Trump Winery Explained

Winery Name:Trump Winery
Winery Logo:right|250px
Location City:Charlottesville, Virginia
Location Country:USA
Former Name:Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard[1]
Year Founded:October 2011
Key People:Eric Trump, owner[2]
Kerry Woolard, General Manager
Jonathan Wheeler, Winemaker
Parent Company:Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC
Homepage:http://www.trumpwinery.com
Distribution:International
Tasting:Open to the public

Trump Winery (formerly Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard) is a winery on Trump Vineyard Estates in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the county of Albemarle. It is within both the Virginia and Monticello viticultural areas and is among the 23 wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail.[3] The vineyard was purchased by businessman (later U.S. President) Donald Trump in April 2011[4] and was officially re-opened in October 2011.[5] Since 2012, it has been owned and operated by Trump's son Eric, under the name Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC.[2] [6] [7] The 227 acres of vinifera varieties makes it the largest vineyard in Virginia and the largest French vinifera on the East Coast.[8] [9] Trump Winery manufactures 36,000 cases of wine per year. It ranks behind two other Virginia wineries that produce at least 60,000 cases of wine per year.[10] The current general manager of the winery, Kerry Hannon Woolard, was a supporter of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and appeared as a guest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention as well as other campaign events.[11]

Acquisition

Donald Trump purchased the 1,300-acre estate out of foreclosure from three different banks, not from Patricia Kluge directly like some have suggested. Prior to being foreclosed, Patricia Kluge, former wife of American billionaire John Kluge, did own the property. After her divorce in 1990, Kluge spent much of her remaining fortune over the following two decades, in 1999 establishing a winery[12] and continuing to expand its production. She and her new husband also took out $65 million in loans to fund the expansion.[13] In 2011 the couple defaulted on the loans.[14] [15] [16] Bank of America acquired the mortgage on the mansion, Albemarle House, but the surrounding property was still held in a Kluge family trust. Trump, a longstanding friend of Patricia Kluge, bought the 200acres surrounding the property directly from the trust for $150,000. The bank later alleged that Trump subsequently arranged for "No Trespassing" signs to be placed around the property and to allow the lawns to become overgrown in order to ward off potential buyers and to give the appearance of Trump's exclusive access to the property, although the bank's property interest in the main house included right-of-way easements. Trump then purchased the land from Bank of America for $3.6 million, a significant discount from the $16 million the bank had paid at the foreclosure auction to retain the property[17] and to Kluge's original $100 million asking price the prior year.[18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

In October 2012, Trump bought Albemarle House from Bank of America for $6.7 million, completing his acquisition of the entire estate.[23] [24]

Operations

In addition to the winery and vineyard, business operations include the hotel and facilities to host weddings, corporate and winery events. The remodeled 26,000 square-foot, 45-room mansion was opened in May 2015 as ‘Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery’, a boutique luxury hotel offering guests the opportunity ‘to stay at one of the most prestigious and architecturally significant residences in history.’[23] [25]

In March 2016, Donald Trump stated publicly that he owned "the largest winery on the East Coast," although Politifact later rated the statement as 'false'.[26] [27] Trump Winery makes 36,000 cases of wine per year compared to Williamsburg Winery and Chateau Morrisette Winery, which produces at least 60,000 cases per year, according to The Virginia Wine Board.[26] However, Trump Winery's 227 acre vineyard is the largest in Virginia and its French vinifera acreage is the largest on the East Coast.[8] [28]

Awards

Numerous gold medals at national and international wine competitions and best-in-class designations. 90 points from Wine Spectator for Blanc de Blanc, 91 points from James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast for Sparkling Reserve.[29]

In March 2013, Wine Enthusiast magazine gave the 2007 Trump SP Reserve a 91-point rating, which was at that time the highest rating for a still or sparkling Virginia wine.[30]

