The Naked Grape Enoteca to Close at End of Month

After three and a half years in the Sewickley village, The will close its doors at the end of the month.

Owner Ryta Mirisciotti-Jungling said the last official day is June 30. The Enoteca will be open to the public until then and only open to host a few private events in July to which they are committed.

“We’re sad to leave, I have to say,” she told Patch, adding that they aren't planning to go far.

Ryta and her husband David Jungling plan to take the Tuscan-style escape to the virtual world once the physical location at 515 Broad St. is closed.

“We will maintain our website,” Ryta Mirisciotti-Jungling said.

In fact, they plan to continue operating, as most importers do, by pursuing sales to restaurants, providing wine services and concentrating in the future on an online presence. The Naked Grape has catered local events and parties at venues such as the Sewickley Heights Golf Club and the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, and plans to maintain that involvement in Sewickley.  

The closing follows , also closing at the end of the month, and , which closed earlier this month all for various reasons. The Naked Grape owners said it wasn't an easy decision to come to and they appreciate everyone's support during the transition, which they said is another part of the restaurant’s ongoing evolution.

In August last year, the Naked Grape closed for several months to do some remodeling before reopening several months later as the Naked Grape Enoteca. Customers were able to sample new imported wines that were also available to order for home consumption, a difficult process currently in Pennsylvania.

In an email last week to customers, the owners spelled out the main reasons that led to their decision, which included state regulations and limitations that are placed on how physical locations can conduct business.

Because of regulations, the owners hoped to sell to restaurants—the sole practice of most importers—to reach the volume of sales needed while the wine-tasting room caught on. But while much time was being dedicated to the physical business, relying on the growth of walk-in traffic to keep going didn’t happen at a practical pace.

Ryta said interested parties who want to put a restaurant in have been looking at the space. She said she hopes to see another unique dining place.

"I feel confident though that a new business will come in and that it will be great," she said. "I have nothing but great things to say about being a merchant in the village. It's been wonderful." 

The Final Flight Night

is the theme for the final Flight Night on Wednesday, June 27. Enjoy sampling wines from each of these categories and specifically sampling a sparkling wine not sampled yet in the Tasting Room.

Be sure to pick up any cellared wine, or enjoy it at the Grape, by Saturday, June 30, the last day of business. You can pick up wine during normal business hours except during private events.

Enoteca gift certificates will be honored until June 30.