Adam Bernbach is fluent in beverages. He’s been immersed in the high-end world of cocktails, coffee and wine for many years, experimenting with flavors and creating his own cocktails in Washington, D.C.
“When I was young, I was really into restaurants and beverages in general. But, at that time, if you wanted to do anything with beverages in upscale restaurants, you had to be wine-first. While I was eventually able to move more into cocktails, wine has always been what I drank most, personally,” Bernbach said.
In 2020, Bernbach relocated to Fayetteville with his wife, a native of Northwest Arkansas, and son and decided that his next venture would be opening a wine shop. In 2023, he opened the doors to Hotvine Wine, a quaint wine bottle shop tucked behind the Four of Wands on College Avenue. His motivation? He wanted to.
“It’s just what I wanted as someone who lives here. Something that’s kinda goofy and fun because I’m as mystified by wine as anyone. I wanted this as a customer, so I just did it.”
Bernbach had paid his dues in the elevated, often intimidating world of beverages. With Hotvine, he wanted to take an accessible, more idiosyncratic approach. In particular, he wanted to make the process of buying a wine bottle entertaining for the customer.
This philosophy was sewed into the shop from the beginning, as evident in the name, “Hotvine.” When asked if the title was a wine term or a personal anecdote, Bernbach laughed: “It’s actually complete nonsense.” The name was unintentionally suggested by his wife when she misread a note Bernbach had left on their refrigerator.
In the three years since Hotvine has served Fayetteville, its wacky philosophy has earned the shop a cult following. Followers of the shop’s Instagram account witness firsthand the silly marketing approach his team cultivates, particularly its “Hotvine Help Desk,” where “customers” approach Bernbach with extremely specific, ridiculous scenarios, and he seamlessly provides the perfect wine pairing.
When it comes to the brick-and-mortar side of the business, Bernbach makes sure that each customer who walks through the door receives a fun and informational shopping experience.
“We try to have that approach in everything we do. Most obviously in the verbiage we use to talk about wine, but we think about it with every step of the shopping experience: How can we make this more fun? How can we make that more fun?”
Additionally, Hotvine Wine’s lobby provides room for customers to try a selection of wines for a small price.
“The idea is that we have six rotating bottles of wine available to try in 2-oz glasses. So, if you do the whole board, it’s like you’re having two normal-sized glasses of wine. We want people to feel they can chill here and chat and hang out.”
Fayetteville City Lifestyle sat down with Bernbach to learn more about the craft of wine, the basics of the beverage category and to hear Bernbach’s wine recommendations for the fall season.
How would you describe the layout of Hotvine’s bottle room?
The bottles on the shelves are lined up by mouthfeel, from light to full-bodied. Starting at the lightest sparkling wines through crispy whites into the heavier ones. Followed by rosés into the lighter reds. The second shelf goes through the medium and heavy reds into dessert wines, fortified wines, vermouths, and finally, amari.
On the other wall, we have a selection of nonalcoholic wines and other amazing zero-proof beverages.
Our wine selection varies in price, but we keep the wines curated on the center table to $25 a bottle or less. We’re really trying to diffuse the idea that great wine is always expensive.
Why might someone want a heavier wine versus a lighter selection?
It’s really just a thing of preference. Sometimes it’s a seasonal thing. In warmer (or hot!) weather, people tend to reach for lighter, more refreshing wines. In cooler weather, people often prefer fuller, richer wines.
Where would you usher people who were interested in learning more about the art and craft behind wine?
A book I really love is Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm. The way the book talks about and approaches wine is pretty great. We utilize it here to think about how we talk about wine, and it’s a good reflection of our vibe because we built a lot of ourselves off of that vibe. On a more technical note, if you’re looking to get more into wine professionally, there’s a book called Beyond Flavour by Nick Jackson that we really like. A fantastic resource for wine is The World Atlas of Wine by Jancis Robinson. It’s an unparalleled reference book.
Why do certain wines pair better with certain foods?
A lot of things influence that. A big one is the taste of who’s drinking it. Acid and richness in the food and in the wine. Tannins, those things you feel grip the insides of your cheeks and gums after a sip of wine, are big with meats. It goes on and on. I mean, we could go into the influence of lunar phases if we wanted to. But I caution anyone, especially myself, from overthinking. Ultimately, wine is there to be enjoyed.
Sounds like wine can be pretty situational. Now that the fall season is in full swing, what are some wine recommendations you would recommend for the typical seasonal activities?
A Thanksgiving feast
Red
Label: 2024 Lucy Gamay Noir of the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County, California
Body: Medium
Taste: Hints of blackberry juice, strawberry, spice and mint
Price: $34
White
Label: 2021 Crystallum The Agnes Chardonnay from Walker Bay, Cape South Coast, South Africa
Body: Medium to full
Taste: Oak, green apple, acidic
Price: $41
An afternoon day at the park eating greens
White
Label: 2025 Von Winning Sauvignon Blanc II from Pfalz, Germany
Body: Lighter to medium
Taste: “Dramatically delicious,” green apple, grapefruit, jalapeno skin, acidic
Price: $28
Halloween
Red
Label: 2020 Claudio Quarta “Anima” Negroamaro of Puglia, Italy
Body: Fuller
Taste: Bitter, dark grape, burnt
Price: $21