The Urban Grape South End

Edited 9/29/12 – The Urban Grape South End is now open!

Please note that The Urban Grape South End opening has been delayed. For up-to-date info, please visit The Urban Grape on Facebook

Just over two years ago, I received an email invitation to preview a wine store in Chestnut Hill. I was working in a job that I did not love (and left shortly after), I was sort of new to blogging still, and I was pretty excited to be invited to check out a new wine store. . . except that it was in Chestnut Hill. Little did I know at the time that The Urban Grape would become our go-to wine store; Chestnut Hill is certainly not as far as I originally thought (not far at all, really), but we have had lots of different, closer choices over the years that we haven’t frequented.

So why have we been trekking out to The Urban Grape for all sorts of wine tastings and cocktail events? And why after just two years, are they able to open a second, truly urban store in Boston’s South End? I’m sure it’s not quite so simple, but the people behind it, to us, have made all the difference.

The Urban Grape has offered innovation and hospitality from their progressively organized shelves to their blog and Twitter presence, to the many events they have created and executed, making their store more of a place to be than just a place to grab a bottle of wine. Though it’s great for that too. Their staff has always been top notch, welcoming, ready to offer suggestions or to just leave us to browse their beautiful selection.

Just off the corner of Columbus and Dartmouth, The Urban Grape South End sits, chic, spacious, and full of wine, beer, and spirits, just waiting to serve its surrounding community.

In my post  two years ago I wrote that The Urban Grape Chestnut Hill was a mix of a little rustic and a little modern; the South End store is 100% city with more refined tasting tables, glass globe lighting, even simpler, clean shelving, seating areas, and a custom designed round tasting machine from Italy that just begs for a little get-together over sips of wine.

The Chestnut Hill and South End stores are obviously connected, but they are different. The common thread between the two? The people behind them.

And, of course, the really interesting selection and progression of wine. True to the things I love about The Urban Grape, the shelves in the South End are well stocked with a large variety of bubbles and rosé wines. I also spied wine from Venge, the place I spent my epic 30th birthday, wine that’s not easy to find anywhere outside Venge’s in-demand wine club.

The Urban Grape is a wine-lover’s paradise because so much goes into what happens in the store. And the Enomatic wine tasting machine makes it easy to discover new favorites like this Epiphany Grenache Blanc just about every time you stop in.

I am incredibly excited to have The Urban Grape closer to home and foresee a lot of fun tastings and other events at the store. Over the years we have come to really appreciate TJ and Hadley for all that they have created, and we wish them the absolute best in their latest store. I have a suspicion they will do well!

The Urban Grape South End officially opens for business on Thursday, September 20 at 9:30 am. They’re located just a few steps from Back Bay Station at 303 Columbus Avenue.