North Bay Business Journal

2012 was a big year for wine-related property and brand transactions, and expectations are that 2013 also will be busy.

At the Business Journal’s Wine Industry Conference on April 18, five of the most active players are set to be part of a panel discussion on what’s happening and the potential for more: Peter Byck of Winery Exchange, Dennis Carroll of Sonoma Wine Co. and Purple Wine Co., Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines, Pat Roney of Vintage Wine Estates and Jeff Wesselkamper of Jackson Family Wines.

Private-equity portfolios are a fast-growing category of active buyers of wine brands and assets in the North Coast.

HEALDSBURG — Started in 1996, Foley Family Wines now has 10 wineries producing nearly three dozen labels in the North Coast, Central Coast, Washington state and New Zealand. The most recent North Coast acquisition came in May, picking up 40 acres of vines and the 6,000-case-a-year Sawyer Cellars winery and tasting room, located between Rutherford and Oakville in Napa Valley. …

SANTA ROSA — Managing partner Pat Roney, veteran of top-executive wine and retail positions, and Leslie Rudd have acquired or taken a stake in several North Coast wine production facilities, brands and related companies in the past few years. In July, Vintage Wine Estates acquired the former McDowell winery, annually capable of crushing 4,000 to 5,000 tons of grapes and bottling roughly 350,000 cases of wine, from Weibel Vineyards and Winery of Lodi. Vintage Wine Estates plans to eventually transition the bulk of production to Hopland. …

Dan Zepponi and the Stewart family of British Columbia started West Coast Wine Partners in Napa two years ago. In August, the partnership acquired the Lake Sonoma Winery and Valley of the Moon Winery brands — collectively producing about 45,000 cases a year — and related assets from F. Korbel & Bros. for an undisclosed sum. …

HEALDSBURG — Ken and Diane Wilson have been building a group of North Coast wineries, called Wilson Artisan Wineries, adding Pezzi King in Dry Creek Valley in March and Blackstone winery in Sonoma Valley in May. Blackstone was leased to Napa-based Naked Wines, a custom vintner that helps crowdfund its clients’ projects. …

Following are profiles of the top day-to-day leaders from the Business Journal’s lists of the largest independently owned wineries under 100,000 cases, published in March, and the largest wine companies, published in May.

SANTA ROSA [updated 6:06 p.m.] — Cotati-based Sonoma Wine Accessories today announced it acquired the assets of International Wine Accessories, a catalog and online seller of glasses, chillers, bottle racks and other items, and part of the Santa Rosa-based Vintage Wine Estates portfolio.

Even as the global economy has faltered inn the past four years, a handful of privately owned wine companies have become active in acquiring wine operations, brands and vineyards.

AMERICAN CANYON — Vintage Wine Estates, a Santa Rosa-based portfolio of wine brands, on Tuesday acquired the 100,000-case-a-year Cartlidge & Browne brand and inventory.

Following are profiles of the top day-to-day leaders from the Business Journal’s lists of the largest independently owned wineries under 100,000 cases, published in March, and the largest wine companies, published in May.

YOUNTVILLE — Vintage Wine Estates Inc. purchased some of the assets of the recently shuttered Cosentino Winery near Yountville and has brought back founder Mitch Cosentino to help “stabilize” the brand.

Following are profiles of the top day-to-day leaders from the Business Journal’s lists of the largest independently owned wineries under 100,000 cases, published in March, and the largest wine companies, published in May.

Foster’s reports ‘premiumization’ showing some gains

KENWOOD — Santa Rosa-based Vintage Wine Estates, a growing portfolio of wine operations including Windsor Vineyards and Girard Winery, purchased a minority stake in Kunde Family Estate winery in Kenwood.

Key changes in the final document creating the Calistoga Viticulture Area are expected to heavily influence controversial provisions on “grandfathered” geographically linked brand names.

WINDSOR — Three decades ago, Pat Roney was looking to get out of the wine business. Today he’s a partner in a fast-growing North Coast wine company.

WINDSOR — The new owner of direct-wine-sales specialist Windsor Vineyards is looking for much larger quarters to expand, and expectations are running high about a replacement tenant such as a grocer for the vintner’s headquarters that would draw patrons to the town’s central plaza.

NORTH BAY — Foster’s Wine Group today announced it sold Windsor Vineyards to Patrick Roney, who owns Girard winery in Napa Valley and recently saved Oakville Grocery from bankruptcy, and Dallas-based International Wine Accessories to Leslie Rudd, who bought the grocer and owns specialty grocery chain Dean & DeLuca along with other businesses.