Fifth Avenue winery quenches Ridge’s thirst

Reds and whites and rum? Oh my!

A taste for good wine runs in the family for Robert Yong, owner and operator of the Ridge’s newest winery, Quench Wine and Spirits, at home at 7606 Fifth Avenue.

“I grew up helping my brother out,” said Yong of the years he spent working alongside his brother, the owner of Park Slope’s Brooklyn Barrel. “As I started learning more and more about wine, I decided to give it a go myself.”

And he did so in a neighborhood he loves.

“Bay Ridge is great,” lauded Yong, a Sunset Park native who made the move to the Ridge 10 years ago and, now, is only a 10-minute walk from Quench – his one-stop-shop for not only wine but also last-minute liquor pick-ups. “I really love the neighborhood, and so I’d always wanted to start something here.”

Still fairly new to the strip, Quench – opened in September, 2012 – started out slow but, according to Yong, has been steadily gaining speed.

“We’re definitely getting on our feet,” Yong said, proud of his team’s Grade A customer service. “That’s what makes us different. We’re a smaller shop so we’re very customer-oriented. We want to get to know you, who you are and what you like to drink.”

Some customer favorites?

“Pinot Grigio is a big seller, even in the winter,” Yong said, adding that the shop does weekly specials including (but not limited to) “Merlot Mondays” and “Chardonnay Wednesdays.” In the summer, Quench offers complimentary wine tastings and, all year ‘round, customers can cash in their Quench loyalty cards – custom-made business cards that allow returning customers to reap the benefits.

“After the fifth visit, customers get 15 percent off, and after 10 visits, they get 20 percent off,” explained Yong, adding that the holidays are, hands down, the store’s busiest season. “Right before Thanksgiving and Christmas are huge.”

Taking customer service one step further, Yong added that Quench is pet-friendly.

“A lot of the time I’ll have my big guy here,” said the owner of his canine companion. Yong said, oftentimes, residents will recognize the pup as Quench’s mascot.

“At the end of the day, it’s always good to have little shops like this in residential neighborhoods,” Yong said, thankful for his set-up on the busy Fifth Avenue strip, “and we’re not going anywhere.”

Stop by anytime for more information, or check Quench out online by tweeting @QuenchWinesBK!