Controversial Vineyard 48 On The Market

CUTCHOGUE, NY — The storied and controversial Vineyard 48 in Cutchogue is on the market.

According to a listing by Douglas Elliman, the 33-acre property, located at 18190 County Road 48, is home to a full service production facility, 3,500 square foot wine cellar, 2,000 square foot retail shop/lab/office, and a 2,500 square foot tasting room/event room. Two acres may be built upon; residential homes can be constructed, the listing said.

The property, a Newsday post said, is listed for $6 million or above. Michael Murphy of Douglas Elliman is handling the sale.

The full service winery features "lush vines offering sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, cab franc, red table, white table, peach wine, strawberry wine, cabernet and merlot reserve," a Douglas Elliman brochure said.

The sale also includes 50,000 bottles of wine in inventory.

"Vineyard 48 is home to a full service production facility where a vintner may produce luxury wines from start to finish with on site tanks, a bottling line and unlimited possibilities to produce the finest vino Long Island can offer," the brochure added.

The "graceful design of the light filled tasting room plays host to visitors from all over the world and serves as an idyllic backdrop to a range of events from weddings to private parties and events," the brochure said. "Known as a 'hot spot' amongst the many frequent visitors to Long Island’s wine country, this property is ideal for a new owner to purchase a turn-key winery or may also be redeveloped."

Asked to comment on the news, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell told Patch: "The town has a judgment filed with the county so any outstanding fees have to be paid prior to the sale. I would hope that a new owner would run it as an actual winery."

A year after Vineyard 48 in Cutchogue closed down permanently in 2017, owners were slapped with $160,000 in fines, town officials said. Vineyard 48 closed permanently in 2017 after being shut down earlier that year by the New York State Liquor Authority.

Vineyard 48 sparked controversy in the community as, for years, frustrated residents cried out about quality of life concerns they said the establishment brought to the bucolic North Fork, including loud music, fights, alleged public sex acts, and alcohol overdoses.