Unusual wines and vinyl under one roof make this cool bar a must-stop in Pierce County

Cuvée prescribes two particular antidotes to navigating the labyrinth of everyday life: One involves wine, especially pinot noir from Oregon’s esteemed Willamette Valley, and the other music, preferably emanating from an analog system.

The wine and vinyl bar opened sans pomp in July 2023, steps from downtown Gig Harbor but secluded in the back of a parking lot off Judson Street. In the year since, a loyal cohort of regulars has come to regard the lounge-like setting as something of an extension of their living rooms, a laissez-faire space where they can relax with friends and probably make new ones, all with a glass of wine they are unlikely to find elsewhere — at least not within an hour’s drive of the Harbor.

“That’s kind of how we approach things here,” explained co-owner Jake Snider. “Getting wine that we really like into the hands of people who wouldn’t have it otherwise.”

Cuvée stands out among an influx of new wine bars and bottle shops in the South Sound in part for what it isn’t. Limiting Washington-made wines is, admittedly, a personal preference of the owners, but it’s also a celebration of one of America’s biggest viticultural victories.

The first pinot noir vineyards of Willamette Valley were planted in the early 1960s, with the first vintage bottled in 1967. Passionate entrepreneurs followed, leading to its current status as a preeminent wine-growing region with more than 700 wineries, according to the Willamette Valley Visitors Association .

“We like the grape,” Snider said when I asked, “Why Willamette pinot?” He pointed to the depth of microclimates within a generally ideal growing environment that offers seemingly endless exploration and, importantly, varying price points.

There is much to explore at Cuvée beyond pinot. Each day — well, the three days the shop is open — features three distinct pours.

On a recent Thursday, it started with a dry, zesty 2023 picpoul from Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla. The 2022 Béton “American red” from Division Villages blends several varietals into a Loire Valley-inspired sipper that the maker defines as “the ultimate bistro wine.” The flight (or pour, or bottle — that part is up to you!) ended with a 2020 Furioso Vineyards pinot forged in Dundee Hills.

The shop always has an open bottle of sparkling. Today it was the Antech Brut Nature Blanquette from Limoux, the original French home of sparkling wine production even before Champagne.

THE MORE WINE, THE BETTER

Bottles for retail sale or on-site consumption line two walls, surrounded by light-wood tables and chairs, plants and a succinct but notable collection of vinyl records — also available for purchase. Snider, when he can sneak away, will pop a new record onto a vintage hi-fi, sourced from neighboring Gig Harbor Audio where, in a sense, the shop began.

Until 2018, the Woodinville native was a professional musician, best known for his nearly two decades with Seattle-based Minus the Bear. He moved to Tacoma with his family in 2015, and post-band-life worked part-time at Gig Harbor Audio, whose proprietor, Erik Owen, also owns the whole building at 3019 Judson St. There Snider met Garrett Shave, who had studied winemaking and, after much time in Napa, fell for Willamette. The two became friends, and one day in late 2022, Shave asked him: “Hey, do you wanna start a wine shop?”

The back unit was up for grabs. It had an existing office kitchen, around which they built a bar, and nice natural light. The aesthetic is minimalist, sepia-toned and comfortable — cool, but approachable.

They purposely left marketing mostly to word-of-mouth.

“We wanted it to be really organic,” said Snider in September. “It’s a lovely place to hang out even when it’s not busy.”

Their main goal is to guide wine drinkers of all stripes to something special, whether their budget is $23 for a bottle or $100: “When you’re celebrating, anything will do.”

Earlier this year, Shave’s day job took him to London, but he remains a partner in the business. An early customer, Ian Carr, joined the team this summer, along with Chris Johanson.

As they were developing the shop, noted Snider, there wasn’t much in the way of dedicated wine bars in Gig Harbor. Just this summer, Cuvée was joined by Gig Harbor Wine Co. ’s Kimball Avenue tasting room and Hidden Harbor Wine Library , but they’re not worried.

“The more focus on people looking for wine, the better.”

CUVEE WINE BAR

▪ 3019 Judson St., Suite C, Gig Harbor, 253-900-9410, maisoncuvee.com

▪ Thursday-Saturday 4-8 p.m.

▪ Details : wine bar and bottle shop with curated selection of glass pours and bottles, plus vinyl for sale; light packaged snacks available for purchase, outside food permitted

▪ $20 tasting flight (three 2-oz pours), daily glass pours ~$15, bottles vary

▪ Follow instagram.com/cuveegigharbor for updates and special pours