Over the past few years, Boulder has become rife with wine educators, serving as the home for a high percentage of the country’s few master sommeliers. Boulder Wine Merchant, 2690 Broadway, is a first-class liquor store that offers a wide selection of wine, beer and spirits. The shop is renowned for its knowledgeable staff and shelves stocked with wines not easily available elsewhere.
Born and raised in Colorado, owner, Brett Zimmerman discovered his passion for wine while working his way through the University of Colorado, first as a busboy and then a waiter. The owners of Boulder’s Laudisio and Flagstaff House saw his potential and introduced him to all aspects of the business. Zimmerman soon found that he enjoyed cooking and food far more than the summers he spent on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Following graduation, he decided to apply the same professional approach he had learned as a Business Administration major to finding a job in the culinary industry. He set his sights high, and was soon accepted for a sommelier position at the highly acclaimed Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago.