DENTON, Texas -- The streets are quiet on the Denton Square, normally bustling during this Thursday lunch hour, and most businesses are operating on limited hours due to COVID-19, which has affected musicians and small business owners alike.
Marked by red framed doors and windows on a near empty Industrial Street is Steve’s Wine Bar, doing the same to limit the spread of novel virus COVID-19 and allowing only to-go orders of their selections of beer, wine, and cigars. On a normal night, glasses clinking and the smooth sounds of jazz would ring through the air. It’s a hotspot for jazz. Now, it’s dark inside, as it’s not yet open, dimly illuminated by the light falling through the windows.
At the back, a silver-haired man clad in khaki shorts and a light blue shirt arranges the patio seating. He’s the namesake of Steve's Wine Bar, Steve Severance. Before COVID-19 forced gatherings in public places to be reduced significantly or stopped completely, Steve had booked performances up until May for the bar. Though concerts can no longer be held with a live audience, Steve and his wife, Karen Severance, still find ways to accommodate the new changes and offer some sense of normalcy to customers and performers.
“I actually made an offer, just kind of a general public offer, to people out there if they’re looking for a piano to play on,” Steve said. “And they want to practice or play while we’re open, they’re more than welcome to do so.” Steve said there were no takers at the time, but wouldn’t mind having someone playing as customers come in to pick up their to-go orders.
Since then, Steve’s Wine Bar has streamed a couple of musicians playing live on Facebook. Karen, who Steve calls the face of Steve’s Wine Bar, said social distancing and not being able to sit and talk with customers has been hard for them since they’re sociable people.
“We’re like ‘that’s to-go, you can’t stay here.’ They want to stay and talk. We had a woman yesterday who just lost her sister, and I gave her a glass to-go,” Karen said. “She just wanted to talk a little bit, so keeping our distance, we let her talk. It's really hard on her because she’s not able to be around anybody.”
Staff have also had to deal with the effects of COVID-19, adhering to social distancing and limiting the amount of people in one space. Therefore, only one employee a day is scheduled to come in for a shift. For some of these employees, this is their sole source of income, and COVID-19 has brought unforeseen circumstances.
“We base everything on, not so much the wine, but coming in to enjoy your company, your friends, so that’s what makes it difficult,” Karen said. “I feel really bad for our staff. For them, we’re hoping that maybe we could come back and work out something if we
could get one of the loans that are available to us so that way we could take care of them in this time.”
Before the declared pandemic caused by coronavirus, Steve had a 12 hour workday that he spent the first half tending to the business’s social media page and website and other tasks related to the bar. The other half was spent servicing the bar and interacting with patrons. “I’m always working on something for the wine bar,” Steve said. “My day just kind of flows from about 8 or 9 in the morning until the time I get home about midnight. The morning is spent at home.”
But when Steve isn’t working on something for the wine bar, he’s playing his trumpet. Steve said he prefers big band jazz, and it has been in his life from an early age. He got his degree in music performance and really enjoys big band jazz, which brought him to L.A. after college. “That's kinda the background on jazz is I grew up with it by listening to lots of big bands,” Steve said. “Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, you name it.”
Steve is also plays trumpet for the First United Methodist Church in Denton with a group called Mosaic, which has been together 4 years and he sometimes has the band play at the wine bar. “I play at the First United Methodist Church, 9:45 service is called the Mosaic Service, and we’ve got a 13-piece band,” Steve said. “It’s got 6 horns in it, and I play trumpet. We do a fun variety of music that is written specifically for the band that we do at church. Then we also do other fun things, funk and blues, and lots of mixed stuff.”
Jeffry Eckels, a full time musician and friend of the Severances, met Steve around when the bar first opened in 2016, is another part of the Mosaic ensemble. Before COVID-19, they’d perform every Sunday. Prior to that, during their encounter in 2016, Steve saw Eckels playing at a coffee shop on Wednesday nights and wanted him on board as a jazz bassist at the wine bar. “The gentleman I knew who was performing every Wednesday night at a coffee shop, called the White House, when they shut down, he lost his Wednesday night gig,” Steve said. “When I approached him and said, ‘hey, i’m opening a wine bar, would you like to move your gig from there over to my place?’ that kind of kickstarted the idea of some jazz.”
