MONT BELVIEU, Texas — A beloved wine bar in Texas began when two neighbors became friends then business partners as they bonded over their love of wine.
Laura Lee Frazier is a human resources representative, and Bryn Poland is a lawyer. Together the women are the co-owners of Salt + Vine Wine and Co., a wine bar in Mont Belvieu.
The two consider the business a safe space for beginner wine connoisseurs.
“We have no formal wine training at all, so it was important for us, as we were learning to like wines and drink wine, to be able to have a place where novice wine drinker can come and not feel pressure or anything like that,” Poland said.
The story began when Frazier moved near Poland.
“Laure Lee moved across the street, and I thought, 'She seems like a person I’d like to know,'” Poland said. “So, took over a bottle wine and she said ‘Why don’t we just drink this now,” and so, we did.”
The women noticed a need for a perfect retreat for Texans in an area where there was not one.
“We ubered to Houston and would go experience these cool wine bars that were there,” Frazier said “And we just realized, you know, between Baytown and Houston and Baytown and Beaumont, there’s not one. There’s not a wine bar.”
The co-owners said their natural love of hosting parties makes the winery feel like home.
“[We] kind of naturally love to throw parties. That’s kind of who we are,” Poland said. “We like to have people at our homes and at our tables. This feels like an extension of our homes in a lot of ways.”
It’s not only a business, but a passion project with purpose.
“On our menu, which we’re pretty proud of, we feature women-owned wine making,” Poland said. “They all have a little mermaid tail next to them.”
The women said they are mindful of shortages caused by a multitude of recent events. The business owners are taking actions that will hopefully keep prices down and also help the planet.
“We do hear that there is a glass shortage, and so the price of wine bottles might be going up,” Poland said. “We are trying to do our part [because] we recycle every bottle that we have here. We’re trying keep those prices low an do our part for the environment.”
There maybe a shortage of bottles, but there is certainly no shortage of wine.
“We stated with about 31 varieties,” Poland said. “We’ve added several more. I bet we're probably close to 40 varieties right now from all over the world.”
Along with wine and food, the business also serves up Texas-sized talent. No matter what a person is into, there is a little something for everybody at the bottom of the bottles.
“That’s what so cool about wine,” Frazier said. “It is absolutely there, a story in every bottle.”