QUENCH
Winemaker Richard Maestri
WINE NOT? Tradition continues for the Triangle’s first urban winery by ALEX DIXON photography by BOB KARP
C
hatham Hill Winery may not be what first comes to mind when imagining a winery: No rolling hills lined with rows of grapevines, no winding dirt roads. Instead, it’s a straightforward storefront on Chapel Hill Road. What it does have: an inviting outdoor seating area, an indoor tasting bar, and a chilly, old-school barrel room in back. In two decades, Chatham Hill has made a name for itself as an urban winery, part of a trend of producing wines in high-density areas that’s seen success in the likes of New York and D.C. It of-
54 | WALTER
fers an accessible way to taste new wines without driving out to wine country. “When people hear ‘urban winery,’ it can be confusing,” says head winemaker Richard Maestri, who says he primarily sources grapes from the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area in the foothills of N.C. Chatham Hill, which was opened in 1999 by Marek Wojciechowski and is now owned by Wally Myers and Marti Hunter, claims to be the first winery in the Triangle, as well as the state’s first urban winery (since then others have popped up, including plēb urban winery in Asheville and Davidson Wine Co. in
Charlotte). Maestri started as a volunteer eight years ago, then rose from assistant winemaker to his current role, and the brand has built a loyal following through its wine club—some members have belonged since the very beginning—weekly barrel samplings and live music Fridays. Not tending a farm frees Chatham Hill to experiment with different grapes, yeasts and oaks as well as a variety of techniques (from extended barrel aging to fruit infusions). “You want to keep the quality people are used to, but you also need to keep the interest going,” says Maestri. “It’s a balancing act.”
