Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Cleary.
Hi Kevin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
With over 25 years of experience in the competitive food and wine industry, I have held nearly every role in restaurants, bars, and retail establishments. My journey includes valuable time spent in Italy, where I worked at a Michelin 2-Star restaurant near Bologna and a charming, family-owned osteria in Tuscany. My primary focus has been as a chef and I have had the privilege of cooking in some of the finest restaurants in Boston and surrounding areas before opening my own restaurants in Massachusetts and Vermont. I have always championed the importance of supporting local farmers and suppliers, and I bring that same commitment to the Bluffton community.
I hold the esteemed WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust in London, which represents the highest level of wine certification available, just short of becoming a Master of Wine. Additionally, I am certified as a French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Scholar, and hold several Master Level Certifications from the Wine Scholar Guild. In 2011, I founded the Vermont Wine School, where I taught WSET and Wine Scholar Guild certification courses to both professionals and consumers. My career also includes experience as the Fine Wine Manager, Buyer, and Trainer for a prominent wine distribution company.
My journey brought me to Bluffton with my wife, Kathi, where we instantly felt at home. Shortly after our arrival, I connected with the owners of Wine Time Bluffton, and together we have created this remarkable wine bar and tapas restaurant, reflecting our shared passion for great food and wine in a welcoming atmosphere.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall there hasn’t been too many hurdles outside of the normal challenges of opening a new place and letting customers know what you offer. In our first year we really focused heavily on building a fantastic team and brand awareness, especially because we have a lot of tourists in the area. It was essential to let people know not only about our unique selection of wines but also about our amazing small plates and customizable charcuterie boards. In naming it “Wine Time” it didn’t say this obviously at first glance. We learned our lesson and opening our second location we’ve named it Wine Time Artisan Kitchen and Wine Bar. We are a wine bar, restaurant, and retail wine shop all in one…so that can be a challenge to describe in a short “who we are” marketing statement.
Sourcing the perfect wines was also very important to us. I wanted to ensure that we showcased biodynamic, sustainable, and organic options from around the world, highlighting small family-run vineyards whenever possible. Establishing strong relationships with distributors to curate this selection was key, and it took effort to find the right partners who shared our vision. It was important to highlight this brand personality of Wine Time from the beginning to differentiate us in the market.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In addition to the fun, inviting atmosphere and amazing team we have at Wine Time, I’m also extremely proud of our focus on highlighting and supporting nonprofits in the community. We have a program called Buck-a-Battle & Buck-a-Bottle (TM) that is focused on supporting a new nonprofit every month. Whenever a customer purchases a wine bottle or orders one of our wine battles (blinded wine tasting) we donate $1 to the selected monthly nonprofit. Since opening our doors in March 2023 we’ve donated over $23,000 to 20 different nonprofits! Its a wonderful way to give back to the community that has embraced us from the beginning as their favorite wine bar!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I wouldn’t say I’m a natural risk taker however it was a risky choice to close our business and move to South Carolina. We were in search of warmer weather and knew we’d find something to do in the restaurant industry. It was all God’s plan that the owners of Wine Time were looking for someone with my background shortly after we moved. We all had the same vision and wanted to create something unique for Bluffton…and the rest is history!
Pricing:
- We don’t believe wine needs to be expensive to be good. In fact we intentia=onally look for amazing wines at every price point. You’ll find something perfect for everyone and every budget at Wine Time Bluffton
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.winetimebluffton.com
- Instagram: @winetimebluffton
- Facebook: @winetimebluffton
