Another longtime Sonoma County wine business is winding down amid a wave of winery closures across California. Passaggio Wines, a small producer based in Glen Ellen, plans to close its tasting room by the end of October 2026, ending a nearly 20-year run.
Owner and winemaker Cindy Cosco announced the decision on October 6 and held a farewell gathering on October 9. The company stopped producing new wine in 2025, so the upcoming closure concerns its remaining tasting-room operation and the winding down of the wine label, not a newly announced halt to production.
A Sonoma wine business with roots in 2007
Cosco launched Passaggio Wines in 2007 with just 50 cases of unoaked Chardonnay. Over the years, she expanded into small-batch reds, whites and rosés, with a particular interest in unusual grape varieties and European-inspired styles. Her first tasting room opened in 2014, and the business later settled in Glen Ellen’s historic Jack London Village at 14301 Arnold Drive.
The location grew into more than a place to sample one winery’s bottles. In 2025, Cosco joined with six other small Sonoma County wine producers to offer visitors a wider selection in a shared tasting room called Passaggio and Company. It had a relaxed atmosphere, indoor seating and a creekside patio, making it a gathering spot for locals as well as wine tourists.
Slower sales bring the business to an end
Cosco told The Press Democrat that declining sales made it difficult to see a path through the coming winter. Rather than continue operating under those conditions, she decided to close. She also spoke about the emotional toll of seeing small wine businesses disappear from communities where the people behind them have built lasting relationships.
California’s wine industry has been facing a difficult stretch as producers contend with softer demand and higher operating costs. Even small wineries that have tried shared tasting rooms and other ways to reach customers have struggled to make the numbers work.
Passaggio’s story is also a personal one. Cosco spent years building the business from a tiny first vintage into a recognized local wine label, and she has said she is considering retiring from the industry. The farewell celebration has already taken place, but the Glen Ellen tasting room is scheduled to finish winding down before October ends.
Remaining Passaggio wine inventory is expected to be offered for sale as the business closes. The end of the tasting room will mean one fewer independent wine destination in Glen Ellen, a Sonoma Valley community known for its wineries, restaurants and small businesses.
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