What starts as a local dispute — a wealthy couple trying to convert their home in a historic rural neighborhood into a commercial venue — turns into something far more troubling. Lies. Potential fraud. Elected officials with undisclosed conflicts of interest. And a community that refused to look away.
The Wine Wars | Podcast
The Wine Wars: Behind the Scenes
The Wine Wars: Behind the Scenes
Writing the Wine Wars and Why it's So Widely Read
The Wine Wars | Podcast
What happens when a plastic surgeon with deep pockets buys a historic corner of the Hudson Valley — and calls it a vineyard? In Columbia County, New York, neighbors say the grapes were never the point. Behind the pastoral branding, they allege, was always something else: a full-scale commercial wedding venue in the middle of a quiet rural community. What followed was years of zoning battles, stonewalled records requests, and a town leader caught between a powerful newcomer and the residents demanding answers. Powell House Press has been pulling the thread from the beginning — and now we're telling the whole story.
What happens when a plastic surgeon with deep pockets buys a historic corner of the Hudson Valley — and calls it a vineyard? In Columbia County, New York, neighbors say the grapes were never the point. Behind the pastoral branding, they allege, was always something else: a full-scale commercial wedding venue in the middle of a quiet rural community. What followed was years of zoning battles, stonewalled records requests, and a town leader caught between a powerful newcomer and the residents demanding answers. Powell House Press has been pulling the thread from the beginning — and now we're telling the whole story.
