Wine is an amalgamation of identity, history and viticulture. Behind each sip, whether dry or sweet, is a millennium of recipes, fermentation and cultivation dating back to ancient China. Wine is more than just a drink, but a link to the past, present and future.
Sarah Jarrach, owner of Boulder’s B Town Wine and Spirits, remarks on the significance of wine to our culture and lives. “It is really all about togetherness,” Sarah states. “It is just about sharing food and drink with people close to you.” Wine can enhance a meal, establish harmony between strangers, ignite a healthy debate or act as a companion to a good book after a long day. As much as the flavor notes influence your selection, you are the author of your own drinking experience.
The vinification of wine is a deliberate and unique process. The same can almost be said for Sarah’s journey; from young wine enthusiast to owner of a small, local wine and tastings shop, it is all about the process. “My original plan was to go to culinary school,” Sarah says. She started working small jobs, ranging from sandwich shops to hotel restaurants all in an effort to support the dream. One day, Sarah struck up a conversation with a sommelier named Dana Eastman, a catalyst in her exploration of viticulture. “That just really started my love of wine,” Sarah recollects. She redirected her focus to studying wine theory and tasting wines. She took an entry-level position at Superior Liquor Market to immerse herself in the culture and enrolled in courses with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Sarah passed the courses and Certified Sommelier exam and was later promoted to buyer at 24. After 5 years of being the general manager at B Town Wine and Spirits, Sarah bought the store in April of 2023.
Working in the world of wine always comes with a learning curve. “It’s so much more than just what’s in the bottle,” Sarah explains. There are guidelines and differences in processes based on region and centuries of culture in every bottle. “We could learn a ton from the Europeans,” Sarah believes. She denotes all the shop’s wines that are practicing organic farming, many of which are European imports because there are more organic producers in Europe than here in America. “I am more focused on finding wine that is still an agricultural product. Small production estates that focus on the health of their soil, vines and ecosystems rather than producing a million cases.” Sarah also raises an important question: “Why would they [farmers] have started using pesticides, when the family has been farming for centuries and never started using them in the first place?” The issue of pesticide application in American farming relates to an even bigger conversation surrounding agricultural sustainability. “If you have healthy, live soil, your grape vines will just be healthier and will not need as much help… the bigger picture is more in balance,” Sarah says.
Finding a shop like B Town Wine and Spirits with a shop owner such as Sarah is refreshing. Sarah is uber-conscious of the wine she is both selecting and selling while holding an extensive knowledge of wine theory and sustainable practices under her belt. She tastes everything before it enters the shop, perfectly curating a diverse selection for Boulder’s best oenophiles. “I believe my job is to get people the best wine for the money and I believe that fantastic bottles can be found at any price point," Sarah says. "I love sharing wines from overlooked regions and showcasing weird grapes in an approachable way.”
Discover for yourself what makes B Town Wine and Spirits so special! Try their evening wine tastings, every Friday from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