Eckles describes Steve’s trumpet playing happily, remarking on his humbleness when it comes to trumpet. He said Steve is an incredible trumpet player and performer but won’t admit it. In regard to performing together, Eckels said he was discussing options for live streaming with Steve at the wine bar and giving the people something to enjoy. “We’re in the process of fixing, in fact, you beat me to the punch, I was gonna call him this morning trying to figure out the best way to get audio into the video and we’re thinking about doing the “COVID Sessions,” Eckels said. “We physically distance, of course. But he’s got a beautiful grand piano there. Maybe a duo or a trio and Steve and the engineer and we stream live from there.”
There are many musicians who want to play at the bar, and it has been a go-to spot for many UNT jazz professors. With a welcoming, familial atmosphere where locals flock, Eckels has described the bar as “Denton’s ‘Cheers." With the role Steve and Karen play in contributing to Denton’s noteworthy music scene, giving musicians a platform to perform is still important. While the music scene has gone quiet in Denton, as has much of the life here, jazz still finds a way at Steve’s Wine Bar.
Steve has always been a dreamer. In the future, he hopes to spice up the Denton Jazz scene even more, maybe introducing new events. Like many other small businesses in the area, he’s got big plans he wants to put into motion. “I’d love to come up with a little Industrial Street Jazz Fest,” Steve said. “I think that'd be a lot of fun.”
Jeffrey Eckles passed away in July of 2020. We all miss him very much. He was the driving force behind the musical experience people now have when visiting Steve's Wine Bar. Some of the most incredible music happens during the live performances and customers are always amazed at the talent and music they see and hear while enjoying their evening at Steve's.
The Mosaic Service continues at FUMC but is now at 9am.
Steve's Wine Bar is still hosting live music on a weekly basis. The schedule of events can be found on their webiste under Events or on their Facebook Events page.
Jul 8, 2022 at 8:01 AM
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Please take a moment and log on to https://bestofdenton.com/#//
If you don't see Steve's Wine Bar listed in a category you feel we should be considered, please write us in. Some of the areas I see that we should be considered are:
Thanks in advance for doing this. Here's to another successful Best of Denton election!
Apr 19, 2022 at 9:32 AM
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Reserve your spot at the tasting party on April 26th
For the month of April, we are featuring 5 wines from our friends at Opolo. We have these wines available by the glass and by the bottle through April. We will be tracking the sales of our Opolo products and for those who come in and enjoy these wines, we will be entering their names into a drawing for a Magnum of Summit Zinfandel.
Opolo’s estate vineyards were established in 1995, with sites on both the west and east side of Paso Robles. The topographically diverse, coastal landscape of the westside vineyards provides for an intense and unique flavor profile. The heat and dryness of the east side vineyard make it an ideal microclimate for growing Bordeaux varietals. Home to a wide range of varietals, the estate vineyards help allow the team at Opolo to create many unique single varietals as well as award winning blends.
Most important in making high quality wine is starting with high quality grapes. Opolo’s vineyard team carefully monitors each lot of grapes throughout the season in order to produce the highest quality fruit possible. From taking leaf, petiole, and soil samples, to monitoring water uptake in the vines, all aspects of viticulture is carefully notated and examined with the intent of producing only high quality fruit for our winery. The entire Opolo production team works together every year to provide the best quality product possible.
"At Opolo we believe a strong, cooperative relationship with the land and our environment is crucial. We practice sustainable methods in both the winery and vineyard operations in order to preserve our environment, water and local wildlife. Opolo is a “SIP” Certified operation as well as certified organic by “CCOF” in our 64 acre walnut orchard. We continue to be great stewards of the land and invite you to come to our vineyards and see our operations!"
Opolo Vineyards has a long established reputation of growing and producing award winning wines in Paso Robles, California. With nearly 300 acres of vines on the east and west side of Paso Robles, Opolo Vineyards is privy to a wide range in climate, soil and growing potential—allowing extensive range of varietals to flourish. This variety combined with the passion behind the brand has made Opolo a favorite of wine enthusiasts everywhere.
Check out this video of their vineyards and property.
We will be rotating the wines by the glass. We have started the month with the Opolo Sparkling and the Cabernet.
