St. Pete bottle shop ushers in new generation of wine enthusiasts

St. Pete wine shop named one of the best in the South

Cellar Masters has earned national recognition from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Every year, dozens of new bars and restaurants open in St. Petersburg, and the competition is fierce. Party animals and night owls reap the benefits as bar owners find new ways to stand out.

The folks at CellarMasters Wine Bar and Bottle Shop hit the nail on the head. It's equal parts dive bar and top shelf cocktail lounge, (their website describes it another way).

Located at 1005 1st Avenue N., CellarMasters is just a half-block west of other popular late-night locations near the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street N, including The Bends, Engine No. 9 and The Wayward Goose.

But it's not just for the all-nighters among us. Wine Enthusiast Magazine even named CellarMasters one of the best wine shops in the south.

CellarMasters co-owners Ryan Rugg and Kory Lynn met while working in the industry of wine and spirits.

Wine being poured into a glass at CellarMasters.

Together, they realized some amazing wines were never introduced to consumers in the Tampa Bay market due to focus on major brands.

They came up with a plan and a concept and created CellarMasters.

"The evolution of this place is about the space and dictated the vibe and the feel," Ruggs said. "The wine was almost last because we knew what we were going to do with that."