The beautiful 41-acre experience-focused winery is the brainchild of enophiles, Neviana Zhgaba and Ardian Llomi, who purchased the former 200-year-old farm in 2016. Drawing on their Mediterranean heritage, the Aquila’s Nest Vineyard experience intermingles mythology, art and wine to create a story that will define the guest experience from the moment one enters the driveway, to the first peak of the Mediterranean statues in front the winery entrance.
Ardian and Neviana both grew up in Albania, a country in the crossroads of Italian, Slavic, Turkish and Greek traditions. Ardian was raised in the Albanian countryside, where fruticulture and farming was part of everyday life. Throughout the period of the winemaking process, many families of the community would get together to taste the old wines, share winemaking best practices, bring up discussions from many other areas of life and talk about what they could do better as a community.
Even though they had been working in the industrial and technology space for over 10 years, it’s always been a dream of theirs to own farmland, plant a vineyard, operate a small winery and embrace the farming lifestyle. After creating a family and having two young boys, Ardian and Neviana were then envisioning to build up something unique for the Fairfield County community.
The new brushed-steel barn-like winery makes a stark, simple silhouette against the region’s famously bucolic landscape and the mesmerizing vineyard sunsets. Rooted in simplicity and inspired by the colors of nature, the 4,000-square foot facility shares production space with a 75-seat wine bar and tasting room which opens to an outdoor seating terrace overlooking the vineyards and stunning sunset.
Since October 2020 we are proud of having hosted thousands of visitors while partnering with so many members of our community:
•Partnered and empowered 80+ women-owned businesses to create unique local wine and crafts/arts/food experiences for our guests.
•Hosted over over 580 music performances, promoting local musicians. Live music performances take place year round, Thursday through Sunday in the summer and fall season.
•Promoted the arts by hosting outdoor sculpture exhibits with the Culture Alliance of Western Connecticut, dance performances with Pilobolus, Ballaro Dance, Sacred Heart University Dance program, Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, music performances with Western Connecticut State University Jazz program, Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra.
•Supported over 170 local nonprofits and charitable organizations with over $63,000 in raffle certificates, donations, and fundraiser sponsorships.
•Climate Neutral Certified since 2022, having offset all operating carbon emissions.
•Became a tourist destination in Connecticut where 20% of guests are out-of-state visitors.
Aquila’s Nest Vineyards is an experience and impact focused vineyard, and a climate neutral certified winery, providing visitors with immersive events that embrace each of the five senses. Carpe Vinum🍷
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