Mistral Equity Partners has invested more than $10M of growth capital in Taste Inc. dba Vino Volo.
Vino Volo, whose name is derived from “wine flight” in Italian, offers airport travelers wine by the glass, in tasting flights, and by the bottle for customers to take home or have shipped, as well as small plates. It was founded in 2004 and has 18 locations in United States airports.
“We are excited to partner with Mistral to accelerate the next phase of our growth,” says founder and CEO Doug Tomlinson. “Mistral shares our desire to revolutionize how people experience wine through unique product offerings and exceptional service, and our vision for rapid growth with a number of exciting opportunities ahead of us.”
“Vino Volo’s position as the market leader in the attractive airport segment, along with its proven ability to build and operate profitable locations across the country, provides many compelling near term growth opportunities,” says Andrew Heyer, managing partner of Mistral Equity Partners. “We believe that the company is well positioned to be the national wine authority across multiple channels in and out of the airport, offering a differentiated and best-in-class experience to consumers.”
In other Vino Volo news…
The company will be opening its first city store in Bethesda, Md., in the fall. It will follow the same model used in airports of a wine lounge, restaurant and boutique wine shop.
“For years, we’ve been hearing from our guests that they wanted a neighborhood Vino Volo which didn’t require a trip to the airport or a boarding pass to get in,” says Tomlinson. “We listened, and that’s why we are opening Vino Volo’s first city store.”
The location on Bethesda Row will also offer a food menu with a larger selection of bites, plates and desserts than the airport stores. Menu items will include starters such as bacon brittle, crostini trio, stuffed dates and roasted bone marrow; artisan cheese and salami platters; and full plates such as thyme roasted chicken, truffle penne and smoked salmon rolls. The food can be ordered tapas-style or full sized, and the retail wine store will feature gifts and other Vino Volo-branded merchandise.
The wine selection will include wines from around the globe, along with locally produced wines from surrounding areas. In a first for the company, the off-airport store will offer an invitation-only VIP table for guests.
“Our new city store is an expansion of our brand and reinforcement of our position as a trusted wine authority, while offering guests that same ‘sense of belonging’ found in our airport locations,” says Natalie White, vice president of marketing and services for Vino Volo. “Because we research and assemble our wine lists so carefully and make our wine flights central to the experience, Vino Volo is known as a destination where our guests can discover wines that they truly like.”
