Pensacola's Casks and Flights is adding a second location. Here's what you need to know

Pensacola's Casks and Flights Wine Tasting Room is broadening its brand with an additional location named the Perfect Pour Wine Tasting Room slated to open on Nine Mile Road this fall.

The intimate tasting room will be in suite seven of the Town Center at West Nine Mile Road shopping center located at 1449 W. Nine Mile Road.

The downtown location at 121 S. Palafox St. has earned a reputation since opening in 2018 for its vibrant entertainment scene with live music, karaoke nights and in-house food menu through the wine bar’s food concept, Steam Joint. The Steam Joint concept specializes in items like dime quarter bacon wrapped shrimp, seafood nachos and shrimp boil bags. Although the extensive wine list is what draws many through the doors, the location offers a variety of house cocktails, frozen drinks, craft beers and meads.

The downtown location was designed with a “steampunk” theme in mind, with an emphasis on a hand-crafted, industrial feel. It has organically grown into a gathering place and event center.

Now, the wine bar’s next location will be going back to its roots, focusing as a more “intimate” and relaxing wine tasting experience.

Downtown Casks and Flights more than bar Cask and Flights owner says it's more than a bar, a distinction that could help it stay open

How will Perfect Pour compare to Casks and Flights?

The new Nine Mile location will have a more sophisticated style with deep colors of grape and black, along with modern touches of granite in the countertops giving it a “nice clean look,” according to Casks and Flights Operations Manager CJ Jackson.

It will follow the same format as the downtown location’s Enomatic wine serving system that allows customers to sample fine wines through a reusable wine card.

The downtown location has over 70 hand-selected wines to choose from that can be ordered in a 1.5-ounce, 2.5 ounce or 5-ounce portion.

“It’s basically a wine ATM,” Jackson said.

Jackson said this provides customers to experience wines that may be financially out-of-reach when sold by the bottle. They will be starting out with about 48 varieties and will eventually climb to about 72.

Patrons can sample at their own pace and learn which unique varieties they enjoy.

“Where else can you taste a $300 or $400 bottle of wine without buying it?” Jackson said.

Although there will not be a fully-fledged restaurant inside, Jackson said she sees opportunity for pairings in the future with the culinary scene emerging in the strip, such as the newly opened A Fistful of Dough savory bakery.

The location will also give business owners in the area the perfect after-work happy hour.

“It’s a lot of work, but I’m excited,” Jackson said. “The tenants are excited already.”

Brand expands despite adversity

This year was not only a year of growth for Casks and Flights, but a year of overcoming adversity after months of conflict with Pensacola’s City Council.

Casks and Flights was faced with changing its business model because city officials said it violated a city ordinance that limits the number of bars on each city block.

John McCorvey, owner of Casks and Flights Wine Tasting Room, appeared before the Pensacola City Council on Dec. 15, 2022, asking for help in his case.

The Pensacola City Council voted 6-1 to pass the new ordinance to reform the city's regulations around bars and restaurants in the wake of the controversy over Casks and Flights’ downtown location.

McCorvey, with about 50 patrons and supporters, showed up to the meeting to advocate for the ordinance change, along with collecting more than 900 signatures in an online petition supporting it.

Cask and Flights was able to continue its operations, and now the company is full steam ahead on its next concept.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Casks and Flights brings new wine tasting concept to West Nine Mile