A. Mack Sawyer and Faye Berry met during Mack's first year of college. Faye the proverbial country girl and Mack a city boy. It was love at first sight. Faye was born and raised on the family farm, known today as the Berry Sawyer farm. Her family has lived in the area for generations.

Mack took a little detour to Vietnam as a photographer and then later returned to finish college where he studied art. He looked for the best art college in North Carolina and narrowed it down to two choices. He chose the one nearest to Faye where she was working in Raleigh so he wouldn't have to drive so far to visit. Eventually, they married and Mack began a sensible career as young art teacher.
 

Increasingly, Mack began longing to try running his own photography business. In 1980 he took the chance and opened his own professional photography studio. His talent flourished with this new found freedom. Soon his career goal was to be accepted and invited to join the ranks of the Professional Photographers of America.

Over the years Mack’s body of work grew, eventually he did receive the honor of Master Photographer and in the spring of 2004 he was invited to tour and photograph Tuscany, Italy with this elite group. He jumped at the chance to add to his massive portfolio. At the top of his profession, there in ancient wine country, Mack began dreaming of yet another possible career move. Mack wanted to become a wine grower.

Mack had as they say, an “ah, ha” moment. He began to envision a way to combine his new found passion with Faye’s dream to preserve her families heritage and farm.

Faye liked Mack's idea so in the winter of 2004 they began planting the first vines on the family farm.

The neighboring farmers were amused by this  "city boy’s"  notions of growing grapes in potato and cabbage country. They all warned him that grapes wouldn't grow there, but grew they did.

Not long after, the vines began to flourish and the Sawyers opened the doors of the Wine Cellar & tasting room in the Spring of 2008. Before opening the doors, Mack and Faye decided to sell a varitety of wines including selections from local Northeastern North Carolina winerys such as Moonrise Bay and Sanctuary Vineyards. They  also include selections of other NC wines as well as European and American wines.




Critics and patrons agree. Weeksville Vineyards & Cellars is Elizabeth City's most unique tasting room.