Bottles Nation, a team of sommeliers, cicerones, and mixologists that deliver one-hour tasting and education events nationwide for corporate and in-home gatherings, has relocated its headquarters to downtown Detroit from Chicago.
Through the company’s events, attendees can enjoy wine, beer, and spirits tastings or learn how to pair drinks and food. Located inside Bamboo Detroit at 1420 Washington Ave., Ste. 301 (Julian C. Madison Building), the company also offers wine cellar inventory services.
“Bottles Nation is about celebrating all things in a bottle,” says Michael Bottigliero, a nationally recognized sommelier and company co-owner and co-founder. “We believe that being surrounded by good family and friends, while sipping a beer, a glass of wine. or a cocktail is a good way to slow down, understand one another, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.”
Blagica Bottigliero is the other co-owner and founder. Due to COVID-19, the couple turned the company into a virtual tasting company, onboarding sommeliers, cicerones, and mixologists, as well as a behind the scenes staff to handle the growing demand for virtual events.
“Expanding Bottles Nation this past year to encompass virtual tastings provided us a path to success and significant growth that we might not have otherwise experienced,” says Blagica Bottigliero. “Post-COVID, we look forward to offering both our much sought after in-person events, as well as our accessible virtual celebrations. Based on our projected timeline, we’re hoping to begin offering in-person Bottles Nation events this June nationwide.”
Michael Bottigliero spent 16 years in the military before attending the University of Illinois to study history while working in the hospitality industry. He trained as a sommelier and has worked in many high-end Chicago establishments including the Intercontinental Hotel Chicago and the Tasting Room on Randolph.
He was at the helm of Windy City Wine Guy, a consultancy focused on private wine events for individuals and corporations, before founding Bottles Nation.
Blagica Bottigliero has worked in web for 20 years, including Leo Burnett’s web arm and then joined Orbitz’s first e-marketing team. She also began her own startups, leading Edelman Digital’s strategy team, supervised Motorola Mobility’s global social media practice, and worked for Target Corp.