We will host a party/tasting event the evening of April 26th. Jeff Faber will be in town to party with us and personally do the drawing for the Magnum of wine. You will not need to be present to wine the Magnum. We will have other giveaways that night which you will need to be present for those prizes. Reservations can be made here: Opolo-Tasting-Event
A proud native of Chicago, IL. Jeff Faber grew up on the North Side of the city and moved to California in 1993. He spent many years in Broadcasting working behind the microphone for CBS and ABC radio before launching his own start-up company. Like so many people whose breath is taken away when they visit the California Central Coast, Jeff fell in love with the area and quickly learned that almost everyone you know either owns or a winery or an olive oil ranch.
"The most beautiful part about this area is how willing everyone is to share their knowledge of their craft. You work a few harvests, turn off your cell phones and lose yourself in the magic. You literally feel yourself decompress. What compelled Jeff to give up his company and start working for Opolo was that he wanted to learn the business from the ground up. “I literally knew very little about wine and wanted to stomp grapes, pour yeast into the tanks, experiment with blends, see the effect dry farming has on the flavor of grapes, etc"…At Opolo, they encourage you to do everything which is the very best way to learn a skill set.
For the past 14 years, Jeff has been the National Spokesperson for Opolo, meeting people in city after city acting as a full-time “palate hunter” and helping folks have fun and learn a little more about themselves and of course, wine!
Here is a fun video of Jeff at the 2012 Opolo Crush.
Apr 5, 2022 at 1:59 PM
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We will be open as usual on Saturday. We have a killer band playing that night, so take a moment and visit our website to learn more and reserve your seats!
Feb 2, 2022 at 9:53 AM
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Family-owned, Certified Sustainable and 100% estate grown wines from beautiful and diverse Monterey, California.
CALIFORNIA HAS 17 GRAPE GROWING DISTRICTS; MONTEREY COUNTY IS DISTRICT 7
Surrounded by coastal beauty and rich farming heritage, Monterey is recognized as one of the most beautiful and diverse winegrowing regions in the world.
Monterey County is a good place to call home for District 7. Their wines are thoughtfully crafted to reflect the best of what Monterey has to offer: vibrant fruit, complex flavor and excellent structure. We are serving their Cabernet, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. And what’s additionally special is that we are doing a raffle in the near future on a special guitar hand painted guitar. More details on the instrument to come in future communications, but for every bottle, or 5 glasses you consume of District 7 wine, you will have a ticket put in for the drawing. We plan to sell 40 cases of District 7 wine before we will do the drawing. So stop in and enjoy by the glass or buy a few bottles.
Cabernet - A big, fruit-packed wine with aromas of blackberry, raspberry and cassis. Smooth and balanced with a lingering black fruit finish.
Pinot Noir - Smooth and silky, with aromas of raspberry and cherry, a palate of bright red fruit and subtle notes of toast on the finish.
Chardonnay - A bright wine with a lively array of melon, passion fruit and citrus flavors and refreshing, crisp acidity.
District 7 Wines
Jul 27, 2021 at 4:18 PM
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Join us for a fun evening tasting four fantastic wines with owner and wine maker Sean Minor. Along with Sean, his wife Nicole will be joining us from her kitchen while she cooks up something fun to taste along with our wines. We have chosen 4 to taste from their collection of wines from the North Coast of California.
Sean Minor Sauv Blanc 4B Series - Vibrant and juicy, our Sauvignon Blanc has light, refreshing flavors of kiwi, green apple, pink grapefruit and peach. An Ideal aperitif or summer sipper.
Sean Minor Pinot Noir Signature Series - Just like a little black dress, Pinot Noir is a classic choice for any occasion and goes with almost everything. Alluring aromas of wild plums and cloves mingle with flavors of vivid red cherries, spices, earthy notes and vanilla.
Sean Minor Nicole Marie Red Blend - Graceful flavors of warm blueberry pie and dark cherry compote mingle with hints of vanilla and cassis. Silky smooth tannins round out this refined, balanced wine. 51% Merlot - 25% Zinfandel - 24% Petite Sirah
Sean Minor Cabernet Signature Series - Sophisticated and refined, Cabernet is always a dinner party favorite. Indulge in a rich bouquet of ripe raspberries, blackberry pie, oak and savory spices. Delicate, soft tannins provide structure and linger elegantly.
