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Supervisor: Vineyard 48 ‘now closed’

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said the owners of Vineyard 48 have canceled their liquor license.

“The winery is now closed. Period,” Mr. Russell wrote in an email to reporters Tuesday afternoon.

The controversial Cutchogue winery had been scheduled to appear Thursday before an administrative law judge in response to the New York State Liquor Authority revoking its liquor license earlier this month.

“There is no need to proceed to an administrative hearing,” Mr. Russell said.

The winery is owned by Joseph Paul Winery Inc. They were originally scheduled to appear in Nassau County Supreme Court Oct. 11, but at the request of Vineyard 48’s attorney, that hearing was pushed back to Oct. 26, according to SLA spokesman Bill Crowley.

Mr. Crowley said in an interview Tuesday that Vineyard 48’s attorney offered a conditional no contest plea to cancel the license.

“That would cancel the license permanently,” he said.

On Wednesday the full board will vote on whether to accept that, he said.

The winery’s liquor license has been suspended since Oct. 5. The site had become “a focal point of police attention,” according to court documents.

Check back for updates on this developing story.