Longtime SLO County winery suddenly closes tasting room. Here’s why and what’s next
Laetitia Winery and Vineyard suddenly appeared to close up shop this week as its Arroyo Grande tasting room shut its doors to customers — but the local winery isn’t going away for good, its parent company confirmed to The Tribune.
According to Deborah K. Pawlowski of Vintage Wine Estates, the wine company is reducing its workforce by about 15% across the board as it restructures its operations.
“We expect this transformation to result in a smaller company, but one that can grow sustainably while generating top-quartile industry margins,” Vintage Wine Estates President and CEO Seth Kaufman said in a news release. “We are taking immediate actions now to move toward this vision.”
Part of the company’s restructuring is focusing on its Premium+ brands, which includes Laetitia Winery, according to Pawlowski.
Vintage Wine Estates bought Laetitia Winery in 2019. At that time, the company said the Arroyo Grande winery would be “the home and hub of our Central Coast production and operations moving forward.”
That appears to still be the case.
“Laetitia is a priority brand for VWE,” Pawlowski said Thursday. “Laetitia is a prime Central Coast property (where) we have about 1,100 vineyard acres owned and leased.”
Pawlowski said the company chose to temporarily close the local tasting room as they “work to reposition and drive even greater brand desirability.”
She did not comment on how many local workers were laid off — if any — saying only that “there were reductions throughout the business.”
Going forward, Pawlowski said the company is focusing on “creating a virtuous cycle that comes from the winery and tasting room.”
That would be supplemented by a more focused digital and direct-to-consumer strategy, she said, which would ultimately end up with the brand’s wines becoming more prominent at restaurants and in retail outlets.
Laetitia history dates back to 1982, when French Champagne producer Maison Deutz planted its first vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley.
Today, according to its website, “The Laetitia estate carries on in the longstanding traditions of Burgundy and Champagne with a focus on small-lot Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.”
Though the winery’s tasting room was closed, a notice on its website noted Laetitia Winery’s online store and wine club membership remained open.
This story was originally published January 25, 2024 at 4:51 PM.
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