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The Ste. Michelle wine group, the largest wine company in the Pacific Northwest and one of the largest premium wineries in the USA, is being purchased by one of its key grape suppliers. The Wyckoff family, which produces premium wine grapes, wines, and other agricultural products and owns vineyards throughout the state of Washington, is taking over all buildings, vineyards, and wine brands of the group (including Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14 Hands, and Columbia Crest). As reported by the US wine magazine wine-searcher, there are rumors that Wyckoff is not paying a purchase price for this but is only taking over the debts. The previous owner, the private equity firm Sycamore Partners, paid around 1.2 billion US dollars (then about 1.06 billion euros) to the tobacco and food company Altria (Philip Morris, Kraft Foods, InBev) in 2021.
The Wyckoff group has been a partner of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates since the early 1980s. According to a spokesperson, it wants to invest in wine quality and "promote the grape growers of Washington and make Washington wine better known." Ste. Michelle Wine Estates exports to more than 100 countries worldwide and has heavily focused on the Chenin Blanc grape variety in recent years, as it has enormous potential in Washington. In 2023, the group reduced its grape purchases by 40 percent and sold the Napa Valley top winery Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars to Antinori. In 2024, Antinori also fully took over the joint venture Col Solare in Washington State. The German winery Dr. Loosen has the Riesling joint venture "Eroica.".
(al; Image: Chateau Ste. Michelle)
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Marchesi Antinori fully takes over US winery Col Solare
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates cuts grape purchases by 40 percent