Such a cute spot. The service was amazing and the host was great! Also, black owned which is a plus for me. The decor is very chic and picture friendly. read more

Melanated Wine - Elevated Wine tasting - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Update: I received a notification that the business refunded $40.00. I am escalating this matter and will update when I receive a resolution. We were extremely disappointed in our experience with Melanated Wine. First, a little background. My husband and I came to Melanated Wine for their Sunday Brunch. We purchased our tickets for this brunch almost three weeks in advance, and they had an advertised menu of chicken, macaroni & cheese, collards, fruit, mimosas.. etc... This menu sounded great, so we booked the tickets.. We also were excited about purchasing wine from them to boot. When we arrive, the atmosphere was nice, a little too intimate for our taste, but whatever. The event started later than advertised, but not a dealbreaker. The music was on point, so we just went with it. Everything was flowing pretty well ( mimosas and all) until we get to the buffet. What was on the buffet? Drumroll please!!! Bacon, eggs, Sausage, BREAKFAST potatoes, grits, fruit, French Toast, and dessert. This is a far cry from what was advertised!!! At first, we were confused. We initially thought they were going to bring the other items out since what they served was more breakfast than brunch, so I asked a server. The server told me it was a different company who had the chicken menu. Her explanation made no sense, so I showed her the advertised menu, which was posted online. She told me to give her a moment. Sometime later, the owner came out to let us know of the menu change, and it was well after everyone started eating. She said she hoped everyone was okay with that. I was NOT okay with that!!! We didn't pay $45.00 per person to eat a breakfast I could have cooked at home. I let the owner know that I needed to speak with her, but I was cognizant of the fact that she was busy. I waited until the end to ask for her again. I was told that she was eating, so I made it clear that I would wait for her to finish. She then came by pretty quickly. We went outside to talk. I professionally but firmly made my dissatisfaction known. During this time, she asked if we ate the buffet and partook in the wine tasting. She then offered us a partial refund, so that there was no misunderstanding, I clarified with her how much that was, and she said she meant $20.00. I was very insulted by this and do not mind sharing with Yelp that I was pissed!! The company misrepresents the menu and doesn't even acknowledge this until we are well into the meal and only offers $20.00. Her justification was we participated in the wine tasting. Madame we would have NEVER come in the first place if this was the posted menu and why didn't you tell us of the menu change before the event. You had time as the event was almost 15 minutes late!! I firmly but politely let it be known that was NOT sufficient. I let her know that a 50 percent refund was my expectation, which was generous considering this was their error, a BIG error!! She smiled and offered a comment that I personally felt was patronizing. I didn't feel like my issue was resolved, and it came across like she thought she was doing me a favor. I left before this could get heated. If I get my refund, I will update this post! Bottom Line: I felt this business deceived me with what they advertised. There was NO disclaimer on the menu saying that the menu was subject to change. It also never mentioned a wine tasting. Typically wine tastings are offered as a promotion to encourage you to buy wine. This was not a valid reason to justify her partial refund. To be fair, most people didn't care about the menu change. It looked like we were the only ones speaking up, but whatever if they want to pay for an expensive breakfast good for them, no chance of us letting this slide. No, we won't be back!!! No, we did not purchase wine, as we were not giving them anymore money at this point!! I was told by a few people to give them a break because they are a black owned business. (Yes, I am black!!!) No, business is business!! If you are in the wrong, you need to be held accountable, period. See the photos of what was advertised and what was served!! read more

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I love this place. I would have never known this existed. It's located in an unassuming business/office park with it's own parking lot. There are such great vibes here. Everyone was friendly. We had a flight of 4 wines and a charcuterie box--All delicious. My favorite part of the experience was the covered, outdoor area. It was so comfortable with a couple high tables and a step and repeat to take pictures. read more

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Black owned! The service was great and wine was tasty. The tasting included a trivia. The servers were knowledgeable. Small, quaint location perfect for a date night. read more

What could be better than one delicious wine slushy? THURSDAY NIGHT BOGO WINE SLUSHIES FROM melanatedwine . This black owned wine shop is located in Durham, North Carolina and offers great wine specials as well as charcuterie trays. We had such a phenomenal experience melanatedwine hanging out with my foodie buddies all while sipping on tasty strawberry/ mango swirled wine slushies. The chill atmosphere, tasty drinks, and fantastic customer service will definitely bring us back. read more

