Trump Winery Explained

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 winery and vineyard were established by Patricia Kluge in 1999, later purchased by businessman (later U.S. President) Donald Trump in April 2011 and officially re-opened in October 2011.^[4] Since 2012, it has been owned and operated by Trump's son Eric, under the name Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC.^{[5] [6]} The 227acres of vinifera varieties makes it the largest vineyard in Virginia and the largest French vinifera on the East Coast.^{[7] [8]} 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.^[9] 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.^[10]

History and Acquisition

Patricia Kluge, former wife of American billionaire John Kluge, kept Albemarle per their 1990 divorce settlement. Afterwards, Kluge spent her fortune establishing an award-winning vineyard and winery which opened in 1999. She and her third husband, William Moses, took out $65 million in loans and mortgaged the mansion to finance production expansion and a related real-estate venture. In 2011, the couple defaulted on the loans and Bank of America acquired the mortgage on the mansion, Albemarle House. The land outside the mansion's front door and bordering its long driveway is a 217-acre stretch of rolling greenery that had a former life as John Kluge's private Arnold Palmer–designed golf course.^{[11] [12]} A quirk in the divorce settlement let John Kluge own this parcel, as his ex-wife kept the mansion and the land underneath, insulating it from Patricia's future financial woes.^[11] The parcel remained in the family after Mr. Kluge died in 2010, leaving it in a trust to his son, John Kluge Jr., with Patricia as trustee.^{[13] [14] [15]}

Trump, a longstanding friend of John and Patricia Kluge, purchased the 1,300-acre estate, including the vineyards and winemaking operation, out of foreclosure from three different banks for $8.5 million. He initially offered the banks $20 million to bail out Kluge Estate, but when they refused, he began to buy the property through foreclosure auctions and private purchases. After acquiring the winery, Trump hired Patricia Kluge as vice president of operations and William Moses as chief executive officer.^[16] He also bought the parcel directly from the Kluge trust for $150,000.^[17] The bank later alleged that Trump subsequently arranged for "No Trespassing" signs to be placed around the property and allowed the lawns to become overgrown in order to ward off potential buyers giving an appearance of Trump's exclusive access to the property, although the bank's property interest of 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 and Kluge's original $100 million asking price the prior year.^{[18] [19]}

In October 2012, Trump bought Albemarle House from Bank of America for $6.7 million, completing acquisition of the entire estate.^{[20] [21]}

Operations

In addition to the winery and vineyard, business operations include a hotel and facilities to host weddings, corporate and winery events. The 26,000 square-foot, 45-room mansion was remodeled into a boutique luxury hotel and opened in May 2015 as ‘Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery.'^{[20] [22]}

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'.^{[23] [24]} 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.^[23] Although, Trump Winery's 227 acre vineyard is the largest in Virginia and its French vinifera acreage is the largest on the East Coast.^{[7] [25]}

In June 2024, the opening of Trump Cidery was announced expanding the winery business to 'crafting premium ciders.'^{[26] [27]}

Awards

The winery has received accolades from numerous wine competitions and press reviews such as 90 points from Wine Spectator for Blanc de Blanc, 91 points from James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast for Sparkling Reserve.^{[28] [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]

The 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition awarded the winery's 2014 Sparkling Reserve, Best in Class-Brut, Double Gold, 97 points, scoring higher than those from Napa, Sonoma, Spain, Italy, Australia and Champagne.^[31]

