After a “harebrained” idea to plant a home vineyard, Arnold Breitbart started a unique Springsteen fan project. Photo: Courtesy of Arnold Breitbart
By day, soft-spoken plastic surgeon Arnold Breitbart nips and tucks. In his spare time, he tends to an elaborate winemaking endeavor in his backyard and basement. He grows grapes in his self-planted vineyard, then crushes, ferments, bottles, corks and labels. “It’s an amateur operation,” the self-proclaimed perfectionist explains, “but I try to do it professionally.”
Though Breitbart is now based on Long Island, he was born and raised in Jersey, spent many summers in Bradley Beach and Asbury Park, and attended Princeton. A devout Bruce Springsteen fan since high school—he’s attended an estimated 100 concerts all over the world, danced and sang with him onstage in 2016, and performs cosmetic procedures to his music—Breitbart was a few years into making vino when he decided to create a Born to Run-themed bottle. Then he kept going, creating distinct wines for each of Springsteen’s 21 studio albums, plus additional compilations.
Photo: Courtesy of Arnold Breitbart
The 30-something varietals span red, white and sparkling. Born to Run warranted a classic cabernet sauvignon; Greetings from Asbury Park a rosé, after a “Spirit in the Night” lyric. Darkness on the Edge of Town is an inky pinot noir, and Live/1975-85 is a champagne to match its rollicking mood.
Photo: Courtesy of Arnold Breitbart
Fans can view the collection at the Springsteen Archives at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. Breitbart doesn’t sell his wines, but often gives them to family, friends and Springsteen insiders, like Boss biographer Dave Marsh and photographer Danny Clinch. In 2018, he handed some bottles to Bruce’s wife, singer-songwriter Patti Scialfa, as she was heading into a Springsteen on Broadway performance. Scialfa thanked him, Instagrammed a photo of the wines once inside, and told him on her way out, “I’m bringing ’em home.”
“I don’t know if Bruce has ever tried them; I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t,” jokes Breitbart. But, should he ever desire either a few spare bottles or a bulk order, Breitbart promises, “I’ll be in my car delivering them.”
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