NEW CULINARY CUSTODIANS: TRIO OF WALLA WALLA RESTAURANTS CHANGE OWERS

Hop Thief Taphouse and Kitchen, Stone Hut Bar & Grill and Red Monkey Downtown, formerly owned by Juston Watson of Kegs and Grub ... Read more >

PATTERSON CELLARS PURCHASES TERTULIA WINERY AND VINEYARD

Patterson Cellars announced today the purchase of the former Tertulia Cellars winery and its surrounding Whistling Hills Vineyard ... Read more >

SANTA MARGHERITA OWNERS BUY A WILLAMETTE WINERY FROM AN OREGON PIONEER

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Italy’s Marzotto family, which built Santa Margherita into a Pinot Grigio juggernaut, acquired majority ownership of Roco Winery... Read more >

BURGUNDY'S LOUIS JADOT EXPANDS ITS OREGON FOOTPRINT

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Maison Louis Jadot is expanding its presence in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where the French négociant’s Résonance winery has... Read more >

ROCO WINERY, KOOSAH VINEYARD GO TO EUROPEAN BUYERS IN SEPARATE DEALS

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Oregon wine continues to lure in outside investors... Read more >

BASEL CELLARS BECOMES YELLOWHAWK RESORT WITH A SPARKLE

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“We’re here to get the party started!” With those words Managing Partner Dan Thiessen and winemaker George-Anne Robertson... Read more >

WASHINGTON GIANT STE. MICHELLE WINE ESTATES SELLS FOR $1.2 BILLION IN CASH

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Altria Group, Inc. announced Friday, July 9, its sale of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to Sycamore Partners. The estimated... Read more >

SAGEMOOR ENTERS WALLA WALLA VALLEY GRAPE MARKET WITH SOUTHWIND VINEYARD PURCHASE

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It’s a good thing viticulturists Kent Waliser and Lacey Lybeck live in the Tri-Cities because their commutes on behalf of Sagemoor Vineyards... Read more >

AFTER THE SMOKE, OREGON WINE POWERHOUSE A TO Z WINEWORKS SEES SMALL BUT HIGH-QUALITY 2020 VINTAGE

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The state's second-largest winery made less wine last year, but it says the quality might surprise some... Read more >

MARKET RECAP: 2020

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Last month, Silicon Valley Bank broke down some of the major trends of the year within the American wine scene via its annual State of the... Read more >

US WINERIES WILLING TO SELL OUT

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Nearly half of all US winery owners consider selling their winery "a possibility" in 2021, according to a survey released this week by Silicon... Read more >

HOW ARE WINERIES DOING? ARE THEY INTERESTED IN SELLING?

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One of the findings of the 2021 Silicon Valley Bank State of The Industry Report was that wineries have been performing relatively well financially, given the difficulties... Read more >

BASEL CELLARS SOLD TO WALLA WALLA BUSINESS OWNERS

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Basel Cellars Estate is now headed by a group if investors that includes Walla Walla business owners Dan Thiessen, Paul MacKay... Read more >

LESSONS FOR THE POST-COVID WINE INDUSTRY: BOOST DIGITAL FOCUS, MAKE TASTINGS BY APPOINTMENT

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The pandemic will recede at some point this year, boosting wine sales as lockdowns loosen and restaurants begin to reopen, travel resumes and deferred events are held... Read more >

BOOM TIMES AHEAD FOR US WINE INDUSTRY

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The wine industry could be in for a big year in 2021 because ending the pandemic will unleash celebrations like we haven't seen since the end of World War II, a leading industry... Read more >

NORTHWEST RESTAURATEURS PURCHASE BASEL CELLARS IN WALLA WALLA

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The first full week of 2021 brought news of a second significant transaction in the Walla Walla Valley wine industry — the sale of showpiece Basel Cellars Estate Winery to a group of... Read more >

BASEL CELLARS PURCHASED BY NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP

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On December 30th, Walla Walla Valley’s Basel Cellars was purchased by a group of local businessmen. The group includes individuals who founded Crossbuck Brewing... Read more >

A TASTE OF WHAT'S TO COME

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Small wineries and growers have been hit particularly hard by the economic slowdown... Read more >

WINE FOUNDATION ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS

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The Washington Wine Industry Foundation announced in a news release the election of Erik McLaughlin, Kristina Mielke van Löben Sels and Alex Oh to the foundation’s board of... Read more >

WASHINGTON WINE INDUSTRY FOUNDATION APPOINTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS

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Erik McLaughlin, Kristina Mielke van Löben Sels, and Alex Oh have been elected to the Washington Wine Industry Foundation Board of... Read more >

WINE ANALYTICS REPORT: M&A MARKET STABLE

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An oversupply of grapes, moderating growth in wine sales and the threat of recession are pushing buyers to be more discriminating when it comes to evaluating potential... Read more >

THE WALLS VINEYARDS ACQUIRES FAMED 10-ACRE ROCKGARDEN VINEYARD

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The Walls Vineyards has purchased the 10-acre Rockgarden Vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA in the southern Walla Walla Valley. The well-established... Read more >

OWEN ROE SALE INDICATES CONTINUED OUTSIDE INTERESTED IN WASHINGTON WINE INDUSTRY

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Two decades ago, David and Angelica O’Reilly started Owen Roe in the Willamette Valley wine region in Oregon. Around that time, however, David O'Reilly started making wines... Read more >

WHAT'S IMPACTING THE WINE M&A LANDSCAPE

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2019 has certainly been a busy year on the M&A front. A panel at the recent Wine Industry Financial Symposium discussed what's happening in the wine industry marketplace and... Read more >

METIS CEO NAMED ONE OF TOP 50 INDUSTRY LEADERS

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As we put the finishing touches on this month’s issue we’ve just wrapped up the annual winejobs.com SUMMIT, an event Wine Business Monthly produces for human resources... Read more >