Tasting of all 4 wines - Take home a tasting of each of these great wines in our 2 ounce to-go cups.
To join the Zoom call with Sean and Nicole, simply purchase two or more of these tasty wines and/or pick up two or more tastings to-go. We are pre-selling the wine this week (March 6) for pick up on Friday March 12 or Saturday March 13. After you have placed your order, you will receive an invitation to join the Virtual Tasting via email.
If you are interested in putting together the special dish Nicole will be making during the tasting, simply click on the recipe link and prepare to enjoy some tasty treats with your wine. Recipe for Sausage Crostini with Rosemary
Not long after we met, we quickly bonded over our love of wine. That was 31 years ago, and not much has changed. We like to enjoy wine in our everyday lives - with dinner, catching up with friends and family, and celebrating life’s most special events. In fact, we believe there are few moments in life that aren’t paired perfectly with a great bottle of wine.
After we married and Sean had spent a number of years in the wine industry, we noticed that there was a gap in the market. We were yearning for wines that were easy to enjoy, highlighted the amazing fruit of California, and didn’t break the bank—so we made them.
Initially, our brand was called Four Bears and we love sharing the story behind the name. We have four children - three sons and a daughter. Early on, we would convene at the kitchen table to taste various lots of wine, play around with potential blends and talk about what we liked and didn’t like. At one point, our 4-year-old likened this practice to the idea that we were like Goldilocks searching for just the right bottle.
We began by producing wines from premier appellations throughout California, sourced from vineyard sites strategically located near the cool, marine influences of the sun-filled California coast. With the help of a family friend and colleague, Will Bucklin, our initial production featured a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast Chardonnay, and Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc.
Fast forward to today - our children have grown up, our business has evolved and our name has changed (we now go by Sean Minor Wines) but our dedication to producing quality wines at an approachable price has remained. Since we don’t own vineyards, we work diligently with sustainable, experienced farms throughout California and Oregon. We’ve developed strong relationships with some of the best growers in the industry so that we can contract the finest fruit. Today, you can find our wines at restaurants and gourmet grocery stores in 49 states and, of course, here on our website. Our family and team have grown, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Mar 6, 2021 at 8:10 AM
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Join us for a fun online tasting event with Jeff Faber, VP of Marketing with Opolo Vineyards. We will be presenting 5 of their incredible red wines during this tasting event. Purchase two or more bottles of these wines online for pick up on March 5th or 6th, and/or purchase a tasting of all 5 wines to enjoy at home while participating in the tasting event.
Opolo’s estate vineyards were established in 1995, with sites on both the west and east side of Paso Robles. The topographically diverse, coastal landscape of the westside vineyards provides for an intense and unique flavor profile. The heat and dryness of the east side vineyard make it an ideal microclimate for growing Bordeaux varietals. Home to a wide range of varietals, the estate vineyards help allow the team at Opolo to create many unique single varietals as well as award winning blends.
Most important in making high quality wine is starting with high quality grapes. Opolo’s vineyard team carefully monitors each lot of grapes throughout the season in order to produce the highest quality fruit possible. From taking leaf, petiole, and soil samples, to monitoring water uptake in the vines, all aspects of viticulture is carefully notated and examined with the intent of producing only high quality fruit for our winery. The entire Opolo production team works together every year to provide the best quality product possible.
At Opolo we believe a strong, cooperative relationship with the land and our environment is crucial. We practice sustainable methods in both the winery and vineyard operations in order to preserve our environment, water and local wildlife. Opolo is a “SIP” Certified operation as well as certified organic by “CCOF” in our 64 acre walnut orchard. We continue to be great stewards of the land and invite you to come to our vineyards and see our operations!
Opolo Vineyards has a long established reputation of growing and producing award winning wines in Paso Robles, California. With nearly 300 acres of vines on the east and west side of Paso Robles, Opolo Vineyards is privy to a wide range in climate, soil and growing potential—allowing extensive range of varietals to flourish. This variety combined with the passion behind the brand has made Opolo a favorite of wine enthusiasts everywhere.
Check out this video of their vineyards and property.
