About Thirteen

History

Our goal is to not only emulate the wine bars and enotecas of Europe, but to surpass them in quality and range of selection.

13 is housed in a 1920s era Mediterranean-style building in an often forgotten portion of Midtown in Houston, Texas. The building was originally constructed as Jenning’s Cleaners and Dyeing Shoppe and operated as such until 2004. Rather than raze this aging structure and build anew, we chose to harness the underlying beauty of its original character by preserving key components to the space such as an entirely intact pressed tin ceiling and an open-air courtyard created (by the building’s own volition) when a portion of the roof fell. We built a 40-foot bar of antiqued white Carrera marble and furnished the space with furniture salvaged from a historic Houston institution, the Warwick Hotel. We complement our wines with a dynamic cheese and charcuterie program, fill empty bellies with impressive panini and satisfy a sweet tooth with handmade truffles. We also cultivate an aggressive hops and water program with over 30 bottled beers highlighting seasonal and small production brews. We design wine flights, host wine tastings and make our entire collection available for retail purchase. We also partner with outstanding local chefs to create wine-centric dinner and special events throughout the year.

People

  • Adele Corrigan Wade

    General Manager, Sommelier, & Co-Owner

    Adele Corrigan is General Manager (since 2012) and is a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators and has Level I status with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

  • Thomas Marsella

    Assistant Manager

    A Houstonian native and former musician, Thomas got his first start in the wine world by bar backing and polishing glasses at 13. After moving through food prep and bartending duties, mentoring by Adele combined with private studies, he has established himself as a face of 13 and a shift manager. Thomas has passed his Introductory Sommelier course through the Court of Master Sommeliers and looks to seek out other certifications within wine. Some of his favorite wine interests include many styles of Italian wine as well as the growing natural and biodynamic wine trend.

  • Harold Houpt

    Manager/Bartender

    Harold moved to Houston from Kansas City and started at 13 Celsius in June of 2019. He has been in the industry for 18 years first serving at his mothers restaurant in Wichita Kansas. In Kansas City he was the bar manager for Redrock Canyon Grill where he ran the wine program. He is currently studying for his introductory sommelier exam through the court of master sommelier.

  • Zach Cross

    Bartender

    Zach moved to Houston in 2015 from Beaumont, Tx. He absolutely loves working at 13 Celsius because he is able to learn something new about wine every single day from his coworkers and guests. Zach loves to help guests find the perfect vino to complete the full 13 celsius experience. Zach's favorite wines are the light to medium bodied old world reds with thirst quenching acidity and bright red fruits.

  • Tea Acuff

    Operations Coordinator/Cellar Dweller

    Born and raised in Dallas, Tea has recently returned to Texas after working in Washington DC as a sommelier and managing wine and beverage programs for Michelin Guide decorated José Andres’ restaurant group. He brings over twenty years of industry experience and wine education to 13 celsius. Along that journey, Tea has cultivated a lifelong passion for all things food and beverage. He has a personal affinity for the world of eastern Mediterranean cuisine and wines from the burgeoning regions of Greece, Lebanon, and Turkey, but he’d be just as happy to spend an hour with you talking about good whiskey.

  • Brenda Arredondo

    Bartender

    Being a first generation American, Brenda has witnessed the growth of Houston and with it the expansion of the service industry. Her nearly 20 years experience includes some of the city staples such as Pappas and Landry’s, where she learned the foundational skills needed to flourish in this career. She has further acquired beverage expertise, through various job roles, while working in some familiar establishments like the Flying Saucer and Boheme. Over the last 3 years she has been soaking up all things wine knowledge with 13 Celsius. She credits the mecca of diverse food and all the people she has connected with as the main reason Houston will forever be her first true love.

  • Jacob Conrad

    Bartender

    A native Houstonian and with ten years of experience in all realms of hospitality, Jake joins the team after years of being a close friend and admirer of 13 Celsius. He finds true excitement in continuing his understanding of the world of wine each day and also finds pleasure in sharing that with guests, friends, and all.

  • Gillie Malone

    Bartender

    A bit of a hospitality nomad, Gillie has spent her almost two decades in restaurants and wine working everywhere from Boston to Napa Valley to Colorado and is now happy to call Houston home. After pursuing and obtaining her level 2 certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers early in her career, while working at Press Restaurant in Napa Valley, Gillie has in recent years preferred to focus on the work at hand rather than obtaining new pins or certifications. After spending years working in fine dining full service restaurants - in Colorado for Frasca Hospitality Group and most recently as the Wine Director at MARCH right here in Houston - Gillie is excited to be in a wine focused environment without all of the trappings of a traditional restaurant. While her heart lies in Italy with the likes of Benanti and Fratelli Alessandria, her ultimate passion is finding the right wine for the occasion, person, time or place; and Gillie's excited to do that here at 13 Celsius.

  • Ian Rosenberg/Mike Sammons

    Founders

    Ian Rosenberg and Michael Sammons opened 13 celsius in December 2006. Inspired by their life experiences in small European towns, they set out to create a similar atmosphere in Houston and combine it with their passion for architectural preservation and fine wine.

  • Joe Apa

    Chef

    A native Houstonian, Joe has more than 30 years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience across a wide spectrum of the industry, including fine dining, high volume pub, and casual fast food. Joe's father was born in Calabria, Italy and he has a particular love of Italian and other Mediterranean cuisine.