Lauren Roll
Born in Cincinnati and bred in New Jersey, I always knew I’d end up in New York, based mostly on proximity but also on my love of 24-hour bodegas. Throughout grade school, I dreamed of being on the big screen--specifically on Saturday Night Live during the Molly Shannon days. I proudly accepted my high school superlative as Class Clown and when I wasn’t killing it for crowds of 12th graders, I wrote my own scripts and directed short films. Gradually, my focus shifted from on-camera work to a desire to be behind it. I craved the spontaneity of living behind the lens, capturing the beauty of the stories unfolding naturally around me.
My passion for film led me to upstate New York, where I attended the Film Conservatory at SUNY Purchase College. My mini DV camera never left my side. I then dove into the NYC Film Industry, working as a Production Assistant and in the Art Department on several television and film sets.
Behind the scenes of my burgeoning film career, the food and beverage industry was always home to me. Around 2011, I moved to Philadelphia and began working for the Starr Restaurant Group. With Starr, I learned from the best the industry has to offer in hospitality, food, and — most importantly — wine. In 2016, I was fortunate to meet Tony Jones, Owner of CBL Wine Company, a small importer/distributor in Philadelphia. Tony’s portfolio was full of interesting wines with character and grit. From ancient Armenian reds, to funky orange wines from Slovenia, to all the small California producers a connoisseur could want: CBL’s portfolio had something for everyone. I was excited to learn and introduce these wines to the Philadelphia community as a Sales Consultant.
Newly inspired by my experience at CBL, I immersed myself in the study of wine and began taking classes at the International Wine Center in New York. I have come to realize from my time in the field and in the classroom that wine, like film, is an art form. Through wine, as through film, the human experience can be cultivated and observed. Each bottle tells a different story of a region, a family, or an individual. I love using these stories to connect members of my community and welcome them to create and contribute to that experience.
I am thrilled to join the team at David Bowler Wines, where I am proud to represent each
bottle our portfolio offers. Personally, I love funky wines from all over the world and most recently have been interested in Eastern Europe; I am particularly drawn to the complex whites that emerge from this region. Chinon will also always hold a special place in my heart, and on my taste buds. During my time off you can find me parked at the Four Horsemen bar, traveling, capturing every moment on camera, devouring movies from every time period and genre, strolling around the Natural History Museum in the hopes of transporting myself through time, eating my weight in Indian food, hosting asados and collecting Vinyls.