Wine & cheese

Fine wine and cheese under one roof. That was the perfect pairing for Rochester Hills resident and native Parisian Jean-Jacques Fertal when he opened Rochester Wine, 302 W. University Drive, Suite B., inside the same building as The Cheese Lady. The new store is part retail wine shop and part classroom, with wine and cheese pairings and classes offered in conjunction with the cheese shop at the same location. “It’s the perfect combination,” Fertal said, who decided to open the shop after spending more than a decade in the wine business, both with his family’s winery and as a wholesaler. About a year ago, Fertal helped his daughter open Birmingham Wine in downtown Birmingham. Fertal said Rochester Wine offers fine wines from small producers around the world, including France, Spain, California and Michigan. Living close to downtown Rochester, Fertal said it was a simple decision to open his own business close to home. “I love downtowns in general, and the closest is Rochester,” he said. “I had looked at The Cheese Lady for the past couple years and met them last year when I introduced myself. I was surprised she didn’t already do wine.” After discussing a plan with owners Lynn Kaiser and Kimberly Judd, the three agreed to partner with classes and pairings, and locate at the same address, which was a natural fit. “I looked at some other locations downtown, but this one was quite good because it was in an existing business,” Fertal said. “And, cheese and wine together are a treat.”

Business Matters for the Rochester area are reported by Kevin Elliott. Send items for consideration to KevinElliott@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.