Naples Society Wine Bar celebrated its grand opening Jan. 12, bringing a new wine tasting experience to Collier County. Located in a former salon space of the Fresh Market-anchored Park Shore Plaza off U.S. 41, Naples Wine Bar aims to be a place for all levels of wine enthusiasts to enjoy both new and familiar tastes while learning how it’s made.
Owner and franchisee Thierry Pourchet visited Naples for more than a decade before permanently moving from New York in 2022. When he learned about the opportunity to open his own Society Wine Bar, which has two other locations based in Tampa, he felt the business would be a great fit for Naples.
“I saw how it was working in Tampa Bay, and I thought that the concept was relevant for Naples because there is a very important educational component to the concept. That’s what really made me choose this particular franchise,” Pourchet said.
Pourchet has 25 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry in addition to a Level 3 certification from the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust. The course offers a deep dive into the world of wines, from understanding grape growing to being able to confidently explain wine style and quality. He is using this knowledge to conduct educational wine tastings called the Wine Society.
The Wine Society weekly tastings each Tuesday are based on a different wine each week and allow participants to taste five wines from around the world based on a theme. Last week’s tasting included Pinot Noir from Chile, California and France, while this week’s theme is centered around Bordeaux wines. It costs $30 per person and includes an appetizer.
“You’ll have people who are wine connoisseurs, you have people who just want to enjoy a nice glass of wine with friends in a nice atmosphere and they don’t necessarily look for further information, so really all types of customers and that’s what’s nice,” Pourchet said.
Visitors to Naples Society Wine Bar on any other day can enjoy wine from its extensive wine list, with each offered by the glass or bottle. Flights are available and include five wines selected by Pourchet’s sister and sommelier, Benedicte Pourchet Dolliver.
The food menu includes small plates, including smoked salmon and chicken salad and cheeseboards. Those who want to take their passion for wine to the next level can join the Naples Society Wine Club, which ranges from $50 to $100 per month and includes bottles of exclusive wines, a complimentary monthly wine tasting and 15% off all bottle purchases.
Naples Society Wine Bar is open from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 2 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from noon until 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Gulfshore Business reporter Tim Aten contributed to this report.
