Photo curtesy of BB’s Natural’s Facebook page.
BB’s Natural is a natural wine bar in Rapid City. The bar is owned by Justin Warner and his wife Brooke Sweeten, who both also own Bokujo Ramen.
“So, BB’s Natural is a wine bar and shop that focuses on natural and low-intervention wine, which were wines that I was really enjoying, and then I found out I had several friends that do as well, so I figured it’d be fun to have a space in the community that offers them. That’s what we’re doing, along with some traditional, wine bistro-style snack plates,” said Sweeten.
The bar is a collaborative effort between Warner and Sweeten, and it also maintains ties with their ramen shop which is located just around the corner.
“So, essentially, I asked Brooke to write the menu, so she just gave me some headings and then said, ‘Do what you do,'” said Warner. “I’ve had a lot of fun making it. There’s some overlap in ingredients between here and the ramen shop because we share the same cooler. So, it’s fun to present an entirely different understanding of, like, what can go well with wine.”
The wine bar serves charcuterie and natural cheeses from all over the world, in addition to their sustainably and organically-made wine selection.
“Natural wines, or low-intervention wines, are going to be sustainably, organically or biodynamically farmed, so very little chemical, no chemical intervention in the farming process. And then also in the wine making process itself, there are no additives. It’s a healthier option for us and for the planet. We’ve started to pay a lot more attention to what goes into our food, and wine is just another edible product, so it makes sense that we should be paying attention to it like we do food,” said Sweeten.
If imported charcuterie and biodynamically-farmed wine seems a little intimidating— don’t worry! Sweeten assures customers that no wine-knowledge is necessary to enjoy BB’s Natural.
“You don’t need to know about wine to enjoy the space,” said Sweeten. “We’ve got a, I think, a pretty good list that almost anyone can find something they enjoy, even if you’re not typically a wine person.”
BB’s Natural also offers to-go options for customers who may want to take wine and snacks with them across the Black Hills.
“We also have a little to-go section, or provisions department, where people will come before a hike or before anything, really, and they stock up on our supplies and they head out to destinations unknown,” said Warner.
Sweeten and Warner both acknowledge that not every customer will enjoy every wine they serve, but for them, that’s part of the fun.
“There are no wrong answers in wine,” said Warner. “If you taste something, and it smells like tennis balls to you, that’s totally fine. That’s great. And that’s something that we’re going to think about and that you’re going to think about, and we can all just have a great discussion, you know, all the while drinking something that’s about 14% AVB.”
BB’s Natural Wine Bar is open Wednesday-Saturday, 4-10 p.m., and the bar is located on St. Joseph Street in Downton Rapid City.
For more information about BB’s Natural Wine Bar, visit their Facebook page here.
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