It’s been nearly fifty years since R.B. and Jenny Fitch purchased the property that Fearrington Village sits on today. Originally a farmstead dating back to the 1770s, the property now includes the likes of the Fearrington House Restaurant, a 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Star Award winner, and the Fearrington House Inn, which, according to Travel & Leisure, is one of the best resorts in the south.
But being the best often comes with a high price tag. Dinner at the signature restaurant runs patrons $150 for the pre-fixe menu and $195 for the chef’s tasting menu. Wine pairings will set guests back another $100, making experiencing the “coming together place” that the Fitches envisioned out of reach for many.
The family’s newest food and beverage concept, though, aims to make Fearrington Village’s famous wine program more accessible with a more casual dining experience. Galloway’s Wine & Beer Bar will serve as part wine shop and part wine bar, meaning vinophiles from around the Triangle and beyond will now be able to enjoy some of the best wines from the program’s list of more than 1,500 varietals without shouldering the high cost of dinner in the main restaurant.
“It’s exciting to see how we can continue to evolve to meet our guests’ needs, even as we look back and toast fifty years this season since the inception of Fearrington Village,” says general manager Theresa Chiettini, adding “With the expected growth of Chatham County around us, this gives Fearrington Village another avenue to reach a younger clientele.”
Compared to the main restaurant, diners can sample from a mix of small plates that all come in at under $20 (think upscale paninis, dips and charcuterie, and specials like mussels & fries) to munch on while sampling a rotating selection of wines selected by sommelier and beverage director Troy Revell.
“With three sommeliers on the property and one of the region’s most extensive wine collections,” Revell says, “we’re in a unique position to lend our wine program to a wine shop and bar, making our wines even more accessible to hotel and non-hotel guests.”
One of the more fun aspects of the new wine bar are blind-tasting flights that Revell will be offering guests. Instead of opting to sip on a glass of wine from the menu, guests can let Revell pour four mystery wines.
He notes that many of the wines are ones available for purchase in Galloway’s wine shop, but that guests might also be sampling wines from the Fearrington House Restaurant, and that it’s a fun way to try new things. The blind flights will change regularly so every visit can be a new adventure.
“Blind tasting wine is an opportunity to remove all preconceptions about preferences and style stereotypes and just listen to your palate,” Revell stresses. “Whether you can make proper guesses or not, it is a learning experience every time, and few activities engage your brain in the same way as tasting to gain knowledge.”
Jenny Fitch once said in a 1992 interview, “I hope that guests feel very comfortable while they’re here—that there’s nothing ostentatious there, but a comfort that makes them want to return.” With lower price points and a more casual atmosphere, the new Galloway’s may be poised to help continue the late owner’s vision.
Galloway’s Wine & Beer Bar is now open in Fearrington Village every Wednesday through Saturday from 5-8 with live music between 5-7, every night, and free wine tastings every Saturday afternoon in Galloway’s Bar.
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