lived in  Napa Valley during the summers. They spent the school year right here in Odessa. But when family matters brought the family to Florida full-time, Shapiro decided to bring some of Napa along with her.

The result is Napa Flair, a wine and decor shop, which opened a few weeks ago at 11967 Sheldon Road in the Citrus Park area.

Wine has been a part of Shapiro's life as far back as she can remember.

Born in Walnut Creek, about a half hour away from Napa, her father would bring home wines all the time, helping her develop an appreciation.

She refined that knowledge while earning the title of ACWP (advanced certificate wine professional) from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa.

There she tasted 25 to 35 wines a day in class at times, learning how to identify the properties, and how climate, soil and geography affect the type of wine that is produced.

"Wine is poetry in a glass," Shapiro said. "It's a combination of science and mother nature, amazingly intricate and intriguing."

After graduating, she went to work as a professional wine taster, helping Karen Macneil in research for "The Wine Bible," an encyclopedic wine guide.

Shapiro would go on to work as an events planner at a vineyard while pursuing work in design and antiques.

The culmination of her experiences are quite visible in the airy Citrus Park store that is a mix of French country and earthiness.

"I really felt like this area needed this," Shapiro said. "I wanted to be able to share the knowledge I gained and to put it to work."

Napa Flair currently hosts free guided wine tastings on Fridays. In the future, Shapiro plans to apply for rezoning to include a tasting bar in the store.

Shapiro strives to remove any pretentiousness from Napa Flair. The shelves reveal bottles of Prisner, which retail for about $80 to a Grenache that is under $10.

Yes, that's right under $10.

Shapiro maintains she doesn't subscribe to the thinking that price tag dictates wine taste.

"Before I bring it in I taste it," she said. "My job is not to bring a wine in here that's not good."

Shapiro hopes her store can serve as a resource for advanced wine drinkers to those who may not be as familiar.

"I believe wine should be fun and enjoyable," she said. "It's really fun to see people experience something new that they enjoy. I want to help people learn."

Napa Flair is located at 11967 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL 33626. Call: 449-1831. Find Napa Flair on Facebook.