Annnd another one bites the dust. This time, it’s the exclusive Center Street wine club belonging to Bill Foley, insurance billionaire and local hospitality magnate. It was called “The Society: Healdsburg,” and it just opened last November where his Banshee Wines tasting room used to be. (Banshee tastings are now hosted the winery’s more rural outpost in the Alexander Valley.)
This was the premise of the clubhouse at 325 Center St., according to a press release when it opened: “The Society celebrates three of life’s greatest passions: world-class wines, exquisite cuisine, and amazing experiences. Club members and guests will have the opportunity to taste Foley Family Wines paired with curated, locally inspired culinary creations.”
A spokesperson for Foley Family Wines now tells me over email that the company has “closed the Society to focus on our estate winery and distillery properties.” She also wants to remind customers that Foley still runs “beautiful hospitality centers at Chalk Hill, Lancaster, Roth and Ferrari-Carano” in Healdsburg, “which are some of the most iconic Wineries in our portfolio.” (Foley’s spokesperson adds: “We rented the Society building in Healdsburg so I don’t have any information on future plans for that location.”)
So along with the Williamson closure, it appears downtown Healdsburg now has two less tasting rooms. Which makes me wonder how this shift might play into the big debate about how many downtown tasting rooms is too many…
Boo-hoo. Banshee is a terrible name for a wine. In Irish folklore, a Banshee is a female spirit that heralds a death in the family.