It all started on a playground outside of Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s. That’s where Founder & Sommelier Brent Kroll spent countless hours as a kid playing on a wooden jungle gym next to railroad tracks known as Maxwell Park.

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Fast forward a couple of decades, Brent and his staff bring that same fun, playful and unbridled spirit to the namesake bar. While their wine list is seriously extensive, they take pride in not taking themselves too seriously--they  write  in   chalk  on  their  slate  bar  top,  they   bump old-school hip-hop and 90s hits on their speakers and you'll never find any of their staff in a suit and tie behind the bar. Maxwell is designed to act as a friendly compass, pointing any and all wine drinkers in the right direction, based on their individual preferences and tastes.

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Maxwell features more than 50 wines by the glass, half of which rotate based on different monthly themes. One of the features that sets Maxwell apart is its carefully controlled refrigeration system that uses four different temperature zones to bring out the flavors and nuances of each wine. All serving temperatures are noted on their menus. In addition, they feature a handful of house-made cocktails and craft beers, port, sherry and madeira, as well as a full menu of savory snacks and small plates.

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Since opening in June 2017, Maxwell and its staff have received numerous accolades, including Best Bar in America from Esquire, Best Wine Bar from Washingtonian, and a 2019 RAMMY award for Wine Program of the Year.