External links

37.9391°N -78.4987°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Home - Trump Winery. 2012. Klugeestateonline.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20120305214155/http://www.klugeestateonline.com/ . 2012-03-05 . 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: Legal . Trump Winery . 355 Albemarle House Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22902 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170817071001/http://www.trumpwinery.com/legal/ . 2017-08-17 . live . mdy-all . 2017-08-17 . Disclaimer : Trump Winery is a registered trade name of Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC, which is not owned, managed or affiliated with Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their affiliates..
  3. Web site: Albermarle County Wineries, Cideries & Breweries. Virginia’s Piedmont, America’s Wine Country . PDF.
  4. Web site: Gowen, Annie . Trump buys former Kluge-owned winery . The Washington Post . 2011-04-07 . 2012-06-19. mdy-all.
  5. Web site: Trump Winery Opens in Albemarle County . Newsplex.com. Jaglois, Jessica . 2011-10-04 . 2012-06-19 . https://archive.today/20120912214223/http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Trump_to_Debut_Albemarle_County_Winery_131055763.html . 2012-09-12 . dead. mdy-all .
  6. News: Johnson . Richard . Donald Trump doesn't own Trump Winery, his son does . New York Post . Page Six. 2015-06-15 . 2016-12-16. mdy-all.
  7. Web site: Walloga, April . Meet Donald Trump's five children . Business Insider . July 6, 2015 . 2016-12-16. mdy-all.
  8. Web site: 13 Top Charlottesville Wineries to Visit . June 11, 2019 . WTOP News. U.S. News & World Report . Trump Winery is Virginia’s largest vineyard as well as the East Coast’s largest French vinifera vineyard.
  9. Web site: Rolland's Mark on Virginia - The Bordeaux consultant remakes Patricia Kluge's estate . March 2007 . Wines & Vines . McIntyre, Dave.
  10. Web site: Trump boasts he owns one of the largest wineries in the U.S. — but here are the facts. Elizalde, Elizabeth . August 15, 2017. New York Daily News. mdy-all.
  11. Web site: FULL SPEECH: Kerry Woolard, Trump Winery - Republican National Convention. 19 July 2016. ABC15 Arizona. 27 May 2017. YouTube. mdy-all.
  12. News: Va. winemaker's painstakingly built empire crumbled in months amid recession. Annie. Gowen. 24 February 2011. 17 August 2017. The Washington Post. mdy-all.
  13. Web site: The Rise And Fall Of Patricia Kluge. Brennan. Morgan . Forbes. 2011-03-10. 2016-09-26. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: The Money Is Gone, but the Winery and a Woman's Resolve Remain. 1 October 2011. The New York Times. Fabrikant, Geraldine. 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  15. Web site: How Patricia Kluge's vineyard reached beyond its means. 24 May 2011. C-Ville Weekly. Beard, J. Tobias . 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  16. Web site: The Money Pit . DeSanctis . Marcia . December 9, 2012 . Town & Country . Hearst Communications, Inc. . https://web.archive.org/web/20160313180307/http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a871/patricia-kluge-interview/ . 2016-03-13 . dead . mdy-all . August 17, 2017 . She married one of the world's wealthiest men — and walked away with a record $100 million divorce settlement. How did she lose it all, and how does she plan to get it back?.
  17. Web site: Frank . Robert . Donald Trump Picks Up Patricia Kluge's Virginia Assets. Wall Street Journal. 2011-07-01 . 2012-06-19. mdy-all.
  18. Web site: Donald Trump buys Kluge estate in Charlottesville. Orton, Kathy. 2012-09-26. The Washington Post. 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  19. Web site: Trump buys former Kluge-owned winery. Annie. Gowen. Annie. Gowen. 7 April 2011. 17 August 2017. The Washington Post. mdy-all.
  20. Web site: Kluge Saga Continues in Virginia. McKee, Linda Jones . 2014-11-19 . Wines & Vines Analytics. 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  21. Web site: The Fall of the House of Kluge Leads to the Rise of the Yard of Trump. Robert. Frank. 1 July 2011. Wall Street Journal. 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  22. Web site: The Greatest, Most Amazing, Absolutely HUGE Story of How Donald Trump Took Over Virginia's Biggest Vineyard . Kashino . Marisa M. . 2015-10-05 . Washingtonian . Washington Magazine, Inc. . https://web.archive.org/web/20170817075714/https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/10/05/greatest-most-amazing-absolutely-huge-story-of-how-donald-trump-took-over-virginias-biggest-vineyard/ . August 17, 2017 . live. mdy-all . August 17, 2017 . Trump knew this...he got the Kluge trust to sell him the yard for the bargain-basement price of $150,000. "That is the art of the deal right there.".
  23. News: Carlyle, Erin . How Donald Trump Bought A Mansion Once Listed At $100 Million For Pennies on The Dollar . 16 April 2020 . Forbes . June 17, 2015. mdy-all.
  24. Web site: Donald Trump buys Patricia Kluge's mansion for bargain price of $6.5 million; now owns entire estate. 2012-09-26. The Washington Post. 17 August 2017. mdy-all.
  25. News: Fresh start: The Kluges’ palace, Albemarle House, welcomes the public . C-Ville Weekly . Howsare, Erika . 2015-12-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160901220421/https://www.c-ville.com/fresh-start-the-kluges-palace-albemarle-house-welcomes-the-public/ . 2016-09-01 . live . mdy-all.
  26. News: Gorman . Sean . 2016-03-21 . Donald Trump incorrectly says Virginia winery is the largest on East Coast . . 2016-10-19. mdy-all.
  27. News: Trump Wine Is Built on Acres of Lies. Rothbaum. Noah. 2016-03-10. The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast. 2016-09-26. mdy-all.
  28. Web site: Trump Winery . Monticello Wine Trail . Trump Winery is Virginia’s largest vineyard.
  29. Web site: Trump Winery: Sometimes a Wine is Just a Wine . JamesSuckling.com . June 27, 2016.
  30. Web site: Berninger . Jack . Vines and Wines: Trump Winery's 2007 SP Reserve . Richmond Times Dispatch . 2013-03-24 . 2013-04-04. mdy-all.

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