WINE ANALYTICS REPORT: FOCUS ON DTC WINE SALES

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While the latest Wine Industry Metrics reveal positive sales growth in September, the U.S. wine industry is riven with concerns over flattening sales volume. Direct-to-consumer and... Read more >

LOCAL WINE CHIEFS MAKE NW LEADER LIST

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Erik McLaughlin, the Walla Walla-based leader behind the Northwest’s leading mergers and acquisitions firm for wine and other businesses, has been named to Wine Business Monthly’s... Read more >

PACIFIC NORTHWEST'S ICONIC OWEN ROE WINERY SOLD TO CALIFORNIA COMPANY

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Vintage Wine Estates, a private wine company based in Santa Rosa, California, announced on Sept. 23 its recent acquisition of Owen Roe, a highly regarded Pacific Northwest winery... Read more >

FALL OPENING PLANNED FOR MAIN ST. HOTEL

 

A 1960s-era Main Street hotel nears the end of its transformation to a modern one-of-a-kind boutique lodging operation designed as a launchpad for adventure-seekers... Read more >

VINTAGE WINE ESTATES IS EXPANDING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

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Vintage Wine Estates is expanding in the Pacific Northwest with the acquisition of Yakima, Washington-based winery Owen Roe. Financials weren’t disclosed... Read more >

SANTA ROSA'S VINTAGE WINE ESTATES ADDS TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST PORTFOLIO WITH OWEN ROE 'CULT' BRANDS

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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... Read more >

VINTAGE WINE ESTATES CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH THE ACQUISITION OF OWEN ROE

 

Vintage Wine Estates announced the addition of Owen Roe, with locations in Yakima, Washington (winery, vineyards and tasting room) and Willamette Valley, Oregon (tasting room)... Read more >

THE FUTURE OF THE US WINE INDUSTRY

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The Wine Industry Financial Symposium, the premier event covering the financial, business and strategic issues of the wine industry set for Tuesday, October 1 and Wednesday, October 2, 2019... Read more >

METIS ADVISES HISTORIC CONNER LEE VINEYARD IN SALE TO WASHINGTON WINEGROWERS JOSH LAWRENCE AND TOM MERKLE

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METIS announced today the sale of Conner Lee Vineyard, one of Washington’s most highly regarded sites. The vineyard was acquired by a partnership between Josh Lawrence... Read more >

JOSH LAWRENCE, TOM MERKLE TEAM UP TO BUY CONNER LEE VINEYARD

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Tom Merkle, honorary grower for the Auction of Washington Wines in 2017, announced Friday, April 19, 2019, that he and Josh Lawrence of Lawrence Vineyards and Gård Vintners... Read more >

TOP WASHINGTON VINEYARD GETS NEW OWNERS

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One of the most recognized vineyards in the state will be under new ownership. Conner Lee Vineyards — the property outside of Othello whose grapes have produced wines for more... Read more >

WASHINGTON'S HISTORIC CONNER LEE VINEYARD SELLS

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Josh Lawrence (of Lawrence Vineyards and Gård Vintners) and Tom Merkle (of Wautoma Springs Vineyard and Wautoma Springs Wines) announced today a new partnership... Read more >

OREGON WINERIES STEP UP, OUTSIDE PLAYERS MOVE IN

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Oregon is a special place, runs the conventional line: it may not have the perfect climate for wine (the claim neighboring Washington makes for itself) but it is home to small, family-run... Read more >

FLUSH WITH CASH, BANKS SEE MORE PLATEAUING OF HIGH VINEYARD PRICES

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As the record prices for Napa and Sonoma vineyards limit sales to all but the most wellfunded principals, M&A advisors and bank loan officers tell WBM they are seeing increased... Read more >

THERE'S BUZZ IN WALLA WALLA AS SEATTLE INVESTORS BUY ABEJA VINEYARDS AND INN

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Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality has announced a new management and operating agreement with the upscale Inn at Abeja and Abeja vineyards, a 38-acre property in Walla Walla... Read more >

ABEJA OWNERS SELL MAJORITY INTEREST

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Ken and Ginger Harrison, founders of the Abeja winery and inn, have sold a majority interest in the company to two ownership groups: Arnie Prentice of Seattle’s USI Kibble... Read more >

TWO LOCAL INVESTMENT GROUPS JOIN ABEJA FOUNDERS KEN AND GINGER HARRISON IN NEW OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT

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Ken and Ginger Harrison, founders of Abeja, have sold majority interest in the acclaimed Walla Walla winery, and the luxury country inn, to two new ownership groups with local ties... Read more >

SEATTLE BUSINESSMEN BUY CONTROLLING INTEREST IN WALLA WALLA'S ABEJA

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A year ago, Abeja winery owners Ken and Ginger Harrison opened the gate to their iconic wine country inn to help winemakers Myles Anderson and Gordy Venneri celebrate their sale... Read more >

MILL CREEK ROAD FIXTURE ABEJA SOLD

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Abeja, Walla Walla’s renowned Mill Creek Road winery and its farmstead retreat on 38 acres, is under new ownership. Founders Ken and Ginger Harrison have sold the majority... Read more >

OREGON STILL A LURE AMID WINE INDUSTRY'S SHIFTS

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The U.S. wine industry is “at the tail end of a 20-year growth period,” particularly for higher-end wines, but there are plenty of positive signs for Oregon, according to a new report... Read more >

BUSINESS MOVERS: MASON TERRY NAMED TO LEAD THE OREGON RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTER

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Metis, a northwest company that advises wine, hospitality, and beverage alcohol on capital transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions announces the addition... Read more >

MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS FIRM LAUNCHES WITH AN OFFICE IN