170-year-old family-owned vineyard near Lodi sells as demand declines
LODI – Nearly 100 acres of a longtime Lodi vineyard that has been around for over a century has been sold.
The owners of Heritage Oak say they had to sell 96 acres of their land that's been passed down through five generations. But they're still trying to keep some traditions alive.
Rows and rows of vineyards that will soon become something else.
Tom Hoffman, the owner of the vineyard, felt it was time to let go of a major part of his family's land that had been handed down for generations.
"When I was a kid, this was a peach orchard," Hoffman said.
Hoffman has seen the San Joaquin County landscape change over time.
Vineyards line the roads and routes of Lodi and Acampo now, but his family has been on this same piece of land longer than most.
"This is the 170-year legacy land here?" CBS13 asked.
"This is it right here," he responded. "1856, I believe, is when my great-great-grandfather came here from Kentucky."
Just six years after California became a state and well before the roads that led to his vineyard were built.
"So the land has changed and morphed. It has," Hoffman responded, "and it will continue, it's a process."
It will continue after this land has changed hands.
Of the 96 acres his family has owned since 1856, Tom will be the last to own it.
"The gentleman that bought it says he's not a farmer, so what he plans to do is remove the grapes and put in pasture for cattle," he said.
Hoffman feels he made the bitter, but right decision.
"It's tough to let go, or be the one to let it go," he said. "After so many generations have walked and worked and lived, on this same piece of property. My brother and sister are my partners, and they aren't interested in moving the vineyard forward. There aren't a lot of options really."
The past few years have been tough on wine grape growers.
Supply is easy to come by, but demand isn't.
This, on top of other factors, is one of the reasons he had to sell.
"There's no need for them to produce all this wine if people aren't drinking it," said Hoffman.
"It's a trend across California," said Stuart Spencer with the Lodi Grape Commission, "and across the United States in rural communities and family farms."
Spencer echoes the troubles Hoffman and many other grape growers in Lodi have.
"They're under a tremendous amount of pressure, and the people that make the policies and decisions don't seem to care," said Spencer.
Hoffman and his family aren't going away completely, however.
There are still 10 acres of land they're keeping, that will remain the vineyard, to continue his family's winery, Heritage Oak.
"People are always looking for new places to visit, so I think there's a future for businesses like this," concluded Hoffman.
The Heritage Oak Winery is open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Hoffman says it's the heart of the winery that will continue hopefully for five more generations to come.
