An Inside Look at Fox Tail Wine Bar
An Inside Look at Fox Tail Wine Bar
Fox Tail Wine Bar will provide an intimate space to enjoy a variety of Virginia wines and international selections, paired with charcuterie, cheeses and more.
Hear about their vision to bring a taste of Italy to Phoebus on The HeART of Hampton: Episode 16!
Co-owner Chris Fox offers an inside look at Fox Tail Wine Bar:
Tell us about your decision to open a Wine Bar, give us a bit of history about the naming of the company.
I served in the Army from 2011-2017 and I was stationed in Vincenza, Italy for three years. I fell in love with wine and the wine culture while there. I found a local winery and became a regular and really made great friends there. After the Army, I planned to go to school in Florida, wound up in Chicago, hated the cold, and came back to Hampton – I grew up here, went to high school in Hampton and my parents still live here – and finished my degree at ODU. After graduation, I decided I didn’t want to work for anyone anymore and wanted to be my own boss. I also realized that there’s a wine desert here on the Peninsula – there’s no wine bars or wineries between Norfolk and Williamsburg and that experience was something that I missed so I decided to open a wine bar. I want to bring what I love from my European wine experience to my friends/family here in Hampton. I want to make wine and wine culture more accessible.
I went through a lot of name options and decided I wanted to pay homage to my family so I landed on Fox Tail. I wanted a name that made people stop and be curious about the bar.
I have 3 other partners; one is leaving for Vincenza soon as he’s getting stationed there again; one is leaving for Afghanistan in November; and the last partner has a strong background in bar/restaurant management. Together we’re a great team. Our partner who is returning to Italy will be our liaison for new European wine so not a bad gig.
Was there one seminal tasting or specific wine in Italy that solidified your love for wine?
Yes, my experience at that local winery in Italy, La Dolce Vita. It’s a family-owned winery that offered such a fun atmosphere of wine tastings and wine pairings with pizza, meats, cheese, and coffee. I want to create a similar experience of fun and discovery here in Hampton.
Can you share opening details yet? Any plans for an outdoor space?
We don’t have an exact, hard date just yet. We are hoping to open around Labor Day, but we expect that to get pushed later into September. We are confident we will get to open in September. We will have a small back patio and we’ve requested a parklette so we hope the City will approve that request. We are very dog friendly! Dogs are welcome outdoors (only service dogs indoors).
Why did you select Phoebus?
I’ve always loved Phoebus and the downtown feel of it. It’s always held a draw for me dating back to high school. When Ft. Monroe was decommissioned, I was sad to see how Phoebus was suffering and excited when new businesses started opening like Sly Clyde and El Diablo. I knew I wanted to open the bar in Phoebus and I actually looked at the corner spot, but the Baker’s Wife beat me to it. When the Mellen Street building opened up, I jumped on it.
What varietals can patrons expect to taste? Local, regional, and global? Any non-wine options like mead?
We’ll definitely have a variety of international wines, specifically Italian, and we will feature Virginia wineries. There’s a lot of good wine in Virginia.
We do plan to offer non-wine selections such as cider, beer, and mead – but that all depends on the ABC license so those details are not concrete yet. We don’t want to step on any toes with the cider or beer so we will be respectful of fellow businesses with those options – we want to showcase other Virginia cideries/breweries that people may not have encountered.
We plan to have Prosecco on tap, wine cocktails, wine smoothies in the summer, wine hot chocolate and mulled wine when the weather cools off.
Do you have any plans for special events? What types of things can patrons look forward to?
Yes, we have a laundry list for events. We will host a sommelier from DC for wine classes, hold paint nights, start a book club, and offer wine club memberships.
I really want to make people feel comfortable with wine. One of my missions with the wine bar is to break down barriers and misconceptions that wine isn’t for everyone. I recognize that people are unfamiliar with grapes, regions, tasting notes, etc. and they may feel intimidated and discount wine as a drink choice. I want the bar to be a place where people have fun and can bring a date, but also where people can feel relaxed and comfortable and learn about wine. I want wine culture to be accessible for our patrons.
We will offer wine flights, wine by the glass and bottle. Eventually we will offer to-go wine & picnic baskets.
In the future, I want to offer a wine party bus type of experience where guests meet at the bar in the morning for a catered breakfast and we travel to wineries within an hour of the area to group taste and discuss the wines, then return to the bar at the end of the day.
What details can you share about the AirBnb? Can guests book the space now?
Yes, it is staying booked! We are booked through October. We are hoping to partner with Destress Express and offering special packages for anniversaries/birthdays, etc. that includes a unique wine tasting and professional masseuse services.
Any plans to become a sommelier?
Yes, one day!
Any favorite Instagram accounts that wine lovers should follow?
Off the top of my head Wine Folly has a neat account!
Do you have a favorite wine/varietal/region?
Argentinian Malbec and dark, woody Cabernet Sauvignons. I’m currently trying to expand my palate and understanding of Chardonnay.
Watch Episode 16 of The HeART of Hampton to learn more about Fox Tail Wine Bar!
Images sourced from Fox Tail Wine Bar's Facebook page.