Winery Shut Down Over Rowdy Sex Parties

Wine tastings have a reputation for being mature, sophisticated affairs. But there's still alcohol involved, and it's not unheard of for a fancy wine tasting to turn into a wine-soaked bacchanal. Earlier this month one woman's classy wine tasting got so out of hand she had to buy a "Sorry I tried to bite you" cake for a New Orleans police officer. Now one Long Island winery has lost its liquor license after neighbors complained about frequent incidents of lewd behavior, mass brawls, and even extremely intoxicated patrons trespassing on neighbors' properties to relieve themselves.

According to Drinks Business, police were called out to Vineyard 48 in Long Island on September 30 after neighbors said there was a wild party and people were "engaging in sexual acts" in public and even defecating on neighbors' lawns. Later that same day, police were called to a mass brawl of "400 disorderly, heavily intoxicated patrons" who were all shoving and screaming at each other at the winery. A third brawl that day involved more than a dozen drunk, fighting winery customers, and police ordered the winery to close for the afternoon.

State liquor authorities say that was the last straw, but it was far from the first incident of a wild, out of control party at the winery.

"Vineyard 48 has amassed a disturbing record of repeatedly serving patrons far beyond the point of extreme intoxication, straining police resources and wreaking havoc on their neighbors and the surrounding community," said the Counsel to the New York State Liquor Authority.

Police were called to the winery 10 times in four months. There were reportedly at least two alcohol overdoses and four instances of extremely drunk people causing fights or other disturbances.

On October 6 the state liquor authority suspended the winery's liquor license, saying "no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises." That's a tough sentence for a winery, and three weeks later the owners shut it down completely and said the winery would close. Vineyard 48 is no more, but potential visitors should check out one of 2017's 101 best wineries in America instead.