CINCINNATI, Ohio — Pere and Irena Stojanovski, who are originally from Macedonia, are preparing to open a second location of their wine bar in Bellevue, Kentucky, with plans to open in the middle of September, pending licensing and final work at the space.
The couple has spent years in the wine and hospitality industries, including working as sommeliers in fine dining and aboard cruise ships. Before opening Fine Wine O’Clock in Pleasant Ridge about three and a half years ago, they also spent six years distributing Macedonian wines to bars and restaurants.
They noticed customers were intrigued by the wines from their home country — many had never tried them before. That inspired the couple to open their own wine bar and share more of Macedonia's wine culture with Cincinnati.
Macedonia sits in the southern Balkans and shares the same latitude as some of the world's best-known wine-growing regions.
“We're in the same latitude as well-known wine countries like Tuscany in Italy, Bordeaux in France and Napa in California,” Pere said. “Grapes are growing between the 30th and 50th latitude, and we're in the same.”
The wine is paired with food including charcuterie, spanakopita and desserts such as coffee and chocolate mousse.
For the Stojanovskis, the goal is about more than wine. “Wine is not just a drink,” Pere said. “It’s an experience, bring people together.”
The Bellevue location will be on Main Street and is expected to open in mid-September. The couple plans to operate both locations and is already hiring a team for the new space.
Eventually, they hope to take Fine Wine O’Clock beyond Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and expand into other states.
For now, they're focused on bringing a taste of Macedonia to Bellevue — and continuing what Pere describes as their “American dream.”
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