Pa. winery owners make the decision to keep Sundays for themselves
The family running Grandview Vineyard says that while "it wasn't an easy decision," they have chosen to close Sundays while remaining open Monday through Saturday.
Sarah Haines said she and her husband Scott, co-owners of Grandview Vineyard in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County, put a lot of thought in their decision to decide to close on Sundays.
They made that decision public in a Facebook post on April 2.
“Closing on Sundays is something I’ve been thinking about for a few years now. In the winter, Sundays are a bit slower, but in the summer they’re definitely one of our better days, so it wasn’t an easy decision,” she said in an email.
Except for the wineries open by appointment only, the only prominent one in the area closed on Sunday is Waltz Vineyards Estate Winery, also located in Lancaster County. Unlike Grandview Vineyard, that one has never been open on a Sunday.
Larry and Marilyn Kennel planted their first vines in 2009 and opened the tasting room in 2013. Indeed, for a time it was only open on Saturdays and Sundays, but later expanded its business hours to add more weekdays. In November 2020, daughter Sarah and husband Scott Haines became sole owners as the founders retired. The couple has four children.
“I’ve tried over the years to build in a day of rest on a different day of the week, but it never really stuck,” Sarah, the co-owner and CEO, said. “Life gets busy, the kids are going in different directions, and schedules are all over the place. Sundays feel slower and more set apart and give us the chance to be at church and spend time together as a family. As we’ve built our team, we’ve also tried to hire people who share similar values, and a lot of them are looking for the same thing, making it harder to staff Sundays.”
The new hours are 2 to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2 to 9 on Thursday and noon to 9 on Friday and Saturday.
The winery address is 1489 Grandview Road.
“At the end of the day, we know this might not look like the best financial move on paper, but for us it’s really about taking a step of faith and following where we feel God is leading our family and the business,” Haines said.
What hasn’t changed is the live music on the expansive deck overlooking the vineyard from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and 8:30 on Saturdays, beginning on Friday, April 24, as the daughter-dad band called The Nobles pay a visit. Seating is first-come, first-served, and wine, beer and specialty cocktails will be available at the Wine by the Vine events. Food can be bought there or visitors may bring their own. Beverages are available for purchase until 8:30 p.m.
As for what else was new there, Haines said in her email that “spring is always a busy time for us — we’re catching up in the vineyard, getting the wedding venue cleaned up and ready to go, and gearing up for lots of events in May.”
The most significant release of the past nine months was the 2022 Grande Rouge, only the third vintage of this wine (2013 and 2016 were the other two).
“It has bold, dark fruit flavors like black cherry and ripe plum, with a subtle hint of pepper and spice,” Haines said. “There’s a nice touch of toasted oak for depth, and smooth, elegant tannins that round it out.”
It’s a blend of 67% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot — very much in the style of a Right Bank Bordeaux, and true to form, still Merlot-forward, she added. Wines cost from $18 to $36, with the Grand Rouge priced at $45.
“We also had an incredible growing season in 2023, and we’re really excited about a new blend that’s currently aging,” she said. “It will be our first Left Bank Bordeaux-style wine — the 2023 Grande Rouge will be a Cabernet-heavy blend, which is something new for us!”
The wine was bottled in August 2025 and expected to be released sometime this summer or fall.
Such a tough choice in their businesses. But I applaud the choice.