Our Concept

Bonde Fine Wine Shop by Bertil

Bonde Fine Wine Shop, conceived in July 2021 by Boston restaurateur and renowned sommelier Bertil Jean-Chronberg, is a concept in Cambridge’s Harvard Square dedicated not only to eco-responsible wines, but also creating a bespoke experience for each guest and providing wine education to the community in a light-hearted and intimate environment. The focus on sustainable, small-production American wineries gives the consumer an opportunity to understand the wealth of quality, economically accessible wines grown and made here in the United States.
Each month Jean-Chronberg also publishes a new edition of Zero-Two-Wine-Three-Eight, an informative online newsletter tackling various wine-related topics peppered with humor and wit, along with Casserole & Sommelier sharing monthly recipes and wine pairings.
Within the first year of opening, Bonde has received recognition in publications from The Boston Globe, Boston Common Magazine, Cambridge Day, and was awarded “Best Wine Shop” by Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston 2022.

*Authors' Wines and Objects

Authors’ wines are anything but a standard, stereotypical Wine, made to appeal to as many people as possible. It is therefore rarely produced in the millions and is never copied from vintage to vintage. An author's wine, therefore, is a wine that does not resemble the other one, like a photocopy. From year-to-year an author’s wine will evolve according to the whims of the weather and the mood of the author. Because the author does not rely on market research to steer his boat (with the exception to be the most eco-responsible as possible by applying all the philosophy of sustainability, from the field to the bottle). He or she makes their wine as they feel, as THEY like it, as they can, without cheating. The wine and the author are often a little rebellious, but that's why we love them!  That said, the author's wines are not systematically marginal: they are present in most of the world’s legal "appellations" and can be part of the elite of these (and often unavailable to the general public). These wines don't just have personality: they're good, too! These are wines that you are never board of, from the first sip to the last drop. As the author's wines are not chaptalized or trafficked in any way... they can have very different profiles depending on the vintage. It is up to us to accept them as they are, and to remain loyal to the producers because they need us to continue their mission and to be free to express their opinions.

Bonde, what's Bonde? (pronounced BOND)

The name Bonde also refers to the importance of human bonding— the process of developing close, interpersonal relationship between people. While bonding often takes place between family members or friends, it can also develop among groups, whenever people spend time together, especially when they are sharing a common interest. That is what we hope to achieve with Bonde: a place where wine lovers of all levels can come together to discuss, learn and most importantly, enjoy new experiences and friendships.

1  Bertil Jean-Chronberg – Certifiably Passionate

Born in France, Bertil had the chance from an early age to be influenced, thanks to his family, by the absolute values of the beautiful, the good, and the true. Surrounded by artists, craftsmen, and visionary enthusiasts, he will forever retain this awareness to serve and apply these values, and lately to develop his own philosophy of the seven senses (sight, hearing, worship, taste, touch, intuition, and the sense of others).

Bertil immigrated to Montreal (Quebec Canada) at the age of 17 to continue his college studies where he continued his journey in the search for a way to apply an urban, eco-responsible awareness to his professional life. Receiving a master's degree in administration, Bertil devoted himself to the art of food, food service and sommellerie . In 1995 he was recognized by his peers as one of the Quebec pioneers in the application of the concepts of "farm to table" and "sustainability farming.  Honored in 1996 as one of the best sommeliers in the world during the Canadian International Sommelier Competition (SOPEXA), Bertil was awarded for his work to the Honorary Title "Oenophile Emeritus and Gastronome" by the Canadian Journalist Top Food Critics Guild (Club of 16) in 1996. In addition to running his own restaurants, Bertil worked closely with the Hatley Inn and The Hovey Manor (Relais & Chateaux), The Ritz Carlton, The Four-Season Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise (Canadian Pacific/Fairmont), Radio Canada TV (TV Show "attention c’est chaud") and the Quebec Government. His work and passion led him to create close relations with of the top chefs and winemakers around the world. Bertil also taught at L'ITHQ College (Montreal), UQUA University (Montreal), and Collège Lasalle (Concordia University Montreal), until he moved to Boston in 2000 to join his future wife and continue his career. In Boston, he teamed with Frank McClelland and Geoff Gardner (l’Espalier) for “Sel de la Terre”. In 2007 he opened The Beehive (Boston) and in 2013 opened Beat Hotel (Cambridge), where he was nominated in 2013 by ZAGAT one of the 12 "Boston Power Players to Watch" and in 2014 by The Boston Business Journal of one of the three "Most Admired Restaurants" Award. In 2018, Bertil decided to focus on expanding the mission of “The Black Donkey Project” by offering unique wine offerings whose revenues went to support organizations like the PanMassChallenge and No Kid Hungry. Currently, he is creating the upcoming concept wine shop, Bonde, which will focus on offering Wines by Authors*. The shop is located in the heart of Harvard Square.

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