Celebrating Women-Made Wines At Corkscrew Wines Brooklyn

“Wine is sunlight held together by water.” — Karin Torres, Corkscrew Wines Brooklyn

Women’s History Month may be over, but at Corkscrew Wines Brooklyn (489 Myrtle Avenue), the celebration is in every swirl and sip of chardonnay, rose, pinot noir, and more. That’s because much of the wine shop’s stock is produced by women from around the world (although they are not exclusively sourced that way). We caught up with proprietor Karin Torres to ask about what makes Corkscrew and its wines special.

Why do you focus on women-made wines?

We focus on female producers because these are the wines I’m passionate about when drinking — nine times out of 10, it turns out that it’s made by women. The wines speak to me and are so well made. To me, what stands out is the gentle touch. Alcohol tends to sit back a bit not as the primary flavor. It’s an understated elegance and is not as clunky.

Is it hard to source wines?

Only 10 percent of wines are women-made in the world, but they comprise most of the top 10 percent of wines made.

It’s becoming easier to source, but ultimately we wouldn’t buy wine just because they are made by women. If I lived anywhere else — not in NYC — it would be harder. But people here love innovation and finding something new. We support family and small productions, too, who are free from corporate shareholders. So farmers get to do what they do. It’s a labor of love. New Yorkers care about where things come from and how they are made. This is the perfect time.

Is there anything unique about how women make wines?

I think making wine is like raising a child. It takes years of planting, raising, bottling and you won’t taste it for 20-30 years. You have to be like a mother. Every wine has a soul and sensibility. I think the women I represent are good at finding the soul.

What countries do you source from?

Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia. . . We’re working on more domestic wines, too, like in Washington, California, Virginia and Michigan. I would love to have a Mexican wine, but it hasn’t made it yet.

What is your background in wine?

I have been a sommelier since 2011 and this is my second shop. We really focus on quality. People ask what’s the best wine, but the best wine is what you like. It’s not 9-to-5 for us; it’s a lifetime of experience. People should really trust their gut feeling. Forget “right” or “wrong.” If you like red wine with fish, go ahead.

What’s special about Corkscrew Wines?

When you come here, you get the story of the wine, along with information, such as why chardonnay tastes a certain way. We’re always focusing on the educational. That’s why every Thursday from 5:30-8pm, we have Vertical Thursday wine tastings (Free!). Everybody’s welcome.

When curiosity speaks, it’s a constant opening of your mind and tastebuds and wine becomes interesting. How do you learn about wine? Just drink it!