the "crü" behind cuvée
More than a bar, cuvée is the culmination of friendship and a lifelong passion for wine
and connection
We met about eight years ago at a CrossFit gym in the Portland area, of all places, and have been chosen family ever since. Turned out we had a lot in common, but mostly a love of wine, food, live music, and good conversation around a dinner table. You could always find us checking out whatever new wine bar or winery had popped up in the valley, or hunting down the next spot serving duck confit, sushi, or solid gluten-free options (GF folks, Melissa wants you to know our menu sees you 👀). Years of wine trips, dinner parties, and a growing list of small, unique producers later, here we are.
Cuvée is built on a love of wine, but really on the stories and memories every bottle carries with it. The list will always be shifting, but you can count on it being thoughtfully chosen: real stories, small producers, and more often than not, winemakers we've actually met and seen put in the work. We're so glad to bring you into the blend. Thanks for being part of the journey. ✨
Derrick Borgmann
To wine bar or not to wine bar? That was the question Derrick found himself asking after decades in the HR hustle—most recently with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and before that, Migration Brewing. Which is to say, he's fluent in both iambic pentameter and IPA-fueled HR complaints.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he's finally found his peace in Terrebonne. When he's not at the bar talking terroir, he's out coaxing the desert soil into yielding scrumptious fruits and vegetables. His signature floral shirt, shorts, and flip-flops are better suited to mediating disputes among his chickens and bees than working in a corporate setting.
Derrick's thrilled to embark on this new adventure at Cuvée. He figures if he can survive Shakespearean tragedy and angry bees, he can definitely help you find a wine you'll love. Pull up a stool—he's got opinions, good conversation, and absolutely no notes on where you sit.
Ask Derrick about: upcoming wine education & tastings, what the new food special on the menu is (or literally anything because he's here all the time!
Lauren Borgmann
Lauren is a Florida escapee who fled the humidity, the alligators, and the concept of "seasons" for the saner scenery of the Pacific Northwest—a decision she's never regretted. By day, she works in product management and e-commerce, a career she describes to strangers as "I make websites do the thing," which is either impressively humble or a sign she's forgotten what she actually does. Now she's channeling those skills into opening Cuvée—presumably the one product she's always wanted to manage the roadmap for.
When she's not optimizing your evening's wine event, Lauren can be found writing, traveling, or teaching workshops on the Enneagram. So don't be surprised if ordering a glass turns into a great story about the core personality and motivations of a Pinot. Come for the wine, stay because she's already figured out you're a Four with a Three wing and now feels invested in your flight.
Ask Lauren about: events, collaborations, anything that shows up on social media.
Melissa Walsh
Melissa is a California native who spent her formative years bouncing through the states like a "Ramblin' (Wo)man," before finally landing in the Pacific Northwest—presumably because there was "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide." By day, she's a Physician Associate in a specialty she'd rather not discuss, mostly because it tends to be a buzzkill. Not really the vibe for a wine bar.
When she's not diagnosing and treating patients or deflecting medical questions from her family, Melissa can be found rockin' out at concerts, hopping on planes to faraway places, or plotting your demise across a board game table. She's so grateful for the opportunity to pour her "Big Energy" into curating great wine at Cuvée.
Come on in, order something bold, and take comfort in knowing she'll absolutely tell you if you're dehydrated.
Ask Melissa about: the Cuvée CRÜ wine club, what to-go bottle to pair with your night's dinner, any Italian varietals