While the literal translation of “Uva” is grape in both Spanish and Italian, in English I think it means “hidden gem”, or “don’t leave”, or perhaps, ‘“bring a date”.
Located at 519 Fleming in Old Town, Uva Gourmet Shoppe is owned and operated by local sommelier Mark Gambuzza and his wife, Dina.
A budding shop that specializes in boutique wines and cheeses, Uva is steps from Duval yet offers items found nowhere else in the Keys.
“The idea came from not being able to find the good stuff down here,” Gambuzza explains, while giving a generous pour of a French sauvignon blanc so good that it makes you want to lick the condensation off the bottle.
The mantra at Uva is to make estate-grown wines and cheeses accessible and familiar to the general public. In other words, you’re not going to find this stuff at Publix.
“I want you to come in and I’ll teach you how to order a good bottle of wine,” Gambuzza preaches.
In recent years, according to Gambuzza, consumers have become comfortable with buying wine and cheese in supermarkets. As such, they usually walk away with a mass-produced brand name variety that stems from California.
In contrast, at Uva, Gambuzza will educate you on the wine selection process, offer multiple suggestions, and coordinate pairings based on your taste and preference.
“If customers aren’t sure what they want, I like to turn them on to other things. And it’s usually French, Spanish, or Italian.
For locals looking to expand their wine and cheese repertoire, Uva offers free wine tastings conducted by Gambuzza himself. The only catch: you have to be in the Uva wine club. How do you become a member, you ask?
“If you frequent the store – you’re in,” Gambuzza says with a smirk.
UVA Key West
