Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Ragini Parmar built Nature’s Vin, her new boutique wine bar and retail shop in the former Cowan’s Flower Shop in Wayne, around two causes she champions: natural wine and women entrepreneurs. Nearly everything in the space — lighting, furniture, glassware, the rotating artwork (starting with Philadelphia-based artist Natessa Amin) — is a showcase for female creators, as are the wines themselves. Parmar, 49, raised in Blue Bell, spent more than 20 years in the financial-technology sector in Northern California, leading diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. “I was very passionate about bringing more women into tech and more people of color into tech,” she said. “When I retired early, I tried taking a break, but my brain went crazy. I had to go back to work.” Nature’s Vin, with a barroom on one side of the storefront and a small retail marketplace for bottles and gifts on the other, was inspired by the places that Parmar frequented in San Francisco, all specialists in minimal-intervention wines — “the full spectrum of nattiness,” said Elyse Lovenworth, the longtime sommelier who is Nature’s Vin’s director of operations. “Everything here is either sustainably, organically or biodynamically farmed, and every wine has a woman at the helm.” They will launch Nov. 7 with about 130 wines, spanning producers from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and Austria as well as American regions like the Finger Lakes and California’s Sierra Foothills. Parmar and Lovenworth emphasize accessibility. Wines by the glass are $11, or $6 for a half glass — a deliberate break from traditional markups. “People have been price-gouged for very mediocre wine by the glass,” Lovenworth said. “I want to pour people very good wine. I want them to not hesitate when coming home from work whether or not they should stop in.” Bottle prices are $20 to $50, with some higher-end selections intended for collectors. Parmar echoed the goal of affordability. “Price shouldn’t be the blocker from you enjoying a beautiful glass of wine,” she said. Customers can sit at the bar for flights, reserve the adjoining marketplace space for private tastings, or join classes such as meet the cheesemonger (Stefania Patrizio) and gift basket-making. Food consists of small plates and charcuterie “that pair nicely with the wines you’re trying out,” Parmar said. “It’s really about wine first, and anything that complements the wine.” Lovenworth said 10 wines by the glass will be poured for tastings and flights. “We’ll be training the staff, so there will always be bottles open,” she said. “There’ll always be a different wine to taste.” Parmar sees Nature’s Vin as both gathering place and educational hub. “It’s really about making a comfortable space for people to ask any question they have about wine,” she said. The bar and lounge seat 28 people, with an additional communal table for 10 in the retail space. For Parmar, the project brings together every part of her professional journey. “It’s about celebrating women,” she said, “but it’s also about creating access and understanding — so people can learn, enjoy, and not feel intimidated by wine.”
