Family, friends and fine wine

Back in the Roaring 20s and the days of speakeasies and bathtub gin, Chicago’s bad boy mobsters would visit the Northwoods to escape the city’s sweltering heat.

Mary Kate’s Wine Bar opened five weeks ago towards the end of October, and captures that era’s free-wheeling spirit, offering fine wines from wine regions across the world. To make sure they satisfy all their clientele, Mary Kate’s Wine Bar serves eight craft beers alongside the grape-born beverages as well as LaCroix waters.

Mary Kate’s Wine Bar is owned by Eagle River’s John and Katie Hayes, owners of the Arrow Gift shop. The couple is now the proud purveyors of Mary Kate’s Wine Bar, located next to the landmark gift store.

Far from the swill of bathtub gin and the rowdy gatherings, patrons relax in comfortable seating steeped in the atmosphere of a bygone era. Keeping with the backroom scenario, this January the entrance to the wine bar will be moved into the Arrow Shop, thus fulfilling the “backroom” moniker of the speakeasy.

Katie, for whom the wine bar is named, though she is a wine aficionado, said they were not wine experts.

“We spent the summer sampling wines and had a team doing the tasting. It sounds like fun but it was a lot of work.”

Some of the wines featured are Hess, Penfold, Dry Creek, Triennes Rose, Fonseca Port, Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco, – even a wine from Packer cornerback Charles Woodson’s winery – and dozens more specifically selected for Mary Kate’s Wine Bar.

For the freshest wine from the first glass to the last, try their barrel-tapped wines. There are four white wines and four red wines from wineries in France, Spain, California, Italy, and Oregon. There are also two alcohol–free wines.

A wonderful first in the area for the Wine Bar are wine flights. Guests can sample tap wines at a very reasonable price. 

“We offer a 6 oz pour but also will have a flight option, 3 – 2oz. pours so you can try out the tap wines,” said Katie. A perfect accompaniment to a wine flight, your selected wine or brew, choose from very tempting charcuterie boards.

“It’s a bit of artwork to make a beautiful board,” said Katie. “Charcuterie is meat and cheese, olives and nuts, cheese and chocolates, chocolate cookies and desserts – it’s different every time.”

In French, charcuterie is a term for a branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, etc.

Patrons quickly learn that this wine bar was designed to optimize good times shared by friends. To this end, they create special evening events. There is the Wine and Popcorn evening or the wine tasting evening featuring a winery or winemaker, such as the Joseph Wagner Wine Tasting evening. Try a new wine when they feature a varietal at a daily special price. Maybe a delicious mulled wine will warm the soul on a chilly evening.

Katie is very concerned about keeping her staff and family safe during this pandemic.

“The bar is meticulously sanitized. Masks are required when you enter and are not seated. The seating is spaced out.” 

In conjunction with these safety concerns, Katie said, “We would rather be safe and have a great grand opening when it is safe.”

To learn more about Mary Kate’s Wine Bar, see their Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/MaryKatesWineBar  or visit their website  https://www.marykateswinebar.com/. They are at 205 E. Wall St and their telephone number is 715-479-4903. Business hours are Wednesday through Sunday afternoons and evenings. Check their Facebook page for the current times.

In the past couple of years, our area has gained exciting, new businesses. The Eagle River downtown has welcomed an influx of hip, new establishments. Enjoy exploring them with friends and family.