Four Year Anniversary, May 2008
Paso Robles, California.
The Wine Attic is Four Years old May 2008. Jan Manni started the Wine Attic upstairs from the cheese shop on 13th Street in downtown Paso Robles where We Olive had just moved in because their 3-month old business was destroyed by the earthquake December 22, 2004. They lost everything. When Jan met DeeDee Brown, owner with husband, Gary, she asked her if she thought it would be a good fit to move upstairs and open a Wine Shop. She thought it was a great idea to blend wine, cheese and olives together. Jan and DeeDee have been best friends ever since. After one year upstairs (in the attic), the Wine Attic moved to their new location down the street on 13th and Spring. The new location was actually a renovated stable built in the 1890s. It was retrofited from the earthquake and the new location soon became home to both We Olive and the Wine Attic. We Olive moved into the location across from the Wine Attic's Courtyard.
Jan Manni is from the Bay Area and came from a high-tech fortune 500 background. Since Napa/Sonoma was in close proximity, she soon became a wine aficionado and gradually over the years decided to change careers to the Wine Industry. Upon following her daughter, Tessa, to Paso Robles after Tessa graduated from CalPoly, Jan decided to open a wine shop. The Wine Attic was the first retail wine shop where you could also taste Paso Robles wines from wineries with no tasting room. The first winery featured was Los Padres Winery, owner/winemaker Tony Mathews, who was a wonderful and helpful friend.
While still in the Bay Area, Jan took several wine industry courses at UC Davis. She transferred her units to CalPoly, San Luis Obispo and applied them to the Wine Marketing Certification. In the meantime, she studied for the sommelier examination and passed her first level certification from the Court of the Master Sommeliers in 2006. In 2007, Jan passed her second level examination and now holds the title, Certified Sommelier.
Jan also has been a wine judge in several competition and blending panels. Her palate is well-respected and selects wines for clients all over the US. Jan is also starting an export business focusing on high-end "cult" wines from the Central Coast Region, California. She will also assist We Olive International (franchises) as Wine Program Director for their wine selections in all the We Olive stores, complimenting the culinary focus of the store.
Jan also co-hosts Grapevine Radio with Host Cliff Stepp. Every Saturday you can listen on the web at http://www.grapevineradio.net/ from 12p - 1p. If you are in the San Luis Obispo County tune in to 920 KVEC AM.
Over the four years of being in business the Wine Attic has evolved as a bistro environment serving delicious foods paired with unique wines. She has created a friendly atmosphere where one can enjoy one of the many wonderful wines offered by the glass. She also customizes flights of wine for your palate. On Saturdays, enjoy live music under the stars. To extend your Paso Robles visit, you can join one of two wine clubs where wines are hand-picked from thousands of wines tasted yearly. Wine selections can be from anywhere in the world with a focus on Paso Robles Wines and education of the Paso Robles AVA. It's a tasting and educational experience.
Jan received her MBA from Golden Gate University while working at Xerox Corporation and ABD Doctorate of Public Administration while working for AT&T in San Francisco. She has two cats and loves to walk and jog right outside her front door to the backroads' vineyards each morning.
