About Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, VA 22101

Meet Doug House, Proprietor

Doug is “The Guy” when it comes to Chain Bridge Cellars, but it may surprise you that wine was not his first area of expertise. Would you have guessed he was the leading expert on the Bankrupt Act of 1841 for a hot second when he wrote his honors thesis in college? And the credit card industry in his past life as a business consultant? But wine was always present: His honeymoon in 1988 took him to Napa, and an encounter with a 1992 Berringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley at a friend’s house in 1995 turned him into a wine aficionado.

Doug says he arrived at the wine store “on a lark,” needing something to do during a two-year noncompete. Once those years passed, he found himself buying the store! As many others have discovered: You enter for the wine; you stay because of the people: “I love the passion, excitement, fascination and pure joy I see and feel when I watch people engage with wine and its history, place and makers. And I especially enjoy the generosity. There's something about wine that seems to compel people to share and connect that really feeds my soul."

You can find Doug drinking whites that are low to no oak, moderate in fruit, not aromatic, and higher in acidity and minerality with a compelling mouthfeel. As for reds, anything labeled as Mt. Etna seems to be the winner in his eyes although on occasion he goes for the energetic Loire Valley Cabernet Francs and Beaujolais.

Meet Bryan, Operations Manager

Bryan’s a humble guy; you might not guess that he has worked with the best in the industry. And he’s also served some pretty famous people—including two different 007s! Which ones? You’ll have to ask him next time you’re in the shop. But that’s what happens when you get your wine industry start in the New York City restaurant scene. That Italian restaurant led him to go deep into Italian wine. Maybe he’ll give you a tour next time you’re browsing our Italian section!

Behind his calm demeanor, Bryan has a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and he danced professionally for 18 years. His love for the arts feeds his love of wine. You can find him drinking light, fresh, fruit driven, high acid reds, or crisp, zippy, mineral driven whites.

Meet Jose, Wine Associate

Who brings in all our delicious cheeses? It’s  Jose, but that’s just a small slice of what he does for the shop. Well-traveled and profoundly knowledgeable, Jose traces his love of wine to a bottle of 2008 Clos de Tart—a wine he refuses to drink again just in case a flaw ruins the memory.

His background in winemaking, wine buying, and retail shows everywhere in the shop, and his guiding principles of "nothing can replace understanding wine except visiting its place" and "to expand your tastes, explore top producers from areas that are opposite from what you normally drink" add wonderful variety to the shelves!

What does he drink? Jose likes the challenge of making high alcohol, high pH wines that still maintain life and verve. That’s probably why he finds Rhones made from Grenache so intriguing.

Meet Erich, Wine Associate

There’s a connection between art and wine, and Erich is a great example of this.  By day a wine guy, by night he’s a bassoonist for the National Philharmonic Orchestra.  Erich has studied and practiced is craft for over 30 years, so he appreciates all the hard work and commitment that goes into making wine.  "I'm a musician so I appreciate the creativity and artistry of wine, the years of study, talent and skills required and the differences between vintages and even bottles."

Erich’s wine love affair really began during a memorable visit to  Applegate Valley wineries in Southern Oregon in 2011. Ask him about the area when you stop by! Ever since then, Erich plans his trips around wine.

Erich can be found sipping on Southern Oregon wines, along with the occasional Barolo.

Meet Meg, Co-Owner

Meg is the behind-the-scenes editor/marketer/bookkeeper wrapped up in one. You may see her at a class or tasting, but she's not normally on the sales floor. She helps keeps the shop running by paying the bills and dealing with the other fun parts of the business - health insurance and taxes, anyone?

She enjoys the wine part of the shop too: "Some of my favorite wine travel experiences have been walking through vineyards in Burgundy in February while workers burned vine cuttings, visiting Galicia, and hiking in the Douro River Valley. I really appreciate knowing who makes our wine and seeing where they live and work."

Growing up in McLean, she never thought she‘d co-own a wine store a few blocks away from the pizza place she went to in junior high. What wines does she drink? “Whatever Doug brings home,” she jokes. But she is up for (almost) anything and sips with a smile on her face.