CULTURE

Patricia Kluge: Grape Escapes

Patricia Kluge, ex-wife of billionaire John Kluge, raised eyebrows when she set out to make wine on the same Virginia soil that had thwarted Thomas Jefferson’s efforts two centuries earlier.

by W Magazine

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Patricia Kluge, ex-wife of billionaire John Kluge, raised eyebrows when she set out to make wine on the same Virginia soil that had thwarted Thomas Jefferson’s efforts two centuries earlier. An armload of wine awards later, Kluge is spreading the love, selling 511 acres of her vast estate to aspiring vintners. Twelve of the plots, which start at $2.1 million (for 21 acres), are prime for making Bordeaux and champagne varietals. Owners will have access to Kluge’s expert winemaking staff. “We’re giving people an opportunity to be country squires and produce something that they can be proud of,” Kluge says.

wine bottle: getty images; kluge: John Shearer/WireImage for Fathom Event Strategy