It’s common to associate wine bars with fancy date nights and special occasions, but Chemistry Wine Bar aims to create a casual-chic concept on Main Street in Catskill.
“We’re cozy and unpretentious,” explains owner Dori Fackler. “The goal was to serve wines by the glass and small plates in a casual atmosphere that allows people to feel really comfortable.”
Open since July 3, this is Fackler’s first wine bar, but a goal she’s worked toward for several years. “I’d mainly been in the business world working corporate jobs, but I’ve kept my eye out for a long time for the right place to do something like this, and after a layoff figured it was the right time,” she explains. “I wasn’t fussy about where it would be, but wanted to establish myself in a town that felt like a nice place to live.”
Before Catskill, the Texas native had previously lived in Maryland. But she discovered her love of wine after nearly two decades in California. “While I was out there and going for my MBA, I did a lot of wine tastings, started a wine club, and learned so much about wine. So I had the idea to have my own place, but I wasn’t rushing it,” she says. “ I’d been looking for the right place for a long time, and I knew this was it when I found this incredible building in Catskill. It’s a great historic space with wallpaper from 1850 and tin ceilings from 1904—so much character.”
It didn’t take much to bring the concept to life; restoration work to the building was mainly done by the landlord, who preserved the wallpaper and put in concrete floors. Fackler replaced lights and obtained antique furniture, fixtures, and themed decor centered around a Victoriand/chemistry aesthetic, with pieces sourced from local shops like Sister Salvage, Kaaterskill Market, and more.
“The chemistry theme, and our name, was in large part influenced by my dad who was a world-renowned inorganic chemist,” Fackler explains, “but I’ve also always been fascinated by the chemistry of wine, in terms of how important the soil is to growing, how weather impacts the grapes, and so on. But it’s more so a nod to both my dad and to the chemistry between people; especially the chemistry that happens when people get together to enjoy a glass of wine.”
Chemistry currently offers a selection of 12 reds and 12 whites that represent various global wine regions, with a focus on smaller, family-owned wineries that utilize minimal-intervention methods. “Many are organic and biodynamic wineries who produce wines that really let the grapes and terroir speak for themselves,” says Fackler, who is not a certified somm yet, but is in the introductory phase of obtaining certification.
The wine list changes often, about two to three times a month, depending on availability, weather, and new offerings. For late fall, she says she’ll be paring down the crispy, light, acidic white wines that were great for warm weather and bringing on more of a red-heavy selection. “I want to keep a variety of offerings, so we’ll add new options as they come up that are exciting, while phasing out those that are either selling less or are less appropriate for the season,” she says.
Most wines fall between $10 to $15 per glass, with a couple that come in above that. Fackler has also developed a card system so that if you have a favorite wine, you can take tasting notes and keep that profile on file. “It’s great for when people come back and say, ‘What was that wine I had the last time?’—I can pull up their card from a little file, and if we happen to be out of that wine, I’ll know how to steer them toward a replacement that has a similar profile to the one they enjoyed,” she explains.
A selection of small plates are available. The largest is a three-cheese board with assortment of charcuterie, fig jam, cornichons, and the works ($18), but most others are snacks like marinated goat feta with bread ($8), a trio of dips with veggies and breadsticks ($8), or snacks like olives, tinned fish, and more. “We also offer a couple of sweet treats; we recently did a collaboration with Catskill Chocolate Co. down the street to offer a pairing of three chocolates and three wines, and it sold out, so we’re working on the next one for winter wine pairings,” she says.
Additional events are listed on their website, like a Victorian costume contest on Halloween, occasional wine tastings (the next one is slated for Mid-November), and soon-to-come fun like movie nights, trivia, and a book club night.
“I think sometimes people look in the window or at our menu and assume we’re a date-night spot, but we’re laid back—we’ve got a shelf full of games to play, a comfortable environment, we even have a TV with football games on Sunday,” Fackler says. “I always say that wine is not just for special occasions, wine is for any occasion. And that’s what we want to embody as a wine bar.”
Chemistry’s current hours are Thursday through Saturday from 5-10pm; Sunday from 1-6pm; and special events on Wednesdays, but hours will likely change as winter draws near. Visit Chemistry Wine Bar for updated hours.
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This article appears in October 2024.
