During his twenties, when Chris Keel and some coworkers shared a bottle of wine, Chris got his first indication that the way his palate processed the wine’s flavors might be different than the average consumer.
“It was a bottle of California Cabernet, and I commented that it had some really good red fruits as well as some herbs and oak,” Chris shares. “My manager thought I’d had the wine before, but it was my first time ever having red wine. That is when I learned I had a good palate for wine and really caught the wine bug. From there, I started doing tastings and learning about wine.”
That journey led Chris to eventually open Put A Cork In It, a neighborhood wine boutique that carries domestic and international wines from the most famous wine regions of the world. “California wines are very popular, but because of my love for Italian wines, we have a very good Italian selection, which usually includes wine from every region in Italy,” says Chris. “We also carry a lot of French wines from the four main regions, as well as a sparkling wine collection that we are continuing to expand.”
In addition to opening the shop, Chris broadened his knowledge and pursed certifications as a sommelier and a Certified Specialist of Wine. In 2021, Chris further cultivated his expertise and became one of four hundred Italian Wine Ambassadors in the world, a title he earned through the ViaItaly Wine Academy out of Verona, Italy.
“I've always loved Italian wine, food, and culture,” Chris explains. “In the fall of 2020, I took a class in Dallas with the Italian Trade Commerce, and I did really well in that class. Then they invited me to take the class to be an Italian Wine Ambassador, which I attended in San Francisco. It's like a master sommelier level class that focuses specifically on Italian wines.”
To help customers explore various wines, Put A Cork In It offers three themed wine clubs: Worldly, Italian, and Bubbles/Champagne. Wine Club members enjoy early access to tasting new additions to the shop as well as receiving exclusive deals and discounts each month. Members also have priority registration for educational wine classes, which will utilize the new location’s larger space and special addition, a table that seats twelve people and is designed to create an intimate atmosphere for discussions.
Chris also believes that the best way to learn about wine is by sampling different wines and broadening the palate, so the shop offers free wine tastings on Thursday from 5-7pm and from 3-7pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Each week’s tasting features a fun theme and includes a one-ounce pour of six to eight different wines. Weekly tastings are open to the public and do not require a reservation.
Once customers discover a wine they love, whether through the shop or elsewhere, Chris happily goes the extra mile to help them track down their favorites. “We do a lot of special orders,” he says. “Clients email me or text me a picture of the wine they had at a restaurant, and I can find it for them and order whatever they want, even if it is just one bottle. That’s a niche we really enjoy filling, and it helps our customers develop a love of wine.”
Put A Cork In It is located at 2964 Park Hill Drive in Fort Worth. To find out more, visit putacorkinitwine.com and sign up to receive the weekly newsletter, which is filled with details on tastings, classes, and more.