Coppola buys Geyser Peak winery

GEYSERVILLE -- Francis Ford Coppola Winery today confirmed it purchased the Geyser Peak winery facility and surrounding vines in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley winegrowing region to expand wine production.

[caption id="attachment_70637" align="alignright" width="299"] Francis Ford Coppola's wine company acquired the Geyser Peak Winery facility and surrounding vines in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley winegrowing region. (file photo)[/caption]

The purchase of the production winery and 32 acres of surrounding vines from an affiliate of Entertainment Properties Trust's VinREIT subsidiary is the latest divestiture from that portfolio and another move by a North Coast wine producer to gain direct control of production capacity and grape supply.

The deal didn't include the Geyser Peak wine brand. Accolade Wines North America, which acquired the lease from the facility from Ascentia Wine Estates last year, will continue to make brand there and sell it in the tasting room. Accolade now leases the property from the Napa-based Coppola organization.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery will use excess capacity there to expand production, according to Corey Beck, director of winemaking. Other terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

"With premium production space in high demand, especially in northern Sonoma County, we are thrilled to find a facility just four miles north of Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville," Mr. Beck said in a statement. "This exciting expansion will ensure that we have the accommodations to support our network of valued grapegrowers from Sonoma County, as well as the North Coast, and that they have a home to showcase their fruit."

Other recent sales of VinREIT portfolio properties includes the sale of the Ramal Road winery in Los Carneros winegrowing region straddling Napa and Sonoma counties to custom wine producer Carneros Vintners and sales of vineyards around that winery and in Alexander Valley to Jackson Family Enterprises.

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