Vino Volo, the creators of sophisticated wine retreats found in airports across the country and a trusted wine authority, will open its first urban area store in downtown Bethesda, Maryland (Bethesda Row) on November 9, 2012. The new venue will feel familiar to guests who have enjoyed Vino Volo’s cozy atmosphere, signature tasting flights and artisan bites at airports across the country, but with one big plus: “no boarding pass required.”
The new 2,500-square-foot location will also offer a full-scale lunch and dinner menu and an invitation-only VIP seating area, both firsts for Vino Volo.
“We’re offering the same great wine experience that our customers have come to appreciate at our airport locations, but without the hassle of travel,” said Doug Tomlinson, founder and CEO of Vino Volo. “This new concept is something that our customers have been asking us about for a long time, and we listened.”
Vino Volo’s location on Bethesda Row will feature an approachable wine list appealing to wine novices and connoisseurs alike; a patented tasting program of wine flights to guide customers through the wine discovery process; and thoroughly trained wine associates who not only pour, but share their wine knowledge with guests and invite discussion.
The company has designed the new store to reflect its wine country casual look and feel, with exposed brick and rustic wood, a ‘wine wall’ made from crates taken from the wine poured at the store, and a new wall of for-purchase wine bottles featuring handmade wood burned signs highlighting the various wine regions. Lighting fixtures are pendant lights made from reclaimed barrel hoops.
Many of Vino Volo’s signature dishes, such as the smoked salmon rolls and chorizo & chickpea chili, remain on the new city menu, with menu expansions for both lunch and dinner. Much of the new menu will incorporate the use of locally sourced, sustainable produce and other food items, including local cheeses and meats. The new menu will also offer a rotating list of pizzettas made with seasonal ingredients, and new items such as Bacon Brittle and Roasted Bone Marrow. All plates can be ordered tapas-style or full-sized.
The new VIP seating area can be reserved by customers for meetings, birthdays and other special occasions. The benefits of the VIP table include a complimentary taste of wine, a small meat and cheese plate and a discount on retail bottles purchased same-day.
Vino Volo launched its first store in Dulles Airport in 2005, followed by other first-to-market locations such as the Baltimore Washington International Airport store. In addition to its soon-to-open location on Bethesda Row at 7243-7247 Woodmont Avenue, Vino Volo plans to open a second urban area store in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia in early 2013.
Vino Volo’s wine lists are carefully assembled, with each wine thoroughly tasted by the company’s wine experts to ensure it meets the company’s high standards. In addition to wines from around the globe, the urban area store will feature a selection of locally produced wines from surrounding areas.
Tomlinson, a former management consultant, first had the idea for Vino Volo on a business trip when he and some colleagues planned to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine in an airport before heading home. Tomlinson, a wine aficionado, had his “aha” moment when there was no quality wine to be had in the terminal. He was struck with the idea of creating an upscale wine bar concept for airports that would offer a great selection, a sense of approachability and a place where guests could relax and discover new wines.
About Vino Volo
Vino Volo establishments combine an upscale wine lounge, restaurant and boutique wine shop under one roof, and are primarily located in airports across the country. Vino Volo (derived from “wine flight” in Italian) is a trusted wine authority that makes wine approachable, offering hand-selected wines from around the world by the glass, in tasting flights and by the bottle for customers to take home or have shipped. Vino Volo also offers a Wine Passport Club for enthusiasts. Recently, Vino Volo was named the Best Airport Wine Bar at the 2nd Airport Food & Beverage awards.
Currently Vino Volo operates in the following airport locations: Baltimore, MD (BWI), Boston, MA (General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport), Detroit, MI (DTW), Newark, NJ (EWR), New York, NY (JFK), Oakland, CA (OAK), Philadelphia, PA (PHL, four locations), Sacramento, CA (SMF, two locations), Salt Lake City, UT (SLC), San Antonio, TX (SAT), San Francisco, CA (SFO), Santa Ana, CA (SNA), Seattle, WA (SEA), Washington, DC (IAD, two locations). For more information visit www.vinovolo.com.
Coming soon: Vancouver, BC, Canada (Vancouver International Airport, 2 locations), Denver, CO (Denver International Airport, 2 locations), Dallas, TX (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) and Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Vinovolo
Twitter: @VinoVolo
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