Our story
Curated with intention. Shared with passion.
Barrel and Bliss was born from a simple belief — that discovering great wine should feel effortless, personal, and a little bit exciting every month.
The beginning
How it all started
We opened our doors as a neighborhood wine shop with one goal: make exceptional wine accessible to everyone, not just collectors and connoisseurs. Over the years, our regulars kept asking us the same question — "What should I try next?"
Barrel and Bliss was our answer. Each month, our sommelier team hand-selects two bottles that tell a story — a small-production Burgundy, a sun-drenched Sicilian red, a crisp Alsatian white. Wines you might never reach for on your own, but will be glad you tried.
Every selection comes with tasting notes written by the people who chose it. Not marketing copy — real observations, food pairings, and the reason we fell in love with that bottle.
The process
How we select every bottle
Our process is deliberate and personal. No algorithms, no distributor quotas — just our team tasting, debating, and choosing wines we genuinely love.
We taste everything
Our team samples dozens of bottles each month from producers around the world, looking for quality, character, and value.
We tell a story
Each month's pair is chosen to complement each other — a theme, a region, a contrast. There's always a reason the two bottles belong together.
We write the notes
Our tasting notes are written in plain language. What it smells like, what it tastes like, what to eat with it, and why we love it.
Ready for pickup
Your selection is set aside and ready at the shop. Come in, pick it up, and let us know what you think.
The team
The people behind your selections
Our team brings decades of combined experience in wine, hospitality, and a genuine love of sharing great bottles.
Claire Moreau
Head Sommelier & Co-Founder
Claire trained in Burgundy and spent eight years as a sommelier in fine dining before opening the shop. She leads every monthly selection and has an uncanny ability to find extraordinary bottles at honest prices.
James Okafor
Wine Director
James discovered his passion for wine while traveling through South America and Southern Europe. He specializes in natural and biodynamic producers and brings a global perspective to every curation.
Sofia Reyes
Member Experience Lead
Sofia makes sure every member feels like a regular. She manages pickups, answers questions, and is the first to know when something special comes in that members should hear about.
What we believe
Honest curation
We only recommend wines we'd buy ourselves. If we wouldn't drink it, it doesn't make the cut.
No pretension
Wine should be approachable. We skip the jargon and write notes that actually help you enjoy the bottle.
Community first
The club is built around our shop and our neighborhood. We love seeing members come in, share what they thought, and discover something new.
Ready to discover your next favorite wine?
Join Barrel and Bliss for $60/month and let us do the searching for you.
Become a member