Discover the art of wine storage and the unique experiences offered by BottleBank.com in this engaging podcast episode featuring co-founder Damon Raque. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining a controlled environment for wine, underscoring the ideal conditions of 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% humidity to preserve its integrity. Listeners are treated to a glimpse of the diverse clientele that Bottle Bank aims to serve, from casual enthusiasts seeking a vibrant space to serious collectors desiring a sophisticated environment for tastings and private dining. Damon shares enticing scenarios, such as crafting a personalized six-course meal paired with cherished wines for special occasions like milestone birthdays. With a focus on elevating the wine experience, the episode also touches on the importance of an appropriate dress code to enhance the ambience and overall enjoyment of the venue.
Damon Raque, founder and managing partner at Bottle Bank in Atlanta, shares his journey into the world of wine and the creation of a unique wine-centric hospitality concept. Recognizing a gap in the market for wine storage and community, he emphasizes the importance of adaptability in business, drawing parallels to the evolving demands of consumers. Rocke's passion for wine and the experiences it fosters inspired him to design a space where wine lovers can gather, relax, and enjoy their collections together, moving away from traditional transactional models. Instead of a typical restaurant or wine bar, Bottle Bank offers a lounge-like atmosphere that invites patrons to linger and socialize over their favorite bottles. Through engaging storytelling and insights, this episode highlights how Rocke turned his personal passion into a thriving business that caters to the desires of modern wine enthusiasts.
In this engaging episode of The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast, Forrest Kelly sits down with Damon Raque, the founder and managing partner of Bottle Bank in Atlanta, Georgia. Damon shares his journey from being a passionate Wine collector to creating a unique Wine-centric hospitality concept. Discover how a lunch conversation with a sommelier friend sparked the idea for Bottle Bank, a place where Wine lovers can store, share, and enjoy their collections in a relaxed, lounge-style environment.
Damon explains the philosophy behind Bottle Bank, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in business and the need to provide experiences that cater to the desires of modern consumers. Unlike traditional Wine bars or restaurants focused on volume and transactions, Bottle Bank offers a living room-like setting where guests are encouraged to stay, relax, and connect over their shared love for Wine.
Please tune in to learn about the innovative approach that sets Bottle Bank apart and how it fosters a sense of community among Wine enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting your Wine journey, this episode will inspire and delight you.
Your Host: Forrest Kelly is an experienced Radio/TV broadcaster who has interviewed some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities, from Garth Brooks to Kevin Costner. A lover of wine who is fascinated by the science behind it.
Welcome. Welcome to The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast
Forrest Kelly:
with Forrest Kelly, BottleBank.com co founder, Damon Raque.
Damon Raque:
One of the benefits of membership as well, Forrest, is access to our executive chef.
Forrest Kelly:
Oh, I like the sound of executive chef. I've got some executive food items I'd like him to prepare. Why is storing wine at a particular controlled environment so important as a wine person?
Damon Raque:
You know, keeping the wine cool, keeping it consistent, and keeping the temperature and humidity is very important just for the longevity and the integrity of the wine. So we wanted to provide a perfect cellaring environment. So again, 55 degrees, 70% relative humidity.
The bottles will be stored on their sides, keep the corks moist.
Again, just give people that don't have the opportunity to properly store wine, give them the opportunity to store it properly in an environment that's secure and again, more importantly, the ability to enjoy it in a beautiful environment with great energy.
Forrest Kelly:
So if you could pluck out somebody from a crowd, who would be your perfect client?
Damon Raque:
I envision Bottle bank appealing to a variety of individuals. And that's the great thing about wine, you know, it's inclusive and it is connective.
So I see some people that are just going to want to come and hang out in a beautiful space with great energy and great amenities. I see another group of people that I kind of refer to as aspiring enthusiasts.
So they've had some wine, they like it, they're kind of interested in it. They say, you know what, this is pretty cool. I like to. I'd like to learn more about this.
So these are folks that, you know, would appeal to the wine tastings and the wine dinners and, you know, some of the educational type of planning that we'll provide.
And then I think on the other end of the spectrum, you have those, you know, pretty serious wine collectors and connoisseurs that have been into wine for a long time. They've obtained a wonderful collection over the years.
And now we're just looking for a great place to enjoy the wine and to interact with other individuals and bottle share and again, enjoy tastings and wine dinners. And one of the benefits of membership as well, Forest, is access to our executive chef for private dining experiences.
So imagine your 50th birthday is coming up and you've got these three bottles that you've been saving for the last 20 years to drink at your 50th with a group of close friends. And you sit down with our private chef and you say, hey, these are the wines that I want to serve.
And our sommelier sits down with you and Chef and creates a six course tasting menu to pair specifically with those wines. And you're tucked away in a beautiful tasting room having that private dining experience for the evening and really just creating a wonderful memory.
So I think given opportunities like to people at all levels and all stages of an individual wine journey allows us to do some pretty special things. So we're excited.
Forrest Kelly:
Yeah. And you envision having a dress code or it's going to be implied or.
Damon Raque:
Yes, I think dress codes going to be important. You know, we want people to be comfortable but at the same time our goal is to really provide and create an elevated experience.
So you're having people, you know, not being in shorts and flip flops and just coming from the gym and stuff like that. You know, I kind of always joke with people. There's a time and a place for everything.
I've never seen anybody working out in a tuxedo and I've never seen anybody at a wedding wearing running shorts. So we'll try to, try to monitor that. Just honor the experience and give people a sense of occasion, so to speak.
Forrest Kelly:
You know, if we live long enough, we'll get there to the, to those points. I mean to see people in sweats and all kinds of stuff at airports where we never used to see that but.
Damon Raque:
Very true.
Forrest Kelly:
Yeah.
Speaking of the dress code, the reason I was asking because you've got a chandelier lounge or area on the rendering of the pictures on the website@bottlebank.com looks just amazing. So that's the angle you're going for. High class all the way.
Damon Raque:
Yes. And thank you for the kind words. We've hired a wonderful design team. Our architect has a hospitality background.
He's done several restaurants here in Atlanta and casinos and hotels along with our interior design team.
Again a wonder group of people that have extensive hospitality experience as well as residential experience to create that living room type of environment, those great tasting rooms that we get to experience when we're out in Sonoma, Napa and you know, some other beautiful properties across the country and creating that comfortable environment where people want to hang out and drink wine and meet new people and hang out with old friends.
Forrest Kelly:
Who's bringing wine til the next big scene? It's David Rocky and he's living a dream. BottleBank.com he's co founder too. Damon Rock.
Keeping the name Bottle banks the game from fine wines to sellers. He's changing the frame chandelier bar Tasting nights so divine. Private events with the perfect wine. The best five Minute one podcast.
