Santa Rosa's Vintage Wine Estates adds to Pacific Northwest portfolio with Owen Roe 'cult' brands

Vintage Wine Estates continues to expand its Pacific Northwest holdings with the acquisition of an eastern Washington "cult" winery known for Oregon pinot noir and Washington red wines.

The Santa Rosa-based wine group, whose brands include B.R. Cohn in Sonoma County and Clos Pegase in Napa Valley, on Monday announced the acquisition of Owen Roe near Yakima, Washington. The deal includes the winery, Owen Roe and Sharecropper's brands, 90 planted estate vineyard acres with potential for another 120 acres, long-term grape contracts, and tasting rooms at the winery and in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The first vintage of the winery David and Angelica O'Reilly started was in 1999, and since then production has grown to about 60,000 cases a year and nationwide distribution. Retail prices for the wine are $20-$60 a bottle.

David O'Reilly now is Vintage's winemaking director for the Pacific Northwest, also overseeing Willamette Valley's Firesteed Winery and Washington's Tamarack and Buried Cane brands.

“David is known for his entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to quality at the highest level and expertise in sourcing from superior vineyards sites in the two essential winegrowing areas in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jeff Nicholson, chief operating officer, in the announcement. “We look forward to his winemaking leadership as we continue to strengthen our presence in these regions.”

O'Reilly stated that the acquisition "will greatly enhance logistic and operational support to grow Owen Roe into the future."

In addition to the Pacific Northwest, Vintage Wine Estates has brands and wineries in Napa, Sonoma and California Central Coast counties. The portfolio also includes spirits from Distillery No. 209 and Splinter Group as well as lodging in the California North Coast.

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