Entrepreneur Paul Cullen adds wine importing to his résumé

The way Paul Cullen views it, food, wine and music are the triumvirate of good times. The Lewes-area resident has made a successful living out of all three. Cullen, the former bass player for Bad Company is a chef, sommelier and entertainer, and now he can add wine importer to the list.

Cullen and business partner Jim Rivette recently formed Unplugged and Uncorked to bring fine Italian wines to the Delaware region.

“We decided we weren’t busy enough with all the other projects, so we started a wine business,” joked Cullen, who also owns Paul’s Kitchen, and Italian market and brunch spot, and The Room at Cedar Grove, a Lewes event venue. He also spearheads trips to Italy.

The three current wines in the Unplugged and Uncorked portfolio include Rosso di Toscana, a Sangiovese from Montalcino; Roero Arneis, a white grape varietal originating in Piemonte; and Barbera di Asti, an everyday red also from the Piemonte area.

“We are leveraging Paul’s contacts in Italy – people he’s met during his 14 visits to the ‘motherland,’” said Rivette, who has more than 40 years of experience in public and private corporate management. “The folks at our newest producer, Cantine San Matteo, have become good friends. Paul ate, drank and played music with the winery’s family.”

Nina Peery is managing the wine program as the “eno envoy” or “wine messenger.” The Milton resident, who has been Cullen’s at-home dining assistant for years, previously was manager of Bacchus Wine Bar in Milton and the Vineyard Wine Bar in Rehoboth Beach.

“Paul has cultivated a host of fans – foodies, travelers, musicians, music-lovers and oenophiles – over the past 20 years,” Peery said. “He’s served 12,000 in-home dining clients since 2016. These friends and fans love the new wines.”

All three wines are available locally at R&L Liquors in Lewes and Outlet Liquors in Rehoboth Beach, as well as three Wilmington-area shops. More locations are on the way; Peery is talking with additional Delaware retailers and restaurants, as well as businesses in Washington, D.C, and Maryland.

Up next? “I’m actively pursuing my favorite: a dry, fizzy chilled red called Lambrusco and an Italian rosé,” Cullen said. Look for them in 2022. For a list of stores offering the wines, visit paulcullen.rocks/wine.

More about Paul Cullen

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Paul Cullen grew up on cuisine made by his Italian grandmother, Elsie Tagliaferro, and his mother, Nancy.

He developed a love of fine food and wine while touring Europe with the classic rock band Bad Company. Three decades later, he put down his bass and picked up an acoustic guitar, chef’s knife and wine key to create a diverse culinary company.

Over the past six years, he’s prepared in-home meals for more than 10,000 guests. A private concert follows each dinner. Cullen has taken his kitchen knives and guitar to Costa Rica, Tuscany and all over the United States.

Dedicated to adult education, Cullen became a Wine and Spirit Education Trust-certified Level II sommelier in 2018. He deepened his love and knowledge of Italian cuisine on repeated trips to Italy by cooking with local chefs, sipping wine with winemakers and strolling the vineyards. He also performed with Italian musicians.

In addition to in-home dining, Cullen owns Paul’s Kitchen, an Italian specialty store and brunch spot in Lewes, the adjoining Room at Cedar Grove, an event space, and Unplugged & Uncorked, a wine company.

Dedicated to bringing Italy’s finest products to Delaware, he debuted Paul’s Rockin’ Vinegar with a small-batch Watermelon Balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. It’s perfect on salads and in cocktails.

Cullen started the nonprofit Paul Kares to help aspiring musicians and those interested in hospitality careers.

To view a complete schedule of upcoming events, visit paulcullen.rocks. For more information, call 302-228-9775 or email ciao@paulcullen.rocks.