Kirkwood shop invites wine lovers to savor an epicurean lifestyle
Oenophiles—or wine aficionados to the uninitiated—have a new destination in Kirkwood. Savor Wine Boutique opened Nov. 1 in Kirkwood Station.
“We did a lot a research before we decided this was the right place for us,” said Savor CEO Kyla Cox. “The community is perfect for us, but we wanted to be sure we fit their vision, too. We have been welcomed with open arms. We’re here because people asked us to be here.”
The shop’s walls are decorated with the work of local artists and are rotated quarterly. “We want to be part of the community and to give our support others in the community,” Cox said.
Cox, who owns the business with her husband Gregory, Savor’s chief financial officer, said a mixed-use community in which area residents can walk to a wine tasting or drop by for a bottle of wine to complement dinner is precisely what they envisioned.
Savor specializes in artisanal wines that are not mass-produced or readily available in grocery or liquor stores. Its inventory includes hard-to-find fair trade, organic, sustainably farmed and vegan wines.
“Those distinctions are very important to many of our customers who are concerned that the people who picked the grapes receive a fair wage for their labors, that farms use organic and environmentally sensitive techniques or that no animal products are used in the making of the wine they buy.”
Savor’s shoppers also can find global wines from lesser known producers in wine regions of France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and South America. “Some of the wineries we buy from produce only 750 to 900 cases of a product each year,” Cox said.
Wines are arranged in the shop from light to robust and Cox is always ready to make recommendations based on the event, the consumers and what will be served with the wine.
“If someone tells me they are serving roast chicken, I also ask what the side dishes are. It even makes a difference whether the Brussels sprouts they’re serving are steamed or roasted. I might conclude that their best choice would be a red wine—not what most people would expect as the wine to serve with chicken.”
In addition to specialty wines, the shop offers an array of what Cox describes as “fun and sophisticated” wine accessories, including gift bags, coasters, napkins, bottle openers and décor items. She pointed out a slate cheeseboard on which varieties can be identified in chalk and a candleholder that can be attached to wine bottle, forming a small candelabrum.
Interest in wine and an eco-friendly lifestyle come together with such items as furniture made from recycled wine barrels and staves. Savor also invites people to bring used corks that can be turned into such items as footwear, floor tiles, insulation and sporting equipment.
“Savor isn’t just about wine; it’s about a lifestyle,” Cox said. “We combine other things that people enjoy from food to art to reading with the wine.” The shop has a corner known as the Wine Library and Reading Lounge where guests can peruse wine and food magazines and books on wine.
Savor posts a calendar of events that include wine tastings, classes, culinary events, book signings, evening with the artist receptions, fundraisers for local organizations and other events.
