In 2008, John Kent Cooke commissioned Hugh and Simon Jacobsen to create a retail satellite for their Boxwood Winery to not only sell Boxwood's wine, but also to offer some of the best European wines not always available to the wine bar public. The Tasting Room concept is unique to the typical wine bar experience as the establishment is organized around the serious nature of tasting and enjoying great wine via automated dispensing machines.

The concept of the Tasting Rooms are meant to reflect the original design and layout of the Boxwood Winery through its use of materials, colors, minimal detailing and subtle theatrical lighting.

In the design and planning phase are several more Tasting Rooms such as Wisconsin Place (Opening October 2009), Penn Quarter and others throughout the country.