A new wine tasting room is set to open this weekend in Kalamazoo which is exciting for a few different reasons.

First, its something new! I'm not even a wine enthusiast but I'm still excited at the opportunity to get out of the house and try something I've never tried before. Second, the wine being served will be Michigan based wine. Third, while an opening of a wine tasting room might seem like no big deal...this is actually historic.

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Goodbye Glass Ceilings

Twine Urban Winery will officially be open this Saturday, March 20th, in Washington Square. What makes this historic is the fact that the winemaker, Nicole Triplett, is the first Black woman to be a licensed winemaker in the state of Michigan. In an interview with Wood Tv News Channel 8 she said,

A lot of businesses that you go into, you might be able to find your cohort or someone that can mentor you or someone that’s like you. I’m kind of like on the double spectrum. I’m a minority and I’m a woman.

A lack of mentorship certainly didn't stop Triplett from not just pursuing but succeeding in her passions.

Some in Kalamazoo may already be familiar with Triplett's brand, the Roché Collection. In the past, Triplett was allowed to set up at local stores where her wine would sell out in just a couple of days, according to Woodtv.com. Currently, you can purchase wines online at TheRocheCollection.com and rumor has it that come fall you'll be able to purchase these wines at Meijer as well.

The Tasting Room

Besides shattering glass ceilings, Nicole Triplett is also bringing a new kind of technology to pair with your wine tastings: a wine debit card. This card will be tailored to the Twine Urban Bar and you'll simply insert the card, as you would at an ATM, find out what your balance is, and choose the wine you'd like. Genius!

After the grand opening this Saturday the hours will be:

  • Monday - Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday - Sunday: 12pm - 8pm

Due to the pandemic, you must have an appointment to visit Twine Urban Bar for now. You can find more information online or on their Facebook page. Hopefully, as the state opens up, appointments won't be required.

She's hiring!

Speaking of things opening back up, it looks like Twine Urban Bar is in need of a few employees including food preparation workers, servers and tasting room attendants. Find more information on the Roche Collection's Facebook page.

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