Yesterday the news from last year actually became official: Allegro Winery finalized the purchase of the former Naylor Wine Cellars property in Stewartstown. I know that most people were probably under the impression that this happened almost a year ago, but these things take time.
Dick Naylor passed away on December 10, 2018, and a few weeks later the long-time family friend and accountant to the Naylor family, George Dotzel, called me to see if I had an interest in the property. This led to numerous meetings with him and Janey Potter (Dick Naylor's daughter) regarding what the future of the property would be. In the end, it was decided that Allegro Winery would purchase the assets and real estate while Naylor Wine Cellars would continue on at their Queensgate location until their existing inventory was sold.
Through it all, we have been making preparations for what the future of Allegro looks like and how we can best use the property. First and foremost, it had become clear in recent years that we needed more production space. Sure, we built on a 3,000 sq ft addition (two-story barrel room and warehouse) in 2016, but within two years we were already stressing the limits of what we could hold in that new space. I jokingly told folks in 2016 that they weren't allowed to complain about needing a new building for five years....that ban only lasted for two.) Our increased sales through all three state-wide warehouses along with the groceries stores was taking a toll on our floor-space. We were playing a vinous version of Tetris, and it was only a matter of time before our game was over.
I had started looking around for a site where we could actually build something to suit us, perhaps ten acres where we could put a 5,000 sq ft building and further our expansion......maybe plant some more vines as well. There were a couple places closer to us that would have worked, and then fate intervened.
When I first came to Allegro in 2001, I knew that I was fulfilling a dream. But it turns out it wasn't just my dream, but also that of the Crouch brothers before me. I was 31 years old when I showed up, and it turns out that John had also been 31 years old when he came to Allegro back in 1978. Serendipitous and crazy how we would both be the same age coming to the same place for the same dreams. Seems like a lifetime ago that I was hanging out with him eating takeout pizza and drinking Cadenza.
I was also keenly aware of the Dick Naylor at the time. He operated one of the largest wineries in the area and had been a good friend of John's as well as Mike Fiore (from Fiore Winery in Maryland.) I was pretty amazed at the size of the operation he ran. It was similar in size to the furniture plant I ran in a former life, and I never dreamed that I would need a winery that size. Now we do.
What this aquisition will afford us is a lot more production space. Besides helping to supply wine for Allegro's enormous recent growth, we're going to be able to take on new ventures.
I know that there will be confusion about what is actually going on, and I'm sure that it will take a while to get it all figured out. This Stewartstown location will be a second winery location for Allegro where we will sell Allegro wines and host events. When people heard the news about this, they automatically assumed we'd be making Naylor wines (we're not). Some thought we'd be moving away from Brogue (we're not). We're just going to do there what we've always tried to do in Brogue: sell wine. But this time it'll be a little more convenient for most involved.
This little winery out in the middle of nowhere has now grown to be one of the largest in Pennsylvania. Out of 270 wineries, we're ranked around 10th in production size. We currently make more than three times the amount of wine than all York county wineries combined. (In 2020 we'll bottle over a quarter million bottles.)
It's hard to imagine when I think back to 2001 that we would be here today. Back then, in my first year, I bottled 20,000 bottles with lots of help from friends and anyone else who was willing to help. Fast-forward almost twenty years--I'm now almost 50 years old--and we're purchasing the property that was Naylor Wine Cellars. And in a serendipitous turn of events, I believe Dick Naylor was approximately 50 years old when he founded Naylor back in 1978. Strange how these things happen.
It's times like these when I finally get perspective on life. We really are just standing on the shoulders of giants.
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| East Side of the former Naylor Wine Cellars |
Through it all, we have been making preparations for what the future of Allegro looks like and how we can best use the property. First and foremost, it had become clear in recent years that we needed more production space. Sure, we built on a 3,000 sq ft addition (two-story barrel room and warehouse) in 2016, but within two years we were already stressing the limits of what we could hold in that new space. I jokingly told folks in 2016 that they weren't allowed to complain about needing a new building for five years....that ban only lasted for two.) Our increased sales through all three state-wide warehouses along with the groceries stores was taking a toll on our floor-space. We were playing a vinous version of Tetris, and it was only a matter of time before our game was over.
I had started looking around for a site where we could actually build something to suit us, perhaps ten acres where we could put a 5,000 sq ft building and further our expansion......maybe plant some more vines as well. There were a couple places closer to us that would have worked, and then fate intervened.
When I first came to Allegro in 2001, I knew that I was fulfilling a dream. But it turns out it wasn't just my dream, but also that of the Crouch brothers before me. I was 31 years old when I showed up, and it turns out that John had also been 31 years old when he came to Allegro back in 1978. Serendipitous and crazy how we would both be the same age coming to the same place for the same dreams. Seems like a lifetime ago that I was hanging out with him eating takeout pizza and drinking Cadenza.
I was also keenly aware of the Dick Naylor at the time. He operated one of the largest wineries in the area and had been a good friend of John's as well as Mike Fiore (from Fiore Winery in Maryland.) I was pretty amazed at the size of the operation he ran. It was similar in size to the furniture plant I ran in a former life, and I never dreamed that I would need a winery that size. Now we do.
What this aquisition will afford us is a lot more production space. Besides helping to supply wine for Allegro's enormous recent growth, we're going to be able to take on new ventures.
- There's an incredible event pavilion where we will continue to host musical events every summer as well as weddings and other events. (Looks like I'm going to have to take down my old descriptions of Allegro as a place that doesn't do events!)
- The vineyard is 11 acres of mostly hybrid grape varieties that will help us control more of the supply chain of grapes that we need for our wines.
- With the new space available, we can finally start to release a couple more brands that we have been working on. As a winemaker, there's lots I'd like to try to do, and not all of them fall under the "Allegro" umbrella. Our RAVE cans were the first foray into this....there will be more.
- The extra space will most importantly allow us to undertake a new project we're calling "Pennsylvania Wine Works" where I hope to be able to help other wineries expand their production through custom winemaking. It will also be a channel where new vineyards, wineries, or even restaurants and private individuals wanting to get a start in this industry can find the resources to make wine.
I know that there will be confusion about what is actually going on, and I'm sure that it will take a while to get it all figured out. This Stewartstown location will be a second winery location for Allegro where we will sell Allegro wines and host events. When people heard the news about this, they automatically assumed we'd be making Naylor wines (we're not). Some thought we'd be moving away from Brogue (we're not). We're just going to do there what we've always tried to do in Brogue: sell wine. But this time it'll be a little more convenient for most involved.
This little winery out in the middle of nowhere has now grown to be one of the largest in Pennsylvania. Out of 270 wineries, we're ranked around 10th in production size. We currently make more than three times the amount of wine than all York county wineries combined. (In 2020 we'll bottle over a quarter million bottles.)
It's hard to imagine when I think back to 2001 that we would be here today. Back then, in my first year, I bottled 20,000 bottles with lots of help from friends and anyone else who was willing to help. Fast-forward almost twenty years--I'm now almost 50 years old--and we're purchasing the property that was Naylor Wine Cellars. And in a serendipitous turn of events, I believe Dick Naylor was approximately 50 years old when he founded Naylor back in 1978. Strange how these things happen.
It's times like these when I finally get perspective on life. We really are just standing on the shoulders of giants.
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