New Wine Bar Features Old World Flavors

Ivan Crash, manager of the new Chateau Thomas Wine Bar & Tasting Room in Fishers.

If you’re passionate about wine or want to learn more about it, the new Chateau Thomas Wine Bar and Tasting Room is just the place to visit. Having officially opened last month, the new site features a wine-tasting bar, gift shop and The Veranda, which is a dedicated space for live entertainment. The 2,000-square-foot facility is located in Fishers Town Commons on East 116th St.

Geist resident Ivan Crash, who has known the Thomas family for years and has extensive experience in the wine industry, is the manager of the new location. He says that what makes the Chateau Thomas label so unique for this area is that their wine offerings are distinct, due to the grapes that are shipped in from the West Coast.

“The Chateau Thomas concept as a winery is a little different from other area wineries,” says Crash. “In general, the climate in this part of the country isn’t conducive to grapes … the final result from local produce is usually a very sweet wine,” says Crash.

“We wanted to produce more of an Old World product, so we have the grapes shipped in from the West coast,” Crash says. “We crush them ourselves in our Plainfield facility. Because of that, we can really get a good Merlot, Cabernet or Chardonnay,” he explains. Those claims are backed up by the more than 600 medals awarded to the winery from international wine competitions, including many Double-Gold Medals, and a Best-in-the-Nation.

For those who would like to know more about wine and the tasting process, Crash says their staff enjoys sharing their knowledge. “We truly have a customer-service wine bar,” he says. “We’ll talk and guide you through it, according to your own personal taste.”

Crash says that customers are often apprehensive when coming in for a tasting. “We really try to set customers at ease by teaching about the wine process and talking about the distinction between our over fifty wines,” he explains. “We take the time to teach customers how to taste and enjoy.”

With a rich history behind the label, Chateau Thomas wines have been a staple in Indiana for over twenty years. It all started with Dr. Charles R. Thomas, who was a practicing Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Indianapolis at the time, and he loved everything about wine. In fact, he became so passionate about it, he started making it as a hobby. Thomas eventually traveled to Napa, California, and spent several years studying under famous winemakers in order to learn the craft.

In 1984, Thomas, along with his wife Jill, founded Chateau Thomas Winery, and opened their first location on the south side of Indianapolis. In 1997, Dr. Thomas moved Chateau Thomas Winery to Plainfield from Downtown Indianapolis, and is now located just west of the new Indianapolis International Airport off 1-70 west at Exit 66. Since relocating to Plainfield, the winery has enjoyed two building expansions.

The Fishers wine bar is the third location for the Chateau Thomas line, and not only boasts live music every weekend, but can also accommodate private parties as well. All of the over 50 award-winning Chateau Thomas Wines, including the new Slender Wines, are available at the Wine Bar. Volpi sausages, domestic and imported cheeses, crackers and hand painted chocolates and truffles are also available year round. A new 50-inch plasma television, along with the ability to sell wine on Sundays, is also a draw for sports fans.

The gift shop features a unique selection of over 500 items, including commissioned wine-related stained glass, wine accessories and gift items. Custom gift baskets are available as well as private label orders upon request. Wine Club membership is also available, with pick-up orders starting in February. And a little trivia of note: the entire bar and front desk is made from recycled barrels that can no longer be used for winemaking. The floors are repurposed hardwoods, adding to the eclectic French Country feel.

“Our store has a good atmosphere at this location, and we are excited about serving our customer base on the north side,” says Crash. “We see an appreciation for the dryer wines on the north side of Indy, so we see this area as a perfect fit for our products,” he says. For more information about the Chateau Thomas Winery, visit www.chateauthomas.com.

Chateau Thomas Wine Bar & Tasting Room
8235 E. 116th Street
Fishers, IN 46038
(317) 849-9463