Wine Spectator: Eataly New York Will Close Wine Shop for Six Months

Culinary partners Mario Batali and Lidia and Joe Bastianich are closing Eataly Wine Shop, the New York wine store located next to their Italian culinary marketplace Eataly, for six months, after reaching a settlement with the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA). The partners will also pay a $500,000 fine to the SLA and remove Lidia’s name from the store’s liquor license.

“We’ve been working with the SLA for most of a year,” Joe Bastianich told Wine Spectator. “We find it regrettable, but we’ve accepted the settlement and we’re moving forward.”

The settlement came March 25 after lengthy talks between the partners and the state. The SLA’s complaint was that the store was violating state liquor laws prohibiting licensees from owning wine stores and winemaking or importing businesses. Since 1997, Bastianich has produced wines in northeast Italy’s Colli Orientali del Friuli region. SLA officials alleged that the partners lied or “suppressed information” about their wholesale and winemaking interests. The charges could have resulted in the revocation of the store’s license. Originally the partners denied the allegations, but last month began discussions about a settlement.

A date for closing the Eataly Wine Shop has not been set yet, but Joe Bastianich says it will sell his wines when it reopens. “We plan to re-open the store in six months,” he said. “Everything will be exactly the same.”

Tagged : New York City, restaurants, retail, wine

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