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We read about this new woman- and minority-owned winery in Durham and booked a wine tasting. The exterior doesn't look like much (it's in an industrial park) but the interior was lovely and even decorated for Christmas. Essence, our wine hostess, poured four wines for us and even asked if we wanted another pour. Afterwards we did a little wine trivia quiz. We were given little gift boxes of charcuterie items to take home. We chatted with the owner, LaShonda, and ended up purchasing some wines. Their motto is "Uncork the culture" and they want to demystify wines and make it accessible. The four wines we tasted were flavorful and refreshing, although I can see where someone who likes really, really dry wines might not take to them. This is a great new business in Durham and can also be rented out for events. We love supporting local businesses like this. read more

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I had been trying to get here for the longest time and I finally made it and I'm so glad I did, the atmosphere and the staff were simply amazing, I was able to sample some wine and slushies and the slushies are awesome. I had to purchase a bottle of wine this is so good I didn't want to share with my husband but I decided not to be a scrooge and let him sample a little. I'll for sure be back and bring some friends with me read more

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Exceptional service from the time we entered the door until we walked out. This is a small space, however, with the level of service I don't mind supporting and seeing this spot expand. The server was very nice, professional, and personable. The wine tasting was a mix of white wines such as Chardonnay, and Rieslings. There was one dry in the tasting. You get your souvenir tasting glass to take home. I enjoyed all of the wines equally but decided to purchased the bottle of red wine called Lust. I'm looking forward to coming back again for upcoming events. read more

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Nice chill spot. They have a outdoor space that's fully covered for additional space. Customer service was awesome and everyone was very friendly and engaging. Had the $19 experience but since they were out of one of the wines they upgraded us to include the charcuterie box. The slushes are bomb so make sure to check it out. They also play music to vibe too! read more

I'll start by saying if you're looking for a date night, girls night, or just a relaxing and fun atmosphere this is the place to be! I will caution though, if you prefer dry wines your selection will be limited. I stopped by with one of my girl friends to unwind after a work day. We went due to the wine slushy special on Thursdays but ended up doing the wine sampling that came with a mini charcuterie box. I personally enjoyed the wine selection as I prefer sweet and semi-sweet. My favorite was the Blackberry Wine and the Sangria. I also enjoyed the mango wine slushy. The staff was awesome from start to finish and offered to take our pictures in front of the signage. I thought the wine trivia was a nice touch too! read more

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It was a very fun experience. We felt safe and our amazing server, Janelle, was a pleasure to say the least. She was sweet and down to earth. She had such a boss lady vibe but would be such a ride or die kinda friend. Would recommend coming just to experience her serve alone! read more

Melanated Wine - Wine tasting! Super affordable - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Only had a few minutes at Melanated Wine before they closed last Thursday, but those few minutes made such a great impression! The staff were kind, attentive, and genuinely happy to have me there. I tried their riesling blend and it was light and refreshing. I cannot wait to come back for a full glass and to try more of their wines!! read more

I went to check out the Ladies Night Uncorked Night, Jan 18 2024. The ambiance was nice and the DJ and Live Music by J. Marcel was great. I ordered the 29.95 Elevated Wine Taster, which included: 7 different Wines Charcuterie Boat Complimentary Wine Tasting Glass 2 small cheese cake squares. Note: The Charcuterie Boat was actually a small individual box, it was nice but term "boat" makes sound bigger than what it actually was. They were out of the Complimentary Wine Tasting Glasses but that was not shared when taking the order, nor did they offer any type of substitute. They only had one server for about 4 tables and one table had around 8 women, so the service was very slow. I will go back, I just think they need to be better prepared to serve their customers and update the menus if there are items listed that they no long have. read more

100/10, Melanated Wine is a MUST TRY!!! I attended a wine tasting on 8/20/22 with two of my girlfriends, and the wine & service was amazing. I also love that they have events throughout the month; like slushie Thursday (1/2 off wine slushies), chopsticks & wine (hibachi event), and this weekend (Labor Day) the wine down!!! There are 3 options for wine tasting, we got the most inclusive option which came with 5 wine samples, a wine glass, and your own personal charcuterie. The wine pairings were spot on and basically... I can't wait to go back!!! Seriously we absolutely loved this experience!!! read more

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Fantastic wine bar in Durham! Lashonda accomodated our work happy hour crew of about 12 people and we all had a great time. She was super welcoming and all of the staff were so nice and helpful. I got to try several wines and my favorite was Lust - their red blend. It was a tart, dry red that was so good. I also tried the Sangria and it was sweet and crisp - perfect for the summer months ahead. I also liked the new blackberry wine that my friend let me try! I need to order a glass of that next time. You can get a charcuterie sampler box for $5 or do a tasting so it's nice there's some food you can order! This space is really cool and I love how they've decorated it. They have buy one get one 50% off slushies and karaoke on Thursdays! They're always posting about events on their IG account, so definitely check them out. :) read more