(Click on each wine to learn more about the wine and pricing)
A proud native of Chicago, IL. Jeff Faber grew up on the North Side of the city and moved to California in 1993. He spent many years in Broadcasting working behind the microphone for CBS and ABC radio before launching his own start-up company. Like so many people whose breath is taken away when they visit the California Central Coast, Jeff fell in love with the area and quickly learned that almost everyone you know either owns or a winery or an olive oil ranch.
"The most beautiful part about this area is how willing everyone is to share their knowledge of their craft. You work a few harvests, turn off your cell phones and lose yourself in the magic. You literally feel yourself decompress. What compelled Jeff to give up his company and start working for Opolo was that he wanted to learn the business from the ground up. “I literally knew very little about wine and wanted to stomp grapes, pour yeast into the tanks, experiment with blends, see the effect dry farming has on the flavor of grapes, etc"…At Opolo, they encourage you to do everything which is the very best way to learn a skill set.
For the past 12 years, Jeff has been the National Sales Manager for Opolo meeting people in city after city acting as a full-time “palate hunter” and helping folks have fun and learn a little more about themselves and of course, wine!
Here is a fun video of Jeff at the 2012 Opolo Crush.
Feb 24, 2021 at 8:43 AM
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Sadly, this also means the Private Valentine's Day Wine and Chocolate event is cancelled. If you have reservations, you should have received an email from us with details on picking up your wine and chocolate. Contact us via email or phone if you did not receive your notification.
Visit our online store and shop for wine and other products. When checking out use our Snow30 Coupon to receive discounts on many of our products.
Note: Not all products are eligible for this discount as they are either already discounted or not approved for discounting. All products are to be picked up at Steve's Wine Bar, 111 Industrial Street when ready. We will notify you by email when your order is ready for pick up.
Feb 14, 2021 at 1:58 AM
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1-Petite Sauvage 2019 Sauvignon Blanc- Touraine AOC-France Video
A relatively well-known Loire white, this example offers a baby step into what many consider to be the apex of Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre). Pouring a delicate pale straw hue, the nose offers citrus, herbs, and the quintessential minerality associated with Loire. The palate is light-bodied with zippy acidity, full of ripe citrus and vegetal notes with slight granite-driven earthiness. As you might expect, pair this with shrimp and you are in for a treat.
2-Bonpas 2018 ‘Legende de Bonpas’ Luberon-Luberon AOC- France Video
At the very Southeastern portion of the Rhone valley lies the Luberon region, which showcases a more Mediterranean climate in comparison to the rest of Rhone. As such, harvest takes place relatively late, yielding fragrant, ripe wines. The ‘Legende de Bonpas’ is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Clairette and Bourboulenc; representing key, but somewhat niche varietals in Rhone. This wine pours a medium yellow with white hues. The nose offers stone and tropical fruits accented by delicate floral notes. The palate is light-bodied with restrained acidity, and features ripe, but tasteful stone fruit and floral notes. This screams oysters or other shellfish.
3-Cave de Vignerons de Saumur 2018 ‘Les Pouches’- Saumur AOC- France Video
Like our example from a couple of months ago, this Loire Cabernet Franc comes from the Saumur region, which serves as both one of many dry red and white hubs within Loire but also as the primary source for grapes for use in Cremant de Loire. The ‘Les Pouches’ is a more daily-drinker friendly version of this style. It pours a gorgeous deep ruby hue, with earthy and savory bell pepper notes dancing around fragrant raspberry and cherry aromas. The body is full, with soft tannins and lively acidity. The same ripe fruits remain, now accented by earth, savory spice, and black pepper. This is an excellent BBQ wine, and would even be a candidate for an excellent chilled red.
4-Chateau Bonnet 2016 Rouge- Bordeaux AOC- France Video
When you think Bordeaux, particularly red Bordeaux, you might think of bouts between wine critics, absurdly expensive bottles, and waiting decades to try a wine. The reality is, however, that there are plenty of accessible wines from this region; and they are more than worth trying. Many of these use grapes from all over or from the higher-production areas of Southern Bordeaux. Chateau Bonnet utilizes the prior, being an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This sees no oak, and comes across as a fresh, green representation of the region at large. The wine pours a medium ruby with deep purple hues. The nose offers a blend of ripe strawberry, some slight herbaceous notes, anise, and licorice notes. The texture is medium-bodied with medium acid and softer, woody tannins. The fruit on the palate is fresh and tart, supplemented by slight peppery notes. Try this with a lighter red meat or heavier seafood like salmon.
