Donald Trump purchased the 1,300-acre estate out of foreclosure from three different banks, not from Patricia Kluge directly like some have suggested. Prior to being foreclosed, Patricia Kluge, former wife of American billionaire John Kluge, did own the property. After her divorce in 1990, Kluge spent much of her remaining fortune over the following two decades, in 1999 establishing a winery and continuing to expand its production. She and her new husband also took out $65 million in loans to fund the expansion. In 2011 the couple defaulted on the loans. Bank of America acquired the mortgage on the mansion, Albemarle House, but the surrounding property was still held in a Kluge family trust. Trump, a longstanding friend of Patricia Kluge, bought the surrounding the property directly from the trust for $150,000. The bank later alleged that Trump subsequently arranged for "No Trespassing" signs to be placed around the property and to allow the lawns to become overgrown in order to ward off potential buyers and to give the appearance of Trump's exclusive access to the property, although the bank's property interest in the main house included right-of-way easements. Trump then purchased the land from Bank of America for $3.6 million, a significant discount from the $16 million the bank had paid at the foreclosure auction to retain the property and to Kluge's original $100 million asking price the prior year. In October 2012, Trump bought Albemarle House from Bank of America for $6.7 million, completing his acquisition of the entire estate.
Operations
In addition to the winery and vineyard, business operations include the hotel and facilities to host weddings, corporate and winery events. The remodeled 26,000 square-foot, 45-room mansion was opened in May 2015 as ‘Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery’, a boutique luxury hotel offering guests the opportunity ‘to stay at one of the most prestigious and architecturally significant residences in history.’ In March 2016, Donald Trump stated publicly that he owned "the largest winery on the East Coast," although Politifact later rated the statement as 'false'. Trump Winery makes 36,000 cases of wine per year compared to Williamsburg Winery and Chateau Morrisette Winery, which produces at least 60,000 cases per year, according to The Virginia Wine Board. However, Trump Winery's 227 acre vineyard is the largest in Virginia and its French vinifera acreage is the largest on the East Coast.
Awards
Numerous gold medals at national and international and best-in-class designations. 90 points from Wine Spectator for Blanc de Blanc, 91 points from James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast for Sparkling Reserve. In March 2013, Wine Enthusiast magazine gave the 2007 Trump SP Reserve a 91-point rating, which was at that time the highest rating for a still or sparkling Virginia wine.
