District Winery Plans to Produce 20 Different Wines in Yards Park

The owners of District Winery, the pioneering commercial winery currently scheduled to open later this summer in The Yards, intend to produce nearly two dozen different wines a year and want to be the go-to place for local weddings.

The District location of New York-based Brooklyn Winery continues to come together inside the sleek, two-story Forest City building being erected at 385 Water Street SE. The giant 17,000-square-foot space facing the Anacostia River plans to feature an on-site wine production facility, tasting room, and private event spaces. District Winery co-founders Brian Leventhal and John Stires are largely banking on the wedding crowd for events business. The forthcoming winery’s wraparound outdoor terrace has a green roof and canopy, so winter ceremonies and events are feasible.

A full-service restaurant will be helmed by chefs Michael Gordon, an alum of Bouley and the Mandarin Oriental in New York City, and Benjamin Lambert, who has cooked locally at 701 Restaurant and soon-to-be-gone Restaurant Nora. Menu details remain under wraps for now, other than the fact the chefs plan to focus on “seasonal American fare.”

As for the wine making component, the plan is to source grapes from across the country with an emphasis on California regions; District Winery winemaker Conor McCormack is shooting to produce 20 different wines each year. In addition to theoretically fueling wedding toasts, the wines will also be poured at a tasting bar in the lobby and made available for retail purchase.

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