Cork dorks since the time of Bacchus have rhapsodized over the lush sensuality of wine, but a winery in upstate New York has learned that too many lushes and too much sensuality can cost a winemaker his or her business.
Vineyard 48 in Long Island had its license suspended by the New York State Liquor Authority last month after years of neighbors’ complaints came to, ahem. . . a head following a weekend party at the winery, where a crowd of 400 juiced-up revelers allegedly got seriously out of control, drinking wine out of gallon buckets with straws, fighting with each other, and peeing and pooping in adjacent backyards (“The lines at the Porta-Potties were so long!”). One amorous couple was even said to have been spotted doing The Wild Thing in an outraged neighbor’s bushes.
The winery’s owner denied the allegations, but at least one Cutchogue, Long Island, town official said Vineyard 48 had been a pain in the town’s collective ass for years and has required numerous police visits to calm drunken patrons (and in a couple of cases, have them carted off to the hospital for emergency treatment of alcohol poisoning).
Despite the winery’s denial of a raging pee-poop-and-pork fest, a couple weeks later Vineyard 48 owners read the chunder on the wall, voluntarily gave up their license and closed, leaving neighbors with a lot less excitement but a lot more peace and quiet.