CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia — The Trump Organization is hoping to get America excited again, this time with a new line of patriotic ciders unveiled Thursday at the newly opened Trump Cidery in Charlottesville, Virginia.
For now, they only sell Donny Appleseed or Passionate Patriot Cider at their headquarters, but will soon begin bottling and shipping to retailers.
“Five years ago, no one would have thought the Trump family would be planting 10,000 to 12,000 apple trees,” company president Eric Trump joked. “Most people probably didn't think we'd get involved in politics, either. But here we are.”
Trump Winery general manager Kelly Woolard told The Washington Post that when the Trump Organization took over the winery 12 years ago, it was poorly maintained and in disrepair. Today, Trump Winery is one of the top wine producers in the state, selling more than 60,000 cases last year.
“It's taken a lot of hard work and great people, but what was once bank-owned and completely unnoticed land is now a productive farm that employs more than 120 people,” Woolard said.
“Twelve years ago, this land was falling apart,” Trump said from the podium, “but we fixed it. We worked at it. We can do it for our state. And, if you'll allow me to talk politics here, we can do it for the country.”
Notably, the house is just a short distance from Thomas Jefferson's historic Monticello estate.
“There's a lot of history here,” Trump told The Washington Post. “Three presidents have had homes here, including Donald Trump.”
While 150 guests sipped cider, the Trump.org CEO told The Post that he wouldn't be drinking the fruits of the winery's labor himself, perhaps following in the footsteps of his teetotaling father. Since taking over as president in 2017, he has not been involved in the family business.
“I don't drink much,” said the younger of Trump's sons. “I really just work.”
The winery's activities are a boon to Virginia's wine industry.
“Wine Enthusiast magazine named us the No. 1 wine-producing region in the world,” Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Matt Lohr told The Washington Post. “This didn't happen by chance. It took $80 billion in investment and years of hard work.”
“We probably contributed at least a billion dollars of that,” Trump joked.
