In the sacred years of Santa Monica it goes out with the new and old styles with the old style. Hosted by Jennifer Rush of Blue Plate Santa Monica, Divine Vintage started as a store of wine, jewelry and clothing, but has recently been upgraded to the coolest new wine bar on the West Side. As you walk along the red brick steps along the front door of this cozy green cabin on Montana Street, guests are immersed in the whimsical charm of the shop. The marble checkered floor is surrounded by library-like wines (most of which are organic or biodynamic), but as you venture further into the store, gorgeous coats and charming jewellery show the eyes while gleaming boat-shaped chandeliers hang on them.
Although Rush has been working in the hospitality industry for many years, the project has been especially derived from a more personal place. “My love for retro started in my childhood,” Rush told Observer. “Growing up, we were basically banned from buying new clothes, so I always had to exchange meetings or thrift stores, which felt like treasure hunt.” While New York-born Rush focused on the style and aesthetic aspects of Divine Vintage, her love and life companion, New Zealand native Nick Dumergue, is an expert on everything Vino.
“I thought that wine was what I wanted very early on—I was 18 to be exact,” Dumergue said. “Instead of taking a more traditional sommelier route based on hotels, I really wanted to learn how to grow grapes, how to make wine and how to sell it around the world.” Since then, Dumergue’s career has been successful, such as the highlights of Harrods’ wine program and the production of Gordon Ramsay’s California wine collection. He is also a certified diploma educator at WSET and teaches an immersive five-day course in France where students take everything from pruning to bottling their own wines.
Together, this vibrant duo creates a party space for West Side locals looking to upgrade their cellar and wardrobe. Although Divine Vintage only started as a store, it has now evolved into a real wine bar where guests can swivel and fly while squeezing over a shareable snack. Officially opened in late March, this brand new terrace has a comfortable, quaint and stylish atmosphere, with Gucci Wallpaper augmenting the Chinese Art Deco carpet, lush greens and antique lanterns, curated by Rush himself. “I’m a little cool, grandma,” Rush explained. “We also have Gucci wallpapers in the bathroom that are my starting point, and I want it to feel warm and comfortable, but also like you’re on vacation.”
Inspired by its trip, Divine Vintage comes with over 250 unique bottles of wine, all hand-picked by Dumergue. “We have realized that the locals here are very close, California wines. They often have their favorites and are very proficient in the variety they choose.” “With God’s vintage, we see an opportunity to expose our customers to other wines in the world. From Sicily to South Africa and New Zealand, we have opened up to people the beautiful wines that people find in these unusual places.”
While traveling together, Rush and Dumergue look for merchandise to bring them back to the store. Dumergue sought the best bottles to reflect the area, but Rush took his own retro hunt. “In the past winter, I went to the UK and brought back all these big coats from Scotland,” Rush said. “Sometimes, I would go to real estate sales in Palm Springs and find all kinds of gorgeous jewelry. It really depends on my location, but there is a fun and special world there.” From Tokyo to Thailand, Rush prides itself on finding the rarest gems customers can’t get in Los Angeles,” he said.
With the rear patio and new kitchen open, guests can shop until they sit down and fly and bite. “We are working with some of the fabulous cheese importers I encountered in high-end food shows and now we have great goat cheese and the most indulgent truffle cheddar,” Rush said. “Other menu items include pickled meat, truffle chips and pickled olives, just like Italian bar snacks.” Divine Vintage also hosts a series of pop-up specialties, from Oyster and Lobster Night to Taquito Night, with the help of her team at Blue Plate Taco and Blue Plate Oysterette.
When it comes to wine clubs, guests receive two specially curated bottles for $70 a month, but not just picking up the bottle and going home, guests can attend educational and immersive pickup and drop-off parties. “Nick is so approachable. His delivery is so fun and when he explains something, even if it’s complicated, you walk away like ‘oh, I totally understand’,” Rush explained. “He’s just very relevant.” In addition to meeting Dumergue’s individual face-to-face at these club pickup parties, guests also walked away with a scroll, explaining the themes of the club’s selection of the month and the various origins, history and significance. Club members can also get 20% of the wine in glass and in-store flights, as well as dining at Silver Lake restaurants when dining in any blue plate restaurant (blue board oysters, blue plate tacos and tacolina).
Even if you don’t join the club, Divine Vintage hosts a variety of interactive events such as sushi, sake pairing and hands-on wine blending courses, offering plenty of opportunities to learn more about the world of wine with Dumergue and other experts. “We really want to cater to the entire community,” Rush explained. “We offer several cool beers for those who don’t drink, and if someone gets pregnant or just takes a break from drinking, we have some delicious non-alcoholic options.”
Whether you’re a Westsider, whether it’s a new spot to drink wine this summer, or an East Los Angeles native who supports Santa Monica’s business in the wake of the Palisades fire, Divine Vintage is a true treasure at the Center for Montana Avenue. “Since the space is like a small jewelry box, we are able to have too many direct connections with all the people walking at our doorstep,” Rush told Observer. “For me, there is nothing deeper connection than making a glass of wine.”
