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Patrick Duffeler, now retired, is chairman of Williamsburg Winery’s board.
In 1987, Patrick Duffeler made the leap from international business executive to local vintner. That year, at the James City County farm he and hislate wife Peggy purchased, the Duffelers rolled up their sleeves and coaxed grapevines to bear fruit. The following February, Williamsburg Winery released its first label, Governor’s White.
Duffeler’s 180-degree turn was audacious. Virginia, at the time, was home to only 14 other wineries. Locally, there was the Anheuser-Busch brewery, of course, but no other nearby operation was producing a beverage that demanded the time and attention of fine wine. The Historic Triangle was simply waiting for a pioneer.
Duffeler had conducted ample research at Virginia wineries and discovered that the background and skill of the vintner had more bearing on the final product than soil and weather. Williamsburg and great wine were not mutually exclusive.
Duffeler soon received positive feedback from prominent members of the community, and later, from connoisseurs. The Duffelers helped establish Williamsburg as a place where craft beverages are as genuine as the history.
Flash forward 30 years, and a range of local craft beverages can be part of the Historical Triangle experience for those who care to include them. Duffeler, now retired but still chairman of Williamsburg Winery’s board, sees the recent embrace of craft as pushback against the uniformity of mass production. “We’ve come to a point where people are demanding products that have authenticity and flavor,” he said. “I can decide for myself whether it’s good or not.”
