Episode 8: Bertony Faustin
Bertony Faustin - The Crick Life | Interviewed by Rashad Floyd
Growing up in New York and where I am now is a 180-degree flip. I didn't even drink alcohol before I started making wine. I looked around, and it was like, "I got grapes, if it don't work out, I'm gonna make raisins."
It's a lot of hard work. But every day, you're reminded that you're blessed. When I'm out here on the vineyard, it definitely brings a balance. This is where all of my creative amazing ideas come from. Especially when you own the business, run the business and make the wine, there's so many moving pieces. This is my getaway, this is my escape.
My name is Bertony Faustin, and this is the crick life.
When I first got the property here in Germantown Portland, part of it was still forest, so I'm limited to the amount of sunlight that we get. But that same challenge is actually also my benefit.
“Bertony is the hardest worker I ever met. You will always find him somewhere, standing out, somewhere being different, somewhere that you won't find people who look like him, and so that's what a trailblazer essentially, is. He's the first Black winemaker in Oregon, and to be looking different, and to be different um, in that environment says a lot about him.” - Eldridge Broussard-Bertony's Coach
Customers would come into the winery and ask, "Who's the winemaker?" And when I say me, I get the look like, wait what? It was the industry that said I didn't look the part. And so those little moments made me decide that I have to go ahead and be that pioneer and trailblazer. People ask me, why did you name it Abbey Creek, and Abbey Creek is actually running through our property. Our mantra is Hip Hop, Wine and Chill, that's the sentiment, in that order, as well. You know growing up in New York during the 80s and 90s, hip hop is my thing. So on our logo, I have the creek, the headphones and the color of the Haiti flag to own my heritage and owning who I am.
My name is french and my family is from Haiti. I’m actually named after my father but didn’t start using my government name until my he passed away. My Pops is my daily reminder, as I walk in the door of why we do what we do. It was that tragedy that has me here. It made me feel as if I wasn't living up to the legacy, and when I say that, I mean, the immigrant hustle. I made a tribute wine for my Dad. And that was important for me to acknowledge what got me here today.
Some people say I'm African American, but I correct them and say I'm Haitian American. And the reason for that distinction is so that you can honor that other side of me, as well.
So Abbey Creek to me is the umbrella. The foundation is the vineyard and everything trickles down to the tasting rooms, the wineries, the kitchen and the overall experience. I call it the Crick Life. You know, that’s the me against myself sort of mentality!
Crick PDX is our tasting room downtown, and it's another extension of the OGCrick in North Plains. So many people were worried about how we were going to fit in and for us, it’s more about how we stand out. When I talk about wines, to me it's not necessarily about the flavor profile or the character. It's about the context and how you want to enjoy the wine.
So, I actually hashtag all my wines, because it's a feeling. For instance, theCabernet Sauvignon, we call it cha cha. You know, you ever have those moments, you see food coming and you start to move in your seat? That's what the cha cha does to you. We don't just sell wine, you can get that at the gas station. We provide the experience of Love, Magic, and Moments. It’s up to you how you walk through the door, but it’s up to us how you leave.
Crick Kitchen is our restaurant. During Covid, I wanted to continue to make progress and take advantage of the moment, so I started Crick Kitchen which is next to our winery in North Plains. My culinary director is Chef Earl Roberts, I call him Chef Homeboy RD. Chef Earl also teaches culinary arts at ClarkCollege. You can eat with anyone. But you break bread with family, and that was the idea of the Crick Kitchen.
Due to being compliant with the state Covid-19 guidelines, we haven't been able to actually entertain on site. So we created a dinner to-go model. We call it the Crick Fat Sacks. People have been coming all over to grab their sacks on the weekends. Once we can open back up, we will be able to have people come experience the Love, Magic and Moments.
And what's also kind of dope about what we're doing here is turning this kitchen into an incubator program. Chef has the direct pipeline to working with students so we can give them amazing opportunities. People of color, in this industry for so long have been the backbones of the kitchen. I want to make sure that I see more people that look like me, in this field.
So many people ask me, why are we in North Plains? I tell them that it’s because this is where we get to stand out. Where else can I be the most impactful? This is where you don’t expect me to be. If I went to wine country, we would have never had the same kind of opportunities and the eyes on us, that we do now. But we are creating such a movement, but what can we do tomorrow? What can we do the next day? Abbey Creek is about the who, and more importantly, Abbey Creek is about you.
