New York Post

GALS’ NIGHT IS OUT: WINERIES

LI bacheloret­tes lose grape escape

- By LIA EUSTACHEWI­CH and RUTH BROWN Additional reporting by Ruth Brown lia.eustachewi­ch@nypost.com

Some eastern Long Island wineries are serving up a giant buzzkill for brides-to-be — banning bacheloret­te parties from the premises.

Owners of the businesses along the North and South Forks — long havens for soon-tomarry ladies looking to let loose ahead of their big days — say crowds of rowdy women are not exactly the clientele they’re going for, according to reports.

Wölffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons updated its Web site in May to make its stance clear.

“We are delighted when guests choose to celebrate an occasion with us. However, we do not allow bacheloret­te parties,” the site reads.

“To be respectful to our other guests, we kindly request that any celebrator­y birthday or anniversar­y décor or accessorie­s be left behind.”

Last summer, a group of women in tiaras and “Bride Squad” shirts — chanting “Ro-sé all day! Ro-sé all day!” — descended on the stately vineyard, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“They would literally be doing a pyramid of women in the vineyard,” retail-sales director Suellen Tunney told the paper.

“You would have bridezilla after bridezilla.”

Some wineries are so serious about keeping out the wedding riffraff, they warn ahead of time: Act up and face a $20-per-person penalty, CBS New York reported.

But tour operators say the vino venues shouldn’t be turning their noses up at paying customers.

“There are a few wineries that are being very restrictiv­e and discrimina­tory, in my opinion . . . [the women are] paying customers. If they’re going to pay the fees, they have a right to go to the wineries,” said Jim Ferrarie of Long Island Wine Tours told The Post. “I bring out bacheloret­te parties and corporate parties every week.”

And the revelers agree. “I got the sense it was probably pretty good business for the wineries to have a bunch of bacheloret­te parties,” Julie Adler told CBS.

She and her pals had booked a limousine to chauffeur them from winery to winery on the East End.

“I personally had a great time and didn’t see anyone who was particular­ly wild or crazy,” she said.

 ??  ?? BURNT TOAST: Some wineries are fed up with bacheloret­te parties that get out of hand, and have pulled the welcome mat from under women who, unlike these, get raucous.
BURNT TOAST: Some wineries are fed up with bacheloret­te parties that get out of hand, and have pulled the welcome mat from under women who, unlike these, get raucous.

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