Meghan McDonald and Jeff Barnett are the folks behind Mavis WineCo. in downtown Rogers. Their business--a wine bar and bottle shop with a focus is on natural, organic and minimal-intervention wines--is located at 718 N 2nd Street. Mavis is an easy in-and-out for buying a few bottles of wine and customized gift baskets. It is also a relaxing place to connect with good friends or meet new ones.

Meghan is originally from Kansas, and Jeff grew up in Indiana. The couple met and later married while working in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles where they lived for the past 20 years. Meghan worked as a costumer and Jeff as an assistant prop master. As they made trips to NW Arkansas to visit Meghan’s family, they became aware of more and more great new restaurants and bars, yet none were focusing on natural wines.

The nationwide COVID shutdown seemed to be as good a time as any to make the move to NWA and get to work putting Mavis Wine Co. together. Jeff set out to earn a Level 3 Award from The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)--the largest and most recognized organization providing formal education in wines, sake, and spirits, for professionals and enthusiasts.

Almost one year later, in March of 2021, they opened the doors to Mavis Wine Co. with a commitment to providing the best natural and organic wines to Northwest Arkansas.

Their tasting room is an ideal destination location for evening entertainment including Tuesday Happy Hour, Wednesday Wine Night and Girls Night Out on Thursdays. They offer a beautiful wine bar and patio to enjoy wine and small plate food pairings along with original art and scheduled live music. In addition to daily-made cicchetti, they have a bodega, featuring a rotating assortment of snacks and gourmet pantry items. 

So, for those who enjoy the paved trails, it is a convenient stop on the Razorback Greenway Railyard Loop. Whether you're taking a break from biking through Downtown Rogers, heading out to the lake, picking up something for dinner, or just want to jazz up your next charcuterie board, Mavis has you covered.   

"Natural" wines are almost always made from grapes that are farmed organically, and guided by a philosophy of winemaking where as little as possible is added to or taken away from the wine.  Indigenous or wild yeasts are often used in fermentation, rather than cultured yeasts. The thinking behind this is that by using the yeasts that occur naturally on the grape and in the vineyard or winery (rather than yeasts grown in a lab), you are getting a better representation of the “terroir,” or tasting the “somewhere-ness” of the wine and where it came from.  Natural wines are also often bottled without fining or filtration and are often made to be enjoyed while they are young and fresh. The pair agree it has been a genuine pleasure to be able to introduce so many of their customers to something they are so passionate about.  Cheers!  

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