Advanced sommelier Alex Burch always said it was a bad idea to open a wine bar in Nashville. Restrictive state liquor laws and taxes impede both the creation of a program with depth and legally procuring bottles of age. Plus, it requires a climate-controlled room onsite to properly store the collection. To keep prices down for your guests, you’ll need to offer substantial and complementary food. All told, the investment is huge. It’s a daunting prospect.
And yet, he took the leap. Bad Idea, which Burch opened in the former sanctuary of an East Nashville church, is a glorious confluence