Sommelier Services

Like so many students, Ed Finch began his wine journey at the grocer’s shelves. His palate soon progressed in sophistication with the help of a special wine merchant he discovered while practicing law in New York City. While searching for the best shop in NYC with knowledgeable friends, he found a small storefront run by the man who would become his decades-long wine mentor, Bernie Fradin. Bernie served, among others, Buckingham Palace and was widely acclaimed for his palate and knowledge.

Returning home to practice law, and later to establish FHL Capital, Ed found a growing wine community. He had the good fortune to join several tasting groups which furthered his wine education and passion. As Ed says, nothing so humbles one as blind tastings with knowledgeable experts. “Sharing wine with friends and family is one of life’s great blessings.”

The passion for wine led to a passion, shared by his lovely wife Mary, for travel. Together they have visited vineyards all over Europe, South America, and California.

Saddened by the loss of the Western Wine Stores, Ed seeks to fill a void and expand the opportunities for Birmingham residents to purchase and enjoy great wine at Finch Fine Wines. Through the shop, both novice and connoisseur will be able to find the widest selection of wines available today in our area and learn why Thomas Jefferson said, “Good wine is a necessity of life for me.”

Nate’s addition to our staff as general manager is a welcome addition to Finch Fine Wines, and he brings a truly unique insight into wine with him.

As a sommelier and past manager of Café Dupont, one of Birmingham’s finest restaurants, Nate’s experience has proven to be helpful in all aspects of our operation.

His background and education in biomedical and environmental engineering hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his love for wine, high level wine education, and wine collecting.  We feel lucky to have Nate here at Finch Fine Wines, and we know you will find him to be a great resource for you with your wine purchases.

To truly understand Nate’s passion for wine, here is a favorite quote from him, “Wine is humble in its origins, yet complex by nature. It is a living expression of both environmental and cultural influences that bring people closer together and create memories that last forever.”

In the mid 1970’s, when the State of Alabama ended its monopoly on the sale of wine, David became more interested in tasting outside of the limited selection available. As a graduate student, working in a restaurant that had an extensive wine list afforded him the opportunity to explore a whole new wine world. The knowledge gained there opened the door to working in Birmingham’s first really fine wine shop, the Grapevine.

David has vast wine tasting experience, including many occasions with other seasoned wine lovers, such as Ed Finch himself. Tasting excellent wines with knowledgeable companions has been a wonderful education that has opened his eyes and expanded his improved his palate.

Finch Fine Wines allows David to share the knowledge he has gained while at the same time expanding his experience base with every new vintage. Although he is a retired educator, he is still a lifelong learner, and what better topic to keep learning about than the world of wine!