The long wait is over, and Long Beach has officially welcomed its first-ever winery, with this week’s opening of Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach on Pine Avenue. Led by owner and winemaker Collin Mitzenmacher, the 4,600 square-foot Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach is an urban micro-winery with indoor/outdoor seating, offering an extensive wine menu with more than 50 New and Old World wines and an eclectic food-pairing menu.
“Long Beach has so much to offer, but we couldn’t help feel like something was missing, especially on Pine Avenue,” said Mitzenmacher. “We are excited to recreate the winemaking and tasting experience for our neighbors and community, while also elevating our city’s wine scene. We think Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach will serve as an ideal date night spot or leisurely hangout for friends.”
Located at 217 Pine Avenue, Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach is an expansive two-story space boasting a tasting bar and dining room. Outside, an alley has been converted into a quaint patio and gives guests a street-side view. With a 260-person capacity, the winery is a spacious venue that features unique design elements. Set to become a lively hub for the downtown Long Beach community, the winery is expected to produce 3,000 cases of wine per year, combining elements of the traditional winemaking experience with a popular bar wine concept currently sweeping the nation. All wines are made in-house and feature classic selections such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, as well as lesser-known grape varietals grown locally in California and further-reaching vineyards of Italy, France, New Zealand, Chile and Germany.
To complement its wine, the venue is introducing a menu curated by Chef Visoth Tarak Ouk, a Long Beach Cambodian native best known as “Chef T.” Featuring a range of small plates creatively categorized by light, medium and full-bodied, the bistro-style menu includes grilled octopus, tuna tartare, fried pork belly, duck flatbread, a bison burger, and much more. The winery’s signature “Edge Experience” is available for those looking to try various wines and accompanying flavor profiles, with different levels of elevated food and wine pairings. Chef T is also launching unique wine-infused food items, as well as an elevated cheese and charcuterie selection. The winery offers private tastings, customized labeling – perfect for the upcoming holiday gift-giving season – and membership to an exclusive wine club, allowing enthusiasts and novices alike to expand their expertise.
“After working with several area restaurants, including four here on Pine Avenue, I am excited to utilize my expertise in a new capacity by developing a thoughtfully inspired menu for our winery,” explains Chef T. “Collin and his team have encouraged me to express my creativity while also bringing finer, new dining experiences to Pine Avenue.”
Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach is an independently owned and operated franchise location of Waters Edge Wineries, a California-based innovative urban winery system bringing the cultural experience of wine to communities across the country. Now serving as the company’s flagship location, Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach follows the emerging franchise’s innovative approach to making wine production accessible to those in urban areas, while also unveiling the franchise’s brand-new design concept which will be rolled out to new stores across the United States.
“I was originally attracted to Waters Edge Wineries as our method of wine production is unique and allows for the creation of world-class wines without the need for an on-site vineyard,” Mitzenmacher explained. “I’ve developed a passion for winemaking in the past few years, especially when seeing our guests’ reactions after tasting our wines. I’m thrilled to be a part of this exciting franchise concept’s expansion and look forward to helping create a new standard for our brand as we continue to grow.”
In addition to Long Beach, Waters Edge Wineries currently operates ten locations in California, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Texas with expansion in Kentucky and Montana.
Waters Edge Winery of Long Beach is located at 217 Pine Ave., Long Beach, Calif. and is open from 3 to 10 P.M. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 11 P.M. Friday and Saturday, and 3 to 8 P.M. on Sunday. Weekend brunch will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting in November.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/wewlongbeach/, follow on Instagram at @WEWLongBeach, or contact 833-334-WINE (9436).
