[caption id="attachment_85040" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mark Pope, founder and CEO of Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits in Napa, toasts to his new financial partners. (image courtesy of Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits)[/caption]
NAPA -- Mark Pope, founder of Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits, a Napa shop connecting valley visitors and far-flung consumers with rare and much-in-demand beverages for two decades, said it plans to expand its reach around the world, thanks to new financial backers.
Neither he nor his team are saying much at this point about the source or nature of the "influx of capital and strategic initiatives," other than it will take effect Jan. 15, allow the wine shop to acquire and lease the Tuscany restaurant building at First and Main streets, and allow for future wine bars, retail shops and specialty catalog sales nationwide and globally.
"Right now we have the world at our fingertips," said Linda Bonaccorso, Mr. Pope's executive assistant.
The expansion into the Tuscany building could take up to a year and a half, she said.
The deal "will help bolster the company's position as a global marketer and producer of world-class wines and spirits," according to a statement.
In addition to catalog and e-commerce sales, Bounty Hunter (BountyHunterWine.com) operates a restaurant and wine bar in downtown Napa and produces a number of high-end wine and spirit brands for its portfolio as a negociant and vintner.
The catalog emphasizes superlative wines and proprietary labels from California and beyond. The selection of ultrapremium spirits focus on Scotch whiskey, bourbon and artisan vodka and tequila.
Mark "the Bounty Hunter" Pope and his team taste more than 5,000 wines and 1,500 spirits each year, tracking down "great stuff."
