Ferment-it-yourself
By VANESSA WILLIS
"Somewhere, someone decided that this drink that folks have been making for a couple thousand years had to be complicated and inaccessible. I say that's a bunch of hooey."
When Mark Adams called, I thought he must've hit the bottle too hard.
"I've just opened Mecklenburg County's first winery," he said. "I'm either a visionary or an idiot."
Then he explained that he imports the grape juice that customers then turn into wine. And it's all done in his shop at Windsor Square.
In person I learned Adams, 44, is a tall guy with a firm handshake and a contagious laugh. He says he's not a wine snob and doesn't tolerate them easily.
"I'm on the opposite end of snootiness," he says. "Somewhere, someone decided that this drink that folks have been making for a couple thousand years had to be complicated and inaccessible. I say that's a bunch of hooey."
His Amber Crest Custom Wine offers 25 varietals. You can buy it readymade by the bottle, or in make-it-yourself batches of 30 bottles. Samples of each wine are available anytime at the store.
So far, Adams says, he's had office workers come in to make wine as a team-building exercise and hosted girls' night out parties. And brides are starting to come in to make wines to give as wedding favors. (He offers label customization.)
It came from California
As you might imagine, folks on the West Coast came up with the DIY wine shop idea first. A San Francisco company called Crushpad probably opened the first shop. Its customers actually crush grapes bought from vineyards, and turn the resulting juice into wine by the barrel. The company -- which will open locations in Seattle and New York soon -- was profiled in the October issue of Food & Wine magazine.Adams grew up near Salisbury and moved to Matthews 18 years ago with his wife, Jeannie. He recently sold the T-shirt and graphics business he owned for more than 10 years.
For a while, he'd been running a franchise brokering business. When he heard about the wine-making concept, he spent months traveling to wine seminars and meeting with juice brokers. Amber Crest opened in October.
He's hoping wine enthusiasts will jump at the chance to make their own vino. And that other folks will feel less intimidated when they have the chance to make it.
"We want folks to pop the cork and sit out on their deck with their feet up," he says. "Wine doesn't have to be pretentious."
How it works
The Amber Crest process is surprisingly basic. Customers pick from a menu of 25 wines -- chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and zinfandel; and also fruit dessert wines. The juices come from California and Washington, France, Spain, Italy, Australia and New Zealand.
Customers pour huge bags of grape juice into a sterilized bucket, and Adams and his staff walk them through adding the additional ingredients that start the fermentation process. An air valve allows gases to escape as the wines ferment in a back room.
Customers return 4-6 weeks later to transfer the finished wine into bottles, cork them and put on the labels by hand.
Amber Crest wines cost between $11 and $14 by the bottle, and between $8 and $12 per bottle in DIY batches.
The wines all have playful names, such as Stumptown Red (a New Zealand pino noir) after Matthews' historic nickname. It has a steam engine on the label. Adams drew the portrait of uptown Charlotte for the label on the Skyline Red (a Napa Valley merlot).
If you go in, ask him about the zinger on the Tar Heel Blue label.
"Above all, we just want folks to have fun," Adams says. "What we're trying to do is akin to Build-A-Bear for adults."
Learn more
Amber Crest Custom Winery is at 9623-L E. Independence Blvd. in Matthews. Details: www.ambercrestwinery.com or 704-708-9463. Vanessa Willis
Matthews Record
December 6th, 2007
By George Moffat
WHAT
"The Amber Crest was the high point on a family farm in Salisbury, so I thought Amber Crest was a fitting name for my winery," explains Mark Adams, owner of Amber Crest Custom Winery. It is the only establishment of its type in either North or South Carolina and is fully licensed.
Amber Crest is a true-to-the name winery, tasting room, retail shop, wine school (homework: Drink more wine!) in one location. It is nothing, if not versatile.
Visitors can sample over twenty-five varieties at the tasting bar, including charonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, reisling, pinot noir, zinfandel and pinot gris. They also offer sweet dessert (Infused) fruit wines that are unique to Amber Crest and bear the names Carolina Breezes on the label.
If you find one or several varieties you like, you can buy them or you can make your own utilizing the winery's equipment, grape juices, yeasts, and other ingredients, vats, bottles, corks and labels. The creative can design their own unique labels and print off the required government ones, as well. The uninitiated can attend one of several basic classes. Wine parties will find ample room to meet and create special vintages marking a bridal shower or birthday, a group activity or any special occasion.
WHO
Mark Adams is a native North Carolinian who holds Economics and Business management degrees from North Carolina State University. He has had the idea for the winery for several years and it came to fruition this past October. He makes no bones about his intent to test the concept for future franchising opportunities. He has over twenty years experience in developing businesses and then turning them into franchise operations.
He tests everything: the location in a regional shopping center, the decor of the the tasting room, the arrangement of equipment in the winery, label design, gorup activities, batch tracking systems, pricing, web design and so on. There is a reason for everythng he has done. "Maybe not a good reason, maybe just a fun reason, but a reason nevertheless," he says.
WHY
"Wine is fun and leads to fun times, making your own good wine, while somewhat complicated scientifically, also is pretty basic," Adams summarizes.
This writer can testify that it tastes very good, too. The Green Apple Reisling was fun, the Pinot Gris (named Stumptown White), crisp and the New Zealand Pinot Noir (Stumptown Red) and Napa Cabernet (Firetruck Red) cried more!
Adams believes his winery concept is the equivalent of the microbrewery industry in the '80s. He anticipates that this activity will take off as customers learn how easy winemaking can be, how much fun it is, the pride in accomplishment and in the case of giftmaking, the joy of creating a personal one that truly will be appreciated by the recipient.
"More wine is consumed inthe United States now that beer." states Adams, "and in 2007 more wine was consumed here that in Italy and in 2008 it will surpass that of France."
HOW
The cost ranges from $9-12 per bottle in a 30 bottle batch, depending upon your venting choice. There are a couple dozen grape varienties to choose from and juices come from as far a field as California, Washington, Oregon, Germany, France, Italy, Austrailia and New Zealand. Thre are no hidden cost and there are quantity discounts available for large orders. The winery gives free quotes up front so there will be no suprises lurching behind the barrel.
Adams guides you through the process and offers suggestions. He tracks your vintage, reminds you when it is time to "visit" your batch, when bottleing is due and so on-all tracked for you on computer and communicated to you via email.
A wine tasting of 5 samples (1 oz each) is $5 and bottles range form $12-14- there are currently 24 to choose from. You may purchase wine by the glass, also.
There is room for special events for groups from 15 to 60 and special themes can be arranged. Details are on their website. By the way, visit the website if you do nothing else after reading this profile. It is well done, enjoyable and informative. The narration and spoken testimonials have a provessional quality about them.
WHEN
The winery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11-6 and from 11-7 on Friday and Saturday. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Special events for groups up to 60 can be arranged by phoning 704-708-9463 or by emailing info@AmberCrestWinery.com
By Dave Meisel
October 2007
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Creative Loafing Magazine
Mark Adams
Owner of Amber Crest Winery
Published 11.28.07
Charlotte native Mark Adams has recently opened Amber Crest Winery in Matthews. As a lifelong wine enthusiast, Adams is excited to open the first custom winery in the Carolinas. He hopes to add a memorable, personal touch to his wines by providing them in small, house-made batches.
"We drink more wine than beer," Adams says. "Why not see if we can create a personal experience that brings the vineyard into town?"
At Amber Crest you can become a "winemaker for a day" by blending your own unique creations to bottle, cork and design your very own custom label.
Adams imports juices from all over the world to create "the most unlimited, and best-tasting experience." Amber Crest sells wine by the glass along with providing the opportunity for group "bottling parties."
"At Amber Crest there is something for everyone," says Adams. "I've tried to create an approachable, nonpretentious atmosphere for people to learn about a sometimes intimidating subject. No one needs to be intimidated here; we can very literally start from the ground up."
Adams' offers wine introduction and blending classes, along with private tastings and the chance to be a part of the whole winemaking process without all the work. "It gives people the chance to really be creative while having fun and learning something new."
Shoppe Charlotte.com
11/15/2007
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