Adventures Decanted opens bottles of possibilities

Shelby Peterson grabbed a saber and a bottle of premium
French champagne. She slid the cavalry sword along the along the body of the
bottle of Veuve Clicquot and broke the top of the neck with a jolting pop.

This exciting ritual took place Thursday in Fraser to celebrate the opening of Adventures Decanted, a wine bar with an emphasis on the experience.

“That’s my favorite thing to do,” she said with saber in hand.

Peterson’s friend and business partner Toni Hallgren poured the champagne into flutes and handed them out to their staff to celebrate. Thursday was the soft opening of the wine bar in Fraser.

The two sommeliers had the idea for their wine-centered
business 10 years ago, but didn’t think the county was ready. Early this year,
they decided it was time.

“This area is growing,” Hallgren said. “We’re getting a lot
of people moving into the Fraser area who I think are demanding a higher
quality of hospitality, a higher quality of product.”

Hallgren bought the Crooked Creek Saloon 11 years ago and transformed part of it into the Creekside Eatery. Adventures Decanted makes for three distinct experiences under one roof.

The business features the first enomatic wine dispensers in
the county. Imported from Tuscany, the dispensers draw wine directly from the
bottle to the glass through a gas system. This holds the drink at the perfect serving
temperature and retains the characteristics of a freshly opened bottle with
each pour.

The wine bar serves over 60 different bottles by the glass, the majority of which can’t be found anywhere else in Grand County, according to Hallgren.

To use the self-dispensing wine system, customers put money
on a card that they insert into one of the enomatic dispensers, hold a glass up
to the wine of their choice and make a selection.

Because of this system, no one under 21 is allowed inside the business, but Hallgren said that was intentional. She said she saw a need in Grand County for more adult activities with no children allowed.

Hallgren said the business’s goal is to make wine “adventurous, not pretentious” and help others to learn about the wine.

“We don’t want it to be that somebody just buys a card,
comes in here and does this,” Hallgren said. “We want to be part of the
experience. We want it to be memorable, to be an adventure.”

The two have plenty planned for the business, including wine tastings, social events, travel adventures, wine clubs and wine education. They also offer gourmet accompaniments with the wine — cheese and charcuterie boards, Italian macarons, truffles, specialty tea, flatbread and caviar.

Another event will be “Saber Sundays.” Peterson plans to
saber champagne every week and teach anyone who’s interested how to do it.
Champagne bottle and saber in hand, she said it’s really not that difficult.

“Pretty soon everyone in Grand County will be sabering,”
Peterson said.