Barbecue and wine? New bill will make it possible
Big changes are on the horizon for Worcester county's only winery — changes that smell a lot like pulled pork and brisket.
Currently, Costa Ventosa is barred from serving food on premise, but a newly proposed bill could allow the winery to sell tantalizing barbecue, right along with its wine. Jack Lord, who owns the Whaleyville winery with his wife, Kathryn, pushed for the legislation, saying the addition of food would greatly benefit their business.
"We're out here in the middle of the country," he said. "If we could offer something for folks to eat, they'll stay a little longer, maybe drink a little more and leave with a full belly."
Lord believes being able to offer guests lunch or dinner will make Costa Ventosa a complete destination stop, even more so than it is now.
Once approved, he said, the winery will feature a permanent food trailer, offering Texas-style, slow-roasted pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, hand-cut fries and homemade coleslaw.
The bill is scheduled for Worcester County's next public hearing, Tuesday, July 19, at 11 a.m. Merry Mears, the county's director of economic development, believes it will pass quickly, adding that the bill would be a win-win for everyone involved.
"I see nothing but benefits from this," she said. "Being able to sell food is going to help the winery create a better experience for their customers while simultaneously increasing their revenue, and it's also going to entice more people to travel to a part of the county they might not normally go to."
Mears hopes such legislation might also encourage the development of new wineries in the county.
Other local wineries have already been granted access to sell food, such as Bordeleau Vineyards, located in Wicomico County, just south of Salisbury. Unlike Costa Ventosa, who intends to implement a full-service food trailer, Bordeleau is content with pairing its wine with gourmet cheese boards.
"We would rather focus our attention on our wine," said Lisa Shelton, Bordeleau Vineyards' general manager, who said the sale — or lack thereof — of food has not affected the business.
Costa Ventosa's menu will be available each day the winery is open. On occasion, the food trailer might feature a surprise special like smoked bratwurst or shredded beef tacos, but barbecue will be its strong suit.
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Such a menu, Lord said, will pair perfectly with Costa Ventosa's nine varieties of red and white wines, and its handful of homegrown microbrews. Jack Lord and Kathryn Danko-Lord will continue to make the alcoholic beverages, while their sons handle the trailer operation.
"They are really excited about it," he said. "And I'm excited to integrate them into the family business.
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Although wine has always been a passion for the couple, who recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, they never necessarily set out to own a vineyard.
After Jack Lord retired as a Maryland State Trooper, he found himself digging a lot of holes, he said.
The first holes were for strawberries, then tomatoes and then all types of produce. About four years ago, he moved on to planting grape vines.
Now their Whaleyville property has about 4,000 of them.
"It just, sort of happened naturally," he said.
While Jack considers himself the "dirt man", it’s Kathyrn who is known as the boss. She is Coasta Ventosa's winemaker and responsible for the tasting room.
The two will soon celebrate another special date: Costa Ventosa's six year anniversary. Lord hopes to commemorate the milestone with copious amounts of barbecue.
"We still have a few hoops to jump through but we're expecting everything to pass," he said. "We're hoping to have food here by early August."
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302-537-1881, ext. 207
Coasta Ventosa
Where: 9031 Whaleysville Rd, Whaleyville
When: 12-6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Call: 410-352-9867
Visit: costaventosa.com