Buy the Winery

First let me assure any of my regular customers that it is my intention that nothing will change with regard to any confirmed dates or events. I will make any contract of sale include all existing contracts to be completed.  I live on the property right next to the winery so I won’t be far from the action and I hope to continue to farm the rest of my farm.  I may even be involved in some capacity during the initial transition and the process will take some time since there is alcohol involved.

It’s been 33 years since this project started, 30 since the winery opened. I love it but it’s time to find someone else to take it over. I think a young family with some strong financial support or a group of friends who have always wanted to be involved in the wine business are the prime candidates for operating the winery.  Of course a strong investor could purchase it and keep the current staff to run it with little need for being involved in day to day operations.

So!!! Is it you? Do you want to buy this business that is also a labor of love? If you are interested please email me: mattyfla@gmail.com

Some more details:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

The 22.53 acres comprising the Four Sisters Winery at Matarazzo Farms is nestled in a beautiful valley amidst the rolling fields and picturesque hills of Warren County, New Jersey.  It is part of an agricultural tradition carried on by “Matty” Matarazzo on a portion of his 230 acre farm.  Since 1981, Matty has been growing grapes and producing award winning wines with ever increasing success, a reflection of his commitment to the land and its fruitfulness. He is the third generation farmer of a family who started farming in 1921.
Since its 1984 opening, Four Sisters Winery continues to offer the public a variety of quality wines in a warm country setting.  Educational tours and comprehensive wine tastings offer visitors a greater understanding of the processes involved in growing grapes and making wine.  Four Sisters Winery has won over 100 regional, national, and international awards for red, white, rose, and fruit wines.
The winery also plays host too many events including corporate picnics, weddings and every form of family gathering imaginable.  In addition to private events, the winery offers dozens of opportunities throughout the year to enjoy Grape Stomping Parties, Murder Mystery Dinners, and a number of other innovative events designed to bring new customers to the winery.  A traditional Mother’s Day Buffet and Father’s Day Pig Roast are annual events at the winery.  A Family Fun Weekend is held every August and Fall Harvest Weekends are celebrated throughout October with pick your own pumpkins and apples and a challenging corn maze.   The Pumpkins and apples are offered on property adjacent to the winery.
Aunt Sadie’s Bakery and Café is open most weekends in September and October and offers weekend lunch specials in a comfortable atmosphere on the deck, at a picnic table on the grassy fields or under a tent over-looking the vineyards. Added in 2012 is “The Packing Barn” which plays host to many indoor events and provides a unique and better accommodating facility for our busy crowds in the fall.
In June of 2015 the winery continued its efforts of going green by installing enough solar panels to provide solar power to all the buildings on the property. Not only is it a cost savings to the winery but a benefit to old mother earth as we use her natural powers to keep the lights on.

 

Four Sisters Winery at Matarazzo Farms operates under a Plenary “21” Winery license.  This type of license entitles the holder to produce fermented wines and to blend, fortify and treat wines and to sell and distribute the product to wholesalers and retailers. To qualify for this license, a person or entity must engage in growing and cultivating grapes or fruit used in the production of the wine on at least three acres on or adjacent to the winery premises.   This license entitles the holder to maintain a warehouse, to sell his products at retail to consumers on the licensed premises of the winery for consumption on or off the premises and to offer samples for sampling purposes only.  The holder of this license also has the right to sell such wine at retail in original packages in sixteen salesrooms apart from the winery premises for consumption on or off the premises and for sampling purposes for consumption on the premises.  This license also allows the winery to act as its own distributor within the State of New Jersey.  Currently, the winery utilizes 2 of its own outlets in Morristown, and Phillipsburg and distributes to approximately 32 liquor stores on a monthly basis.  In May of 2012 we were granted the right to ship wines and we are currently licensed to ship in NJ and processing applications for other states as the demand comes in.

 

 

For sale in this transaction is 22.53 acres which includes the vineyards, poles and wires, five (5) buildings including (a) the Winery Building with production center in the cellar; (b) the Farm Market Store, Cafe and Vintner’s Room; (c) the Business Office and Storage Area;  (d) the “Packing Barn” which includes three temperature controlled rooms and a large open center room used for special events and larger crowds on busy retail weekends; and (e) a pole barn located right behind the winery used to house open fermentors as well as for our special barefoot grape stomping activity.  The land, buildings and vineyards are valued in excess of $900,000 and are surrounded by an active farm.  The business value will be shared once anyone with interest is qualified.