TJ Douglas – Owner, General Manager
I love wine. Not just the taste, but the experience. I love wandering into the kitchen an hour before dinner, seeing what is on tap for the evening’s meal, heading over to the wine cooler, and picking the perfect bottle. I love opening that bottle, pouring the wine into my glass, swirling it, smelling it, tasting it. Pouring my wife a glass, “cheers,” and taking that first real sip. Another great day on the books, now it’s time to relax and experience life in the moment.
I love that by age two and a half my oldest son knew that his grandfather likes Cabernet and that his mommy likes Bubbles. I love that my sons will grow up stacking bottles in The Urban Grape, learning about wine, and people, and the world; after all, wine is universal. I love that our family dinners feature good food, good conversation and, of course, good wine.
And I love The Urban Grape. It is the culmination of half my life’s work. From dishwasher, to server, to restaurant manager, to wine salesman, to the owner of a boutique wine store – each of my experiences with wine (and the people who love wine) has led me to this moment. I believe we have opened a store that can create community, memories, and joy through the experience of wine.
So enjoy – from my family dinner to yours.
Hadley Douglas – Owner, Marketing Manager
My earliest wine memory centers around one word – “Trefethen.” Actually, it was two words – “More Trefethen!” It was my dad’s birthday party and I was about 15 years old. I sat to his right with my family and extended family stretched out on either side. Somehow I had a wine glass, and in the merriment that glass kept getting filled along with everyone else’s. A case of Trefethen into the evening, my older brothers took me aside and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll get you through this.” It was a fun night, but a while before I drank wine again.
After helping many other companies with their marketing, public relations, events and philanthropy I’m excited to now be doing the same for The Urban Grape. The perks are great – there’s always lots of wine to sip with dinner, and I liked the owner enough to marry him.
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Trefethen: Powerhouse of a wine. Sweet purple fruit on the nose leads to rich, silky mouthfeel with flavors of baked anise, licorice and game. |
Trevor Bernatchez
Good music, good company, great wine, and great food…What else could you ask for in life? As a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and a child of the restaurant industry, it’s no wonder that I fell into place so quickly here at The Urban Grape. having spent the last 9 years serving tables and touring the country playing music, I’ve met a lot of people, shared a lot of meals, and needless to say, opened many a bottle of vino in the process. I love using my past experiences to help customers find the perfect bottle of wine to pair with their three-course dinner party, or even just for pizza night. I’m so happy to be one of the newest members of the family here at UG, and lucky that our regular patrons have been so warm and inviting to me as well.
Harry Silverstein
My pathway into the world of beer, wine and spirits likely began as a 13-year old on the Bar Mitzvah circuit, surreptitiously emptying any drink that an unsuspecting adult would leave unattended. In high school, I graduated to the Pride of St Louis – Busch Light – the primary benefits of which were its price and chug-ability. Upon reaching the legal age of consumption, the sophistication level of my chosen beverages took a dramatic upward turn. And, after many years of selling uninspiring products and services to ambivalent people, I decided that it is far more rewarding to introduce people to products and experiences that bring them joy, and that they associate with fun and celebration. I have worked in the beverage business for five years, with a focus on education and food pairing. I am proud to join The Urban Grape team as associate and resident beer nerd, and I look forward to sharing a taste with our illustrious customers.
Kaitlin Alayan
If pressed, I would say that my wine education began in college. The first lesson? How to spot the really dreadful stuff. The next lesson didn’t come until after college, when I had my first glass of Cakebread Merlot. It was a game changer, to say the least. Not too long after that glass, I found myself in Sonoma County. It was there that it became clear to me how complex wine can be – not just the taste, but how integral earth, climate and community are to the final result. There is a story in every bottle and who doesn’t enjoy a good story?
Currently I am enrolled in BU’s wine program. An education in wine can never truly end! I look forward to sharing a story or two with you at The Urban Grape.
Mike Paquette
My passion for food and wine comes from many different influences. I have worked alongside amazing chefs in the kitchen and have also had the privilege to meet and work with some of the best wine producers in the world. I believe that at the end of the day, the simplicity of wine, spirits and cocktails, make it easy to enjoy your “place at the table,” as well as the people that are there to share the experience with you.
I joined The Urban Grape after managing several prominent local restaurants and nightclubs over the past ten years. Among others, I was the GM and Sommelier for Restaurant L, the GM of Sage Restaurant, and Beverage Manager for Scampo, Lydia Shire’s swanky Italian eatery in the Liberty Hotel. I’m an award-winning mixologist and am also studying to become a Master of Wine. Look for my weekly cocktail column on The Urban Grape blog!
Chelsea Bell
To quote the great Federico Fellini, “Life is a combination of magic and pasta” and to me, nothing goes better with pasta than vino!
I grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts where family was everything. There is nothing I relish more than opening a bottle of wine (or two) with my family and unwinding. I was introduced to wine by my family and intensified my relationship through working at Best Cellars in Boston’s Back Bay. I am currently on track to take the Certified Specialist of Wine exam this fall. For me, the world of wine encomposses what I love about life; family, food, travel, working the land and sharing moments with good people.
Catherine Whitehill
To me, wine equals great conversation, wonderful times spent with friends and family, and amazing memories of traveling throughout the world. As a professional soccer player, I have been fortunate enough to travel and experience different cultures through food and drink. The best part of all of these trips was bringing a special bottle home to share with my loved ones. Beginning in Athens as an Olympian and through my time living and traveling in the US and abroad, wine has been an ever growing passion that I am now excited to pursue as a member of the Urban Grape staff. I hope you will stop by and allow me and the rest of us at UG the chance to be a part of your next great memory created over a glass of wine.
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