Catherine Hester, Teller Wines: Sip, Savor and Share
When Catherine Chen Hester was a child in Taipei, Taiwan, wine was seldom on the table. “The Chinese are not drinkers, generally,” she says. “If they drink, it’s usually beer, Mao Tai—high-alcohol, sorghum-based liquor—or good whiskey.”
By the time she was studying English literature at UCLA, she was sharing inexpensive jug wine with roommates. “My tastes have changed dramatically over the past four decades,” she says. “Thank goodness.”
Her customers would agree. Hester and her husband, Kevin, own Teller Wines, a retail shop just outside of Lewes. “It’s a great place,” says frequent customer Ree Martinez. “The owners are knowledgeable and very personable. They have great wines.”
Since purchasing the business in 2013, Catherine Hester has become a recognized expert. She hosts wine dinners, attends wine events and writes the regular column “Chasing the Grape” for a local blog.
“I am quite fortunate to have Catherine share her vast knowledge of wines and vineyards,” says Bob Yesbek, aka the “Rehoboth Foodie.” “She has singlehandedly made her column into one of the most popular go-to spots for wine information—not only about the wines themselves but also the stories and history of the families and groups who actually run the vineyards.”
Hester was 9 when she moved with her family to Pittsburgh, where her father, a television producer, worked for NPR. In high school, she met Kevin Hester. But after graduation, he went to Florida to study IT; she moved with her family to Los Angeles, where her father had work.
Hester’s father brought his young adult daughter to Hollywood parties, where she rubbed elbows with heartthrobs Erik Estrada and John Ritter. Many drank martinis or Mogen David, she recalls.
Catherine and Kevin reconnected when she was at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. She always wanted to move back to the East Coast, and after passing the bar, they settled in Maryland. When they weren’t working, they were traveling. Hester alone has been to 42 countries, 20 of them with Kevin.
Their journeys enhanced their appreciation of the wine culture, and a bar conference brought Hester to the Lewes area. She immediate felt at home, and the couple purchased a vacation property in 2005. It did not take long for them to discover Teller Wines, a boutique shop started by Steve Kogler to “tell” people about wine. In the intimate shop, the bottles are arranged in flavor profiles, such as “Fresh and Clean,” and then by price. “The customer doesn’t need to know the names of the wines or the grapes,” Hester says. “They can describe the flavors they prefer.”
The Hesters moved to the beach full time in 2011. When they learned that Teller Wines was for sale, they jumped at the opportunity to launch second careers. Since January 2012, Catherine, who no longer practices law, has also served as a part-time alderman in Dewey Beach.
The Hesters taste every wine before buying it. “Wine is an evolving, dynamic element,” she maintains. “A bottle of 2010 Bordeaux is perfect to drink now, but if you cellar it for another five years, it will be different.” A bottle opened at 7 p.m. might taste “rounder” at 9 p.m., she adds.
During the shop’s regular wine tastings, the wine reps better know their products well. Big brands, big box stores and splashy ad campaigns have made wine more approachable; people want to know the story behind the wine. “We have to up our game every day to answer questions,” Hester acknowledges.
In just six years, the Hesters have seen wines fall in and out of favor. Think Chardonnay— which suffered the “too oaky” rap—and Merlot, which is “coming back with a bang,” she says. Teller Wines specializes in introducing unusual varietals to customers, such as white Malbec or orange Pinot Grigio.
Direct mail businesses are competition, but her customers want the personal service: They want to talk to a human, taste a wine and then buy it. However, if huge retailers like Amazon get in the game in Delaware, it would assuredly affect Teller’s business, Catherine notes.
As the marketing arm of the shop, Hester loves sharing her knowledge with the public. Each year, Teller Wines holds a Wine Expo to raise money for charity. In six years, Teller has donated more than $87,000. “We love that wine brings people together — and coming together for a good cause is the icing on the cake,” she says.
Hostess Tips
Whether you’re selecting a wine for a gift or a holiday party, you can’t go wrong with sparkling. “It’s always a good choice,” says Catherine Hester, who owns Teller Wines in Lewes with husband Kevin. Champagne is perhaps the best known of the bunch, but, remember, these wines only come from the Champagne region in France. There are plenty of other sparkling options. Cava is from Spain; Prosecco is from Italy. Also consider sparkling Shiraz and sparkling Rosé. “We even have a special edition, “Hello Kitty,” sparkling wine from California—so much fun,” she says.
Teller Wines
1201A Savannah Road, Lewes, DE
302.644.7400 Facebook
