Sonoma’s largest downtown winery, Sebastiani Winery will be closed by Foley Family Wines. But administrative offices and tasting room will remain open.
“This is not a spot that anyone would choose to locate a modern winery,” Foley President Shawn Schiffer told the Index-Tribune. “A variety of factors (have) led us to the conclusion that the Sebastiani site is not the right place to bear a large share of our manufacturing needs. The size and layout of the facility as well as environmental concerns like the encroachment of the surrounding residential neighborhood and public access trail all played a part in our decision.”
Schiffer said that the site and its surrounding neighborhood have struggled with issues of truck traffic. “The neighbors have been very patient,” he said, citing some recent issues that included a Sebastiani truck knocking down a fire hydrant, as well as environmental concerns.
The Foley-owned Ferrari-Carano facilities at Dry Creek and Alexander Valley in Healdsburg will take over the bulk of the production for the Sebastiani label.
The Sebastiani Winery is largely a union shop. Union representatives suggested Foley wants to transfer production — but not union workers — to another site. “Or maybe they plan to give everyone a severance and then reopen with temporary (non-union) workers.”
The Sebastiani winery was founded in Sonoma in 1904. Wine production has occurred continuously at the site since 1904, including through Prohibition and the Depression, according to the winery’s website.