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Such a cute winery! My friend and I went on a Saturday afternoon, and they sat us right away. There were several other parties and customers in there already. Inside isn't too big, about 7-8 tables, so make a reservation beforehand to guarantee a spot. The girl gave us the menu and explained everything. My friend and I decided to split a big wine tasting with a charcuterie board. When it arrived, it was the perfect amount for us. The girl explained all the wines up front, and then we were able to sip and sample on our own. She told us all of the names of the wines, where the names came from, and the taste we should expect. The wines were really good. They even have wine slushies! I ended up ordering a glass of the Riesling to enjoy while my friend and I caught up. It was such a nice, relaxing atmosphere. Before we left, there was even wine trivia, which was so much fun! I love that this was the first Black-Owned winery in NC! Definitely check this place out if you're in town! read more

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This is a true hidden gem in Durham. The ambiance, wine, service and staff were amazinggg! It was such a nice feeling going to a black female owned winery!! It was a girls day for us and we enjoyed every bit of it! They also do trivia which was real cool to learn fun winery facts! We will definitely be going back soon!!!! read more

Perfect personal experience and tasting. We enjoyed a flight if their top wines and a box of snacks. The staff were highly engaged as they shared information about their wines. They also have amazing frozen treats that will blow your mind. We will definitely book another tasting soon. read more

So I was having a rough week and I decided to swing by here with my homegirl to have a couple of drinks and vibe out. I am so glad I found this hidden gem because this place was nothing but great vibes and a great time with beautiful black women. We was greeted upon entry and the ladies were very nice to us and sat us down immediately. we came on thirsty Thursday and had our slushy's. But then we also came during karaoke day which I had no idea today was the day for that lol. After I finish my slushy I was already a little tipsy (my lighweight self). Chile me and my girlfriend got our behind up and sang a little R&B songs and everyone was Vibing to it it was so much fun! even the staff got up there and sang their songs and one of them could actually sing! I forgot her name but she was amazing! needless to say I love this place and I will definitely come again because these ladies definitely turn my stressful day into a great day! read more

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K&I had a very nice time at Melanated Wine! The Staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. The Band was very good. I enjoyed the glasses of their Blackberry Wine so very much!!! K enjoyed the wine smoothie!!!! read more

Our group of 10 had a wonderful experience at Melanated Wine! All of the wines were amazing as well as our host Lashonda who was so welcoming. The wines were delicious (Vibes was my favorite) and I really appreciated all of the small touches during the wine tasting like the box of snacks and take home glass with the Melanated logo! I'd absolutely recommend and can't wait to return read more

Wow, wow, wow the atmosphere was awesome and the wine is amazing! The service was also fantastic ! I enjoyed a wine tasting and there also just happened to be a great saxophonist (Jayshaun Peele) playing some live music. Definitely worth a visit. We had an awesome night out. read more

Their wine slushie is FANTASTIC! Their wines are delicious as well. The staff is super welcoming and nice from the moment you walk in. read more

Melanated Wine - Level-up wine tasting - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Love it. Nice atmosphere. The staff were super sweet and polite. Cute setup, great vibe. Very intimate and welcoming. This place is good for date night or outing with friends read more

I was so excited to enjoy their Sip & Paint. When I spoke to the owner on the phone she was pleasant and accommodating. She allowed me to purchase 7 tickets over the phone since I needed an additional spot for my party. However once I arrived, I was greeted by a young lady that was dismissive and quite frankly, rude. She honestly left a undesirable taste in my mouth. As the night progressed the service became better and it was a fun vibe. My suggestion, streamline your processes for accommodating for your guests. read more

I have not been to this outlet but I have no doubts their wines are excellent. However, I have a problem with the media calling them an urban winery. They are clearly a wine store and not a winery which would imply they produce wine on their premises which they do not. Semantics or unintentional misleading the public? The fact is that their wine is custom made, bottled and labeled for them by Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC. Wikipedia: The urban winery is a recent phenomenon whereby a wine producer chooses to locate their winemaking facility in an urban setting within a city rather than in the traditional rural setting near the vineyards. Google: What is a winery? A winery is a licensed property that produces wine. The term winery typically encompasses the property, winemaking equipment, warehouses, bottling facilities, etc., that are involved in the winemaking process. read more