Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Acquires A to Z Wineworks

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has acquired the Oregon winery A to Z Wineworks.

This is the first strategic acquisition for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates under the ownership of private equity firm Sycamore Partners.

Together with Ste. Michelle’s Erath Winery, the addition of the A to Z and Rex Hill brands gives Ste. Michelle a larger presence in Oregon. Plans include becoming a leading producer of the state’s signature varietal, pinot noir.

“We are delighted to welcome A to Z to the Ste. Michelle family,” says David Dearie, president/CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “Erath and A to Z share the same passion for producing high-quality wines at fair prices, making A to Z a natural fit for Ste. Michelle. The future of Pacific Northwest wines — both Oregon and Washington — is bright. We’re excited to introduce new consumers across the country and around the world to the full complement of our region’s outstanding wines.”

Amy Prosenjak, president/CEO of A to Z, will join Ste. Michelle as president of Oregon Brands, overseeing the company’s combined operations in the state.

In addition to Prosenjak, A to Z founding partners Deb Hatcher, Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill, who started the company 20 years ago will join Ste. Michelle as consultants.

“We could not have found a better partner than Ste. Michelle to carry on the legacy of both A to Z and Rex Hill,” says Hatcher. “They understand the Pacific Northwest better than anyone, and they know what it takes to promote an entire region on the global stage.”

A to Z became a certified B Corp in 2014 in recognition of its environmental practices.

BNP Paribas Securities Corp. served as financial advisor to A to Z. Bank of the West is continuing as the lender to both Ste. Michelle and A to Z. Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal counsel for Ste. Michelle and Tonkon Torp supported A to Z.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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