Is there anything more gratifying than sipping a glass of thoughtfully poured wine and musing on some of life’s greatest questions with pals?
Or “This and yap,” as the kids say.
It can be difficult to peel ourselves away from doom scrolling and make a date with other humans. But what if that date were planned for you—with vino and snacks to boot?
Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop is launching its new culture club, Second Opinions, Monday, March 31 from 6:30-8 p.m. The first event is sold out, but tickets are now available online for the Monday, April 28 meeting (the theme is season three of “White Lotus”).
“Second Opinions has been received in the way we had hoped,” says wine shop owner Erin Keene. Although Second Bottle debuted in Church Hill four years ago, Keene says this is a particularly exciting time for them—while their mission has remained steadfast, the identity of the shop has evolved.
Customers are always certain to find bottles of wine from small-production, family-run vineyards that are farmed and produced with care. “I want wine to be convivial and the joyful beverage that it’s meant to be, but also shed some light on the journey getting from the vineyard to our table here in the U.S.,” says Keene.
While Keene has been happy to educate the greater Richmond area about viewing wine as an agricultural product rather than “a mass-produced beverage,” she’s also been pleasantly surprised to find her shop becoming a social hub for the community.
“We’ve gotten to know the neighborhood a little better and how we can better serve them,” says Keene. “My goal from the beginning has been to be a neighborhood wine shop.”
Keene felt the full support of the Church Hill community at the end of 2024 when a fire broke out at Sub Rosa, displacing both the beloved bakery and Keene, who lived in an apartment above the shop.
“Especially with how much love I felt from the community last year and everything else going on with the world, our spirits are not in a good place,” she says. “If there’s one thing I saw at the end of last year, it’s just how much good there is here.”
The inaugural meeting of Second Opinions will feature Ina Garten’s highly anticipated memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” Keene will curate wine specifically for each event, and private event chef Isabel Perea is in charge of the food (those lucky enough to snag tickets to the March 31 event will enjoy salmon deviled eggs).
Each month will feature a different medium to discuss, from books to comedy to art and podcasts. The meetings will be small, so no one feels that they’re put on the spot in a high-stakes classroom (we all still have those dreams, right?).
“The wine is a fun part for us, but it’s more in the background,” says Keene. “This will be a gathering for people to share ideas and get to know each other.”
Keene is hoping that Second Opinions will connect the dots for some of the talented, passionate folks she runs into in the shop daily. “I think it’s one of the most fulfilling parts of working here, getting to know the people who live here and learn how they’re doing amazing, meaningful work. And I want them to meet each other.”
In addition to the culture club, the shop hosts weekly wine tastings and occasional after-hours events (8-10 p.m.), both serving to connect the winemakers with the wine drinkers. A recent After Hours included a blind tasting of nine wines from three popular producers (Tiberio, Cirelli and Torre dei Beati) plus bites from Laine Myers of Oro pasta.
The business owner—a Pennsylvania native who lived in New York City for a decade before coming to Richmond to open Second Bottle—knows that the value of an experience is the real-life narrative that fuels it.
“I think it’s more fun to drink and share a bottle when you know the story behind it,” says Keene.
The second meeting of Second Opinions will take place Monday April 28. Head here to grab your ticket now. You can visit the shop at 324 N 27th St. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