External links

• Monticello Wine Trail

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.
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 . 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: 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.
5. News: Johnson . Richard . Donald Trump doesn't own Trump Winery, his son does . New York Post . Page Six. 2015-06-15 . 2016-12-16.
6. Web site: Walloga, April . Meet Donald Trump's five children . Business Insider . July 6, 2015 . 2016-12-16.
7. 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.
8. Web site: Rolland's Mark on Virginia - The Bordeaux consultant remakes Patricia Kluge's estate . March 2007 . Wines & Vines . McIntyre, Dave. http://web.archive.org/web/20231116050302/https://winebusinessanalytics.com/sections/printout_article.cfm?article=feature&content=47726. 2023-11-16 . live.
9. 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.
10. Web site: FULL SPEECH: Kerry Woolard, Trump Winery - Republican National Convention. 19 July 2016. ABC15 Arizona. 27 May 2017. YouTube.
11. News: Va. winemaker's painstakingly built empire crumbled in months amid recession . Gowen, Annie . 24 February 2011 . 17 August 2017. The Washington Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20110225192458/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/23/AR2011022302452.html . 2011-02-25 . live.
12. News: The Money Is Gone, but the Winery and a Woman's Resolve Remain. 1 October 2011. The New York Times. Fabrikant, Geraldine. https://web.archive.org/web/20230908201149/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/business/patricia-kluge-loses-her-fortune-in-the-downturn.html. 2023-09-08. live. limited. 17 August 2017.
13. Web site: The Rise And Fall Of Patricia Kluge. Brennan. Morgan . Forbes. 2011-03-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20160504151035/http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/10/patricia-kluge-lifestyle-billionaire-bankruptcy-estate.html. 2016-05-04 . live. 2016-09-26.
14. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20160407155239/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304314404576413984028888352 . 2016-04-07 . live. 17 August 2017.
15. Web site: Kluge Saga Continues in Virginia. McKee, Linda Jones . 2014-11-19 . Wines & Vines Analytics. 17 August 2017.
16. News: Trump buys former Kluge-owned winery. Annie. Gowen. 7 April 2011. 17 August 2017. The Washington Post. http://web.archive.org/web/20130728181054/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trump-buys-former-kluge-owned-winery/2011/04/07/AF8hn7wC_story.html . 2013-07-28. live.
17. News: 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 . 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.".
18. Web site: Frank . Robert . Donald Trump Picks Up Patricia Kluge's Virginia Assets. Wall Street Journal. 2011-07-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20170902124557/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304314404576413984028888352 . 2017-09-02. live. subscription . 2012-06-19.
19. News: Donald Trump buys Kluge estate in Charlottesville. Orton, Kathy. 2012-09-26. The Washington Post. http://web.archive.org/web/20150815171732/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/where-we-live/post/donald-trump-buys-kluge-estate-in-charlottesville/2012/09/26/bffa99de-0822-11e2-858a-5311df86ab04_blog.html. 2015-08-15. live. 17 August 2017.
20. 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. http://web.archive.org/web/20161111072730/http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/06/17/how-donald-trump-bought-a-home-once-listed-at-100-million-for-pennies-on-the-dollar/#17a8ced037e0 . 2016-11-11. live.
21. News: Donald Trump buys Patricia Kluge's mansion for bargain price of $6.5 million; now owns entire estate. 2012-09-26. The Washington Post. http://web.archive.org/web/20120930182659/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/donald-trump-buys-patricia-kluges-mansion-for-bargain-price-of-65-million-now-owns-entire-estate/2012/09/26/87ffbde4-0826-11e2-a10c-fa5a255a9258_blog.html . 2012-09-30. live. 17 August 2017.
22. 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.
23. News: Gorman . Sean . 2016-03-21 . Donald Trump incorrectly says Virginia winery is the largest on East Coast . . 2016-10-19.
24. News: Trump Wine Is Built on Acres of Lies. Rothbaum. Noah. 2016-03-10. The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast. 2016-09-26.
25. Web site: Trump Winery . Monticello Wine Trail . Trump Winery is Virginia’s largest vineyard.
26. News: Notheis . Asher . Trump Winery’s expansion to cidery business to open this week . 18 June 2024 . Washington Examiner . 2024-06-04.
27. Web site: Cidery in Charlottesville . Trump Winery.
28. Web site: Trump Winery: Sometimes a Wine is Just a Wine . JamesSuckling.com . June 27, 2016.
29. Web site: Acclaim . Trump Winery . 22 October 2024 . Awards & Press.
30. Web site: Berninger . Jack . Vines and Wines: Trump Winery's 2007 SP Reserve . Richmond Times Dispatch . 2013-03-24 . 2013-04-04.
31. Web site: The 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition in Review . San Francisco International Wine Competition . Best In Class. Best Brut - Trump Winery Reserve Brut, Monticello, USA . mdy-all. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505223350/https://www.sfwinecomp.com/results/. 2021-05-05.