Democrats Sparred Over a Wine Cave Fund-Raiser. Its Billionaire Owner Isnt Pleased. – The New York Times

RUTHERFORD, Calif. To reach the wine cave that set off a firestorm in this weeks Democratic presidential debate, visitors must navigate a hillside shrouded in mossy oak trees and walk down a brick-and-limestone hallway lined with wine barrels. Inside the room, a strikingly long table made of wood and onyx sits below a raindrop chandelier with 1,500 Swarovski crystals.

The furnishings drew the ire of Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Thursday, when she chastised Pete Buttigieg for holding a recent fund-raiser in a wine cave full of crystals where she said guests were served $900 bottles of wine.

Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the next president of the United States, she said. Andrew Yang, a former tech executive, added that candidates should not have to shake the money tree in the wine cave.

On Friday, the billionaire couple who owns the wine cave wine is often stored underground because of the cool, stable temperatures said they were frustrated that their property had set off one of the fiercest back-and-forths of the debate. Watching the contentious moment on television, they grew frustrated as Ms. Warren and other candidates used their winery as a symbol of opulence and the wealthys influence on politics.

Im just a pawn here, said Craig Hall, who owns Hall Wines, which is known for its cabernet sauvignon, with his wife, Kathryn Walt Hall. Theyre making me out to be something thats not true. And they picked the wrong pawn. Its just not fair.

Mr. Hall said he had not settled on a favorite Democratic candidate, but that Mr. Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., was a leading contender. His positions on climate change, gun safety and immigration appealed to the couple, said Mr. Hall, who added that he wanted it to be easier for middle-class Americans to start successful businesses.

The Halls have given at least $2.4 million to Democratic candidates, committees and PACs since the 1980s, according to Federal Election Commission records. They have donated to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Kamala Harris of California before she ran for president.

But in this election cycle, some Democratic candidates have criticized the spending of wealthy donors like the Halls, arguing that their large contributions can lead to outsize influence on policy or even jobs in a future administration. Ms. Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, in particular, have harped on other candidates for soliciting wealthy donors and traveling from coast to coast to attend fund-raisers.

For the Halls, the scrutiny has felt personal. Mr. Hall said that during the debate, Ms. Hall turned to him and jokingly said she might go buy something for herself instead of contributing to another political campaign.

Mr. Hall, 69, made much of his fortune in the real estate industry and said he started a business at 18 with $4,000 from his savings account. Ms. Hall, a lawyer and businesswoman, served as the United States ambassador to Austria under President Bill Clinton after donating to his re-election campaign. Her family has worked in the wine industry since the 1970s.

As chairman of the Hall Group, which is based in Dallas, Mr. Hall oversees a financial services company, wineries, art exhibits and a luxury hotel. He said that in Texas, he is often seen as the most liberal among friends and business colleagues, part of why he felt unfairly targeted during the debate.

These people dont know who theyre talking about when they throw me in the class that they did, Mr. Hall said of the presidential candidates. As much as its frustrating, its more disappointing to me that Democrats are fighting with each other when we have a common goal, which is to get back to the White House.

On the debate stage, Mr. Buttigieg responded to the attacks by arguing that the views of donors would not influence his positions and saying that his net worth was one-hundredth that of Ms. Warrens.

Mr. Buttigieg said accepting the contributions of all donors was necessary to build a campaign ready for the fight of our lives, referring to the general election face-off against President Trump.

Ms. Warrens comments also did not sit well with some local residents, who are accustomed to encountering politicians and their high-end contributors. Ms. Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California each own a valuable vineyard nearby.

It connoted something snobbish, which it really isnt, said Carl Myers, a retired general contractor who lives in St. Helena.

Wine is stored in caves around the world, and Mr. Hall noted that the Romans followed the practice. Storing wine underground saves money on climate control and humidification, said Jonathan Ruppert, the general manager of Garys Wine & Marketplace in St. Helena.

Caves are a necessity, Mr. Ruppert said. Its the green way to keep wine and preserve it for aging.

Although the wine cave at Hall Wines is occasionally used for fund-raising events, it typically serves as a private tasting room. But the winery was closed on Friday for the employee Christmas party and, in a sign of the times, active-shooter training.

High-dollar donors have visited his wine cave, but Mr. Hall emphasized that his wineries do not sell a $900 bottle of wine or, at least, not a regularly sized one. The $900 bottle they do sell is three liters, he said, which holds as much wine as about four normal bottles. Most of the companys wines cost between $45 and $65.

Mr. Hall said he intended to support any Democratic nominee in the general election, but he admitted it would be hard to back Ms. Warren or Mr. Sanders.

I hope I dont face that question, Mr. Hall said. It may be difficult. But I really want to support whoever the nominee is, and I plan to, but there may be some holding my nose.

Carol Pogash reported from Rutherford, and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs from New York.

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Democrats Sparred Over a Wine Cave Fund-Raiser. Its Billionaire Owner Isnt Pleased. - The New York Times