It’s only fitting that downtown Corvallis’ newest wine bar — located in the heart of the valley — is called “Corazón,” which translates to “heart” in Spanish.
Corazón opened Jan. 31 at 208 SW Second St. Owner Nick Cheatham, a 2017 Oregon State University graduate who studied fermentation sciences, said he noticed the need for a wine bar in a primarily brewery-loving city, and he wanted to open something new for the Corvallis community to enjoy.
“I think there’s a demographic here who wants to hang out and have a glass of wine and not necessarily have to go to a restaurant to do that,” Cheatham said.
Cheatham, 29, started out on the brewery route himself, but fell in love with the winemaking community. He considered making his own wine, but instead decided to open a tasting room/lounge to provide a different kind of experience.
“The restaurants we have in town are awesome, and they have great glass pours, but I wanted something a little more dialed back and geared towards exploration,” he said.
Corazón has about 25 varieties of wine, half from the Pacific Northwest and half imported. The majority of imported wines are from Spain and Mexico, although there are also some from South Africa, France and Italy.
Walking through the door, customers may feel as if they have taken a step into Mexico. Spanish and Mexican influences are apparent everywhere, from the guitar and Mexican art at the entrance to the tile roof, brick wall and architectural arches throughout the bar.
The decor at Corazón is influenced by Spanish and Mexican cultures.Joanna Mann/Corvallis Gazette Times
The glass pour list at Corazón is approachable for both novice and experienced drinkers alike.Joanna Mann/Corvallis Gazette Times
Cheatham is half-Mexican, and his partner lived in Spain. Cheatham said their backgrounds influenced several design decisions with Corazón.
He has curated his glass pour list to be approachable for both novice and experienced drinkers. He said he knows how it feels to be intimidated by wine, and he encourages people to ask questions, read descriptions of tasting notes and try new things until they find something that feels right.
“It’s OK to not like something,” Cheatham said. “There are no wrong answers when it comes to wine tasting. It’s all about exploration and discovery.”
Corazón offers a charcuterie board with Spanish cheeses, Olympia Provisions salami, olives, Spanish olive oil and sustainably caught canned fish from Top Chef’s Sara Hauman in Portland.
Cheatham will be holding weekly winemaking events where real winemakers will pour what they’re growing to give the Corvallis community a chance to expand their palettes and ask questions about the business.
Corazón is open from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from noon to 10 pm. Friday and Saturday. More information is available at https://www.corazoncorvallis.com/.
“The people who make wine, especially the hardworking laborers in the vineyard, are really down-to-earth, wonderful people,” Cheatham said. “When I drink wine, I like thinking about the stories of different wines and the historical aspect of those wines.”
— Joanna Mann, Corvallis Gazette Times