Maybe my very emotional response to the below news is a sign of old age? Possibly. Maybe it is another sign that while I feel youthful, time itself would seem to indicate otherwise. And of course, I am reminded of George Harrison - All Things Must Pass.
Some recent big losses have struck home with me. Hard. Firstly, that of the announcement of the closing of Haight-Brown Vineyards in Litchfield, Connecticut. The vineyard was originally established by Sherman Haight, who was among the most energetic of New England wine pioneers, helping to enact the Connecticut Farm Winery Act and encouraging others in the region to do the same.
Sherman Haight
I recall driving through Litchfield, Connecticut, going to Haight Winery, DiGrazia Vineyards, and Hopkins Vineyards. Haight's was a quality house, that produced wonderful wines like Covert White and Covert Red, and other very drinkable wines. In recent years, as the winery struggled, so did the wines.
But the winery had a big place in my heart, as it was among one of the first small wineries I explored as I discovered local wines for myself in the mid- and late-90s. So this is the passing of an historical figure's legacy, as well as of an east coast winery landmark.
As an additional blow, last spring, DiGrazia winery closed as well in March of 2022. Another substantial part of Connecticut winemaking history. Dr. DiGrazia had opened the winery in 1984, and had a substantial line of wines licensed with Lime Rock racing. The winery's Autumn Spice (a Vidal Blanc wine laced with pumpkin spice released especially in the fall).
DiGrazia Vineyards posted on social media:
Our last open day is Sunday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but we recommend calling first.Bottle sales only. Remaining stock: Limited amounts of Winners Cup, Autumn Spice and Winterbury.Thank you again, to this wonderful community. We will remember you fondly, always.~ The DiGrazia Winery Family
Along with this, is the announcement by Turdo Vineyards in New Jersey, that this is their final season. Next week will be the final week of their tastingroom. Again, another emotional blow. Dominique and I first discovered them around 2000? or 2004? Dominique and I were on vacation in Cape May and met Sal and Sara, discovering that they lived in North Jersey during the week and opened the winery in the summers on the weekends down in Cape May. We loved their wines. One of the best producers from the time we met them until now. It was after our discovering Turdo, that we decided we would start our own winery.
I have consistently written about them over the years. I could not get down there as often after we made the move to upstate New York, but I continued to be a massive fan....right up 'til now. Another emotional blow. .
Other losses include Galer Estate Winery, reported first by Paul Vigna in the Patriot News. Galer was among some of the best of the Pennsylvania quality producers. I liked what they were doing and what they were about. Their reputation grew around the same time as ours, at Hudson-Chatham. They were bigger, and grew more vinifera, but I saw them as contemporaries. I saw them as fellow travelers.
And now their time to exit the stage has come. And it is a huge blow to my psyche, like the death of an uncle or a second cousin. This is family. These were all family.
The individual stories.....
Emily M. Olson wrote of the closing in August of the historic winery, Haight-Brown:
Fans of Haight-Brown Vineyard had one final chance to purchase its wines last weekend, as the vineyard has closed, according to an announcement posted by owners Justin Pascoe and Mariah Smith on Facebook the week of Aug. 1."Dear Haight-Brown friends and family, it is with heavy hearts that we have decided to close our doors," the message read."A huge thank you to everyone who supported over the past few years," Pascoe and Smith wrote.
Wrote industry veteran Paul Vigna wrote in the Patriot New in early September:
Galer Estate Vineyard & Winery in Pennsylvania’s Kennett Square, in Chester County, will close for business on Sept. 17.That means six more days are available for customers to visit, with the winery open from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday and Sunday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday.A few customers stopped by on Labor Day, a surreal afternoon amid the checkpoints scattered on roads around the winery as the search for an escaped killer from the Chester County jail was in its fifth day.The sale should go through soon after the place closes. It has not been revealed who will take over and what the new owners plan to do with the winery, which was purchased by Lele and Brad Galer in 2008. They spent several years refurbishing what had been known as “Folly Hill Winery” before opening for business in 2011.Winemaker Virginia Mitchell, who began there in June 2014, is no longer working there, and the 4 acres of Chardonnay behind the tasting room are not under nets, meaning the 2023 vintage likely will be consumed by the birds.The boutique winery, vineyard and Airbnb adjacent to Longwood Gardens, all on 7.4 acres, has been up for sale several times since 2021, and was listed by Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty in January 2023. Located at 700 Folly Hills Road, the asking price is $3.395 million.
Read the statement from Sal and Sarah Turdo and Family from Turdo Vineyards:
To all our friends, we want to take this time to let you know that after 25 years…we are RETIRING! In case you haven’t heard the news, we’ll be closing our doors for good at the end of October 2023. With 10/15/23 being the last day of the tasting room being open.▫️We would like to thank all of you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all your continued support, patronage, & most importantly…your friendship over the years. We wouldn’t have been here as long as we have, with the great success we’ve had, without it. So again, thank you & Grazie Mille! We wish you all the best.
Since posting this, Edward Michael Anderson wrote to me: "Turdo is slated to reopen in the spring under a new name. Future wine released will be what Turdo had in the barrels already. I hear its a husband and wife, but ultimately it's an investors group that behind all of it. You might see a familiar face for a temporary basis as they launch the new biz. Turdo did the harvest this year for them." He also noted that the Galer Estate was bought by the Longwood Gardens....it remains to be seen what will happen next. More to come....
READ MY REPORT HERE:
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds: The Craft Beverage Boom is About to Go Bust!
https://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com/2023/08/extraordinary-popular-delusions-and.html
OTHER LINKS:
Haight-Brown:
Turdo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=920940222732891&set=a.606047304222186
Galer Estate: