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Vintage acquires Swanson Vineyards

September 2015
 
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Santa Rosa, Calif.—Vintage Wine Estates has purchased Swanson Vineyards & Winery in Rutherford, Calif., about a month after the company’s purchase of B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma, Calif.

The Swanson purchase includes the winery, the Manley Lane tasting room, and the case inventory of Napa Valley wines including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. The winery also produces three sweet wines, including the highly allocated fortified wine, Angelica, and a Rosato.

Founder W. Clarke Swanson keeps the vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and other varieties located on his Oakville, Calif. estate. Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Vintage Wine Estates will source from these vineyards for wines produced under the Swanson label. Swanson will serve as a consultant to Vintage for the foreseeable future.

Heir to the Swanson frozen food fortune, Swanson purchased the original 100-acre estate in 1985 and retained the services of Andre Tchelistcheff. The Swanson brand found its initial with Merlot and later was one of the first wineries to offer a luxury wine tasting experience.

Vintage plans to keep the existing Swanson winemaking team that includes winemaker emeritus Chris Phelps and winemaker Robin Akhurst.

According to a statement from Vintage, the Swanson deal is the latest in the series of acquisitions for the company. In addition to the purchase of B.R. Cohn Winery in the Sonoma Valley in July, Vintage acquired Canopy Management (a collection of lifestyle brands including Middle Sister, Purple Cowboy and others) in 2014. In 2013 Vintage acquired Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga and Viansa in Sonoma. Financial terms were not disclosed for the Swanson acquisition.

 
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