5-Laurent Chardigny 2018 Bourgogne- Bourgogne AOC- France Video
Like Bordeaux, Burgundy is often associated with hilariously expensive wines and wine fraud (Sour Grapes anyone?) Additionally, much of the Burgundy available in the US is brought to market by negociants (companies or buyers who label bottles of wine made by smaller producers) which has added to a pervasive stigma when it comes to buying more affordable examples. However, some producers are able to directly export delicious, affordable examples such as Laurent Chardigny. With grapes (Pinot Noir) sourced near the legendary vineyards Nuits-Saints-George and Gevrey Chambertin, this red offers quality aspects of wines orders of magnitude more expensive. This wine pours a dark ruby with brighter red hues, and offers aromas of red berries, earth, tea leaves, and wet stone. The palate is medium-bodied with woody tannins and medium acidity- offering rich, fresh cherry and plum notes supplemented by fine minerality and spice. This wine screams for game like venison, bison, or quail.
6-Domaine La Manarine 2018 Cotes du Rhone Rouge-Cotes du Rhone AOC- France Video
Cotes du Rhone has been featured on many of our recent lists; as such, you might be concerned about burnout- but you shouldn’t be. The amount of variety contained just within Cotes du Rhone is absurd, with near endless amounts of permissible grape varieties and varying terroirs. Domaine La Manarine’s vineyards rest on a key geological contributor to Southern Rhone’s terroir- smooth, large limestone pebbles called ‘galets’, which assist in expedited drainage and retention of heat during the night and the dreaded ‘mistral’ winds that regularly devastate Rhone and Provence. One of the results? Their scrumptious Cotes du Rhone Rogue. This wine is made of 100% Grenache, and utilizes absolutely no oak, but still results in a rich, ripe treat. This wine pours a dark ruby with nearly no transparency. The nose offers delicious raspberry, plum, sweet baking spice, and rose hips. The palate is heavy-bodied, with sweet tannins and balanced acid. These ripe fruit notes continue through the palate with slight earthy notes that bring balance to the whole package. Try this with lamb, venison, or maybe a hearty red meat-driven stew.
7-Mas des Volques Duches d’Uzes ‘Volcae’- Duches d’Uzes AOC-France Video
From winemaker Nicolas Souchon and consultant Phillipe Cambie, the Volcae is a vision of a Chateauneuf du Pape-style blend in an unorthodox appellation. Duches d’Uzes is a relatively new AOC (2013) located in Southern Rhone towards the Western side. Unlike much of Southern Rhone, this region largely avoids the Mistral winds and experiences a more Mediterranean climate. Additionally, there is increased use of ‘Mediterranean’ varietals such as Carignan. This blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan, provides both the tertiary notes of Rhone with the fruit you would expect from a warmer climate. The nose offers red and black fruits, espresso, and hints of tar. The palate is richly-full bodied with firm tannins and balanced acid, while offering rich plum and blueberry notes, dark chocolate, and granite-driven minerality. Like many rich reds, steak is likely the way to go, but something earthier like a mushroom-driven dish would also work well.
8-Chateau Cap L’Ousteau 2015 Haut Medoc- Haut Medoc AOC-France Video
The second of our featured Bordeaux wines for the month, this comes Haut-Medoc, south of all of it’s more famous neighbors in Margaux. Unlike its neighbors, Haut-Medoc-based chateaus are generally more adventurous in their use of Bordeaux varieties, and often incorporate all or most of the five* into their wines, like our example. This wine is mostly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but also imparts significant portions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This wine pours a deep ruby with slight maroon hues, indicating age. The nose is complex, with wonderful tertiary notes of oak, black pepper, and bell pepper accented by blue and black fruits. The body is full, with medium plus tannins and acid balancing between ripe fruits and savory espresso and spice notes. This is a complex drink, and needs something with a ton of umami to effectively compliment it.
Feb 4, 2021 at 1:45 PM
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