Chamard Vineyards To Open Bistro

Chamard Vineyards boasts of locally produced wine and live music.  Now they are ready to add to their repertoire with the opening of the Bistro @ Chamard, serving meals made from locally produced food. The opening is scheduled for early summer, 2012.

As business has grown at the vineyard over the last few years it has become evident that the only missing ingredient, to make it a one stop destination, was good quality, local food.  To be more specific, food that complements the wine offerings.

“Over the course of the last year we saw traffic increase probably two fold and it’s really a necessary direction to go in,” said Bridget Riordan, director of sales and brand management.  “We’d like to be able to be able to produce the food, make the food that highlights our wine in the perfect way.”

For years patrons have been encouraged to bring along a picnic, order from a limited selection of local cheese, cured meats, pate and salsa or enjoy the food from a visiting food truck while enjoying their visit to the winery.

All that will change when the Bistro opens.  The main dining area, with a capacity of 35, will be in the main building, right next to the tasting room. It will have an open kitchen, where guests can view their meal being prepared, handcrafted tables and a large, private room for meetings and  large gatherings that offers “the best view,” overlooking the pond.

“The theme is French country, really simple farm fresh food that really compliments our wines,” said Riordan. 

“We expect that the menu will change according to what we can source from local producers. Whenever we can source locally we will and in that respect it’s going to change according to what’s available,” said Riordan.  “We’ll have our own small kitchen garden to start, but the five year goal is to grow our own and be as close to sustainable as possible.”  The plan is to use hydroponic greenhouses to grow the produce.

There will also be  lighter fare available, cheese boards and paninis, and a food truck.

“The nice thing is that we are sort of a campus here. So we have a few different levels,” said Riordan. “We'll have two tasting bars and a bistro, we’ll bring the food to the people that may want to sit around the pond or sit outside of the barn on picnic tables and we will cook from a truck."

Riordan says the opening of the Bistro is something Chamard visitors are anxiously awaiting and she is confident it will be very well received.  “We talk to people all the time,” said Riordan.  “We are in touch with the voice of our guests.  They love it.  They think it’s long overdue.”