A DESTINATION WINERY
Newtown couple’s plan for vineyard draws scrutiny
An Albanian couple’s vison for their newly opened vineyard that combines winemaking with yoga meditations, private celebrations and art installations is drawing scrutiny in a residential neighborhood outside Sandy Hook. “It’s controversial because it’s in a residential zone, but I think it is something we can look at,” said George Benson, Newtown’s planning director, during a public hearing about the winery last week. “I think there’s a lot that can be pared down.”
Members of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission agreed that the owners of Aquila’s Nest Vineyards on Pole Bridge Road had the
“I’m just concerned that there is going to be a lot of noise and a lot of traffic.” Corinne Cox, a member of the commission, during the public hearing
entrepreneurial spirit Newtown wanted to encourage, but not if it ruined the quality of life for homeowners on Lake Zoar’s west shore.
“I’m just concerned that there is going to be a lot of noise and a lot of traffic,” said Corinne Cox, a member of the commission, during the public hearing. “I’m not sure it’s the most appropriate use for the winery.”
At issue is Newtown’s newest and only winery on a 40-acre hilltop east of Sandy Hook. Owned by Ardian Llomi and Neviana Zhgaba, the winery has been making a name for itself since it opened in late October — not only as a place to buy locally grown dry rose, but as a destination.
“We’ve partnered with many local businesses in the past few months to create offerings and wine pairings — for example, we partnered with the chocolatier and yoga teachers and the oyster bar — so that they bring their products to the winery, and we do a pairing with our wines,” said Neviana Zhgaba during a Jan. 7 public hearing on Zoom.
“Those types of safe, social-distanced events have been pretty successful so far,” Zhgaba told planners. “We have been allowed to have those events because the Zoning Department has given us a special exception until the end of December, but we’ve been asked to (propose) what we would like to do permanently going forward.”
The winery is proposing new uses to be included in the town zone for vineyards, including “food trucks, private events, recreational activities, art installations, and farmers markets.”
The idea is to do more than grow red and white grapes in the fields, and sell bottles of merlot and riesling in the winery, Zhgaba said during the public hearing.
“The way we sell wine is we always pair the wine with food — so people experience it better,” Zhgaba said. “People like to come to the winery to experience the farm.”
The idea has the backing of Andrea Spencer, a member of the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, who called Aquila’s Nest Vineyards “a unique place with a special vision” in a letter to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
“It’s a place to bring people and the community together with good food, wine, lively conversation, and encourage educational opportunities for young people, and appreciation for the arts through the promotion of local talent,” Spencer wrote.
Benson said Aquila’s agribusiness model was similar to other innovative farms in Connecticut and across the country.
“A lot of farms have barn weddings now — it’s very popular,” Benson said. “So we have to look at it and see what we can do.”
The Planning and Zoning Commission continued the public hearing on Aquila’s request to Jan. 21.
The hope was Benson and Aquila’s owners could find common ground.
“We want them to be successful, but we have to control it,” Benson said at the hearing. “I think we should allow some type of uses beyond what we do, but we have to be careful not to disturb the residential zone.”
This week, Zhgaba would only say that discussions are underway.
“The town has been pretty welcoming to our idea, so we’ll see what happens,” Zhgaba said.