All you need is wine. Am I right? I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Jennifer Demel, co-owner of Thirty Eight & Vine, to discuss opening a wine bar shortly before a pandemic, keeping their business afloat, and what the future looks like amid so much uncertainty. Just before Christmas in 2019, Thirty Eight & Vine opened their doors, bringing a new, approachable wine experience to Fort Worthians. They offer 42 rotated, curated wines dispensed at the touch of a button: traditional classics and unusual discoveries, by the ounce. Their unique self-serve concept offers casual wine enthusiasts and aficionados alike the opportunity to sample and discover a new favorite without the commitment.

Jennifer owns Thirty Eight & Vine, along with her husband Sam Demel. Both Texas natives, the Demels, met at TCU (Go Frogs!) and began a whirlwind life together. Following college, Sam launched his professional baseball career, which meant a lot of traveling. Together, they spent a lot of their time on the west coast, having great wine experiences, which would later influence them to create Thirty Eight & Vine. Once Sam retired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the couple made their way back to Texas. In 2015, he joined Jennifer at Burt Ladner Real Estate, where they have received the “Top Realtor” award by Fort Worth Magazine. In addition to their career pursuits, both enjoy immersing themselves in philanthropy; together, they currently serve on the board of the Blast for Cook Children’s Hospital. When they aren’t selling houses, serving the community, or running Thirty Eight & Vine, you can find them spending time with their two kids and crazy Goldendoodles!

Due to Covid-19, they’ve been forced to close the doors of Thirty Eight & Vine for wine-in and are operating through curbside and delivery only. In addition, every Saturday they host a “Date Night Wine-Thru”, offering wine + charcuterie (by My Sweet Roots) to-go! You must pre-order by Thursdays at 6:00PM for pick-up on the following Saturday from 3:00-6:00PM. The cost is $35 for the charcuterie, plus the cost of the wine/s of your choosing. To order, text (817) 899-6899 or email jennifer@thirtyeightandvine.com. Please consider #SupportingLocal, and purchasing your next bottle of wine from my friends at Thirty Eight & Vine!

I look forward to sharing the rest of their story on my podcast, My So-Called Fabulous, launching tomorrow, October 6th!