The future of the iconic fifty-six-year-old Kenwood Vineyards is sparking confusion this week following a “permanent closure” notice and a sudden change in ownership.
According to the North Bay Business Journal, French spirits giant Pernod Ricard filed a state notice to lay off fourteen employees and shutter the winery by March 31st, but public records show the thirty-three-acre property was just sold for four million dollars to a company led by Gary Heck, the owner of Korbel.
While the winery’s website and tasting room claim they are only “temporarily closed” and expect to reopen by June, the official layoff notices have left fans of the brand’s historic Sonoma Highway estate in limbo. Heck originally sold Kenwood to Pernod Ricard back in 2014, and this latest real estate move suggests the brand might be returning to its former roots.
For now, tastings are canceled and no new orders are being accepted as the local wine community waits to see if this is a final goodbye or just a change of hands.