In the lore of American history, Westerville was the home of Prohibition, with the temperance movement proclaiming that alcohol would tear communities apart.
Fast-forward less than 100 years, and Tatjana Brown is using her own take on alcohol to bring residents of Westerville together.
We spent a recent Wednesday evening at Meza on Westerville’s main drag of State Street, joining farmer’s market shoppers and other locals seeking a glass of vino amid the homespun style of a place where everyone knows your name.
The sunny, well-stocked Meza has been five years in the making, as Brown and her husband, Jason, battled through Westerville’s still-conservative alcohol standards that require electoral permission to serve.
Brown’s father, a native of Serbia, had experience making and enjoying wines, and Tatjana said her goal was to create a family-run locale where residents could stop by for, and socialize over, a glass of still or bubbly, enjoy some gourmet cheeses–and not feel intimated.
She has certainly succeeded.
Meza, a Serbian term reflecting small plates, is well stocked with both contemporary and boutique wine offerings at a reasonable price point that hovers between $10 and $15. Even more importantly, it makes everyone feel like a friend, whether or not you had ever been there before.
We started our visit at the tasting bar, although a lack of seating quickly led us to one of the plentiful and varied seating options, which include a quartet of four tops with stools, a pair of built-ins around wine barrel tables and a pair of large-group tables.
Although Meza was offering an incredible happy hour value with $3 glasses of house-made sangria and a peach sparkling wine, we went straight for California varietals. At Tatjana’s suggestion we opted for the refreshing Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc, with grapefruit tones over a slight hint of jasmine and the heartier Bishop’s Peak cab, robust and chocolate with blackberry and raspberry hints.
Thanks to our hostess’ generosity, the pours were as deep as they were delicious.
Snacking options include Blue Jackets and artesian cheeses or a charcuterie plate, but our past experiences traveling across Croatia made us chose the Meza house plate, complete with a generous helping of feta cheese and a Croatian red pepper spread to spread on hearty bread slices.
The happy hour and the Friday five for $10 tastings are just a sampling of the ways that Meza seeks to customize the tasting experience. A home to frequent fundraisers and private parties, Meza also offers “Read between Wines,” a library book club augmented with wine, and “Sip ‘n’ Sketch,” with the Westerville arts council, where $20 gets you five wines and an art project.
And if you can’t make it out to the shop? Join Meza’s wine club and Brown will deliver personally to your house.
As for us, we capped our visit with a bottle of De Mar “Teran” Croatian red, a rare offering in these parts for sure, but just one more indication of how far Meza goes to make all its customers feel at home.
