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Photo courtesy of Satellite Bottle Shop. In Dedham's new natural wine store, owner Stan Hilbert creates a space to share stories of small producers, their families, and community.
8-27-2023 10:52pm
Behind Each Bottle in Dedham's New Natural Wine Shop is a Story of Community
Darlene Cancell
Editor
With the opening of Satellite Bottle Shop earlier this August, Dedham Square’s new natural wine store, visitors can expect to find a bottle of wine always open to try, freedom to browse independently or be assisted by knowledgeable staff, and perhaps most importantly, enjoy making a connection, says owner Stan Hilbert.
Mr. Hilbert, a Dedham resident, has chosen to focus on natural wine by small producers, as part of an ongoing passion of his to support local food and local farms. Mr. Hilbert notes that natural wines, known for their organic and biodynamic production methods, hold a special place in the hearts of those who appreciate not just the taste, but the story behind each bottle.
Born and raised in France, Mr. Hilbert describes his cherished childhood memory of taking trips to small, local markets with his parents and grandparents to buy food. While his grandmother picked out green beans, he saw rabbits and chickens, and experienced the closeness of community. Those childhood trips to the market also established a sense of proximity between the produce being grown and food on the table.
“It’s essential to the continuity of our species,” Mr. Hilbert says. “We have to support farmers that give us food, or else we are just stuck with food and beverage that don’t taste like anything,” he says, referencing what others have complained about. Some say that mass production prioritizes the cultivation of items to survive transportation and shelf life in a supermarket rather than producing food that is flavorful.
When Mr. Hilbert moved to the Boston area 25 years ago, he worked as head server at L’Espalier in Boston. In his seven years at the restaurant, which he calls the MIT of hospitality, he was able to sample excellent wines that the sommelier offered to staff in an environment of constant learning.
But Mr. Hilbert’s passion for natural wine in particular was born at the restaurant where his wife worked. There, he tasted imported, natural wine which “blew his mind.” The texture, flavors, and accents were unique. Enamored with his new discovery, he “used the French card," marketing himself with his cultural background, and asked the wine importer for a job. That’s how he came to work part-time as a wine representative, becoming familiar with the product he now sells “before anyone knew about natural wine in Boston,” he says.
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After some additional years in the restaurant industry, Mr. Hilbert opened his own restaurant. The Facebook page for Forage in Cambridge gives the following description: “[f]arm to table neighborhood bistro, natural wines, local brews, happy people.” The same sense of community along with continuity of farm to consumer that Mr. Hilbert cultivates at Forage is what that he hopes will be present in his newly opened natural wine store.
Photo courtesy of Satellite Bottle Shop. Curated bottles of natural wine are displayed in Stan Hilbert's newly opened Dedham shop.“I try to minimize the separation of you as a consumer and the farmer, producer, and what’s growing,” says Mr. Hilbert. "It’s important to support small farms, families, and people,” he says. He is interested in discovering and creating more exposure for lesser known winemakers and their families. “They have a story. And I would like to share it with other people in the wine shop,” he says.
Satellite Bottle Shop is a place where Mr. Hilbert hopes connections may be made, and not necessarily about wine. While flavor is of utmost important in selecting the bottles of wine that occupy his store, what is of utmost importance to Mr. Hilbert in founding his new business appears to be community.
“I’m really excited to be part of the Dedham business fabric. Everyone in Dedham Square has been amazing. The people who have come around to welcome me have been inspiring and cements why I do this – the community aspect,” he says.
Mr. Hilbert notes that his intention is to “create a space where people can explore, learn, and savor the world of wine without pretension.” He seeks to bring a sense of hospitality to the store. “There is always a bottle of wine open. . . . People don’t have to talk. They can just browse the bottles. . . . But if you want to taste and talk, let’s do it. I live in Dedham and it’s nice to meet your neighbors. You never know. You could share a connection about something else that has nothing to do with wine.”
Satellite Bottle Shop is celebrating its grand opening with a launch event on September 8th, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Right now, the shop is offering a 10 percent discount on a case of wine. At the launch, attendees can additionally enjoy wine tastings, meet the owner, and explore what the stop has to offer.
Thanks to Satellite Bottle Shop for contributing photos and thanks to Stan Hilbert for speaking with Westwood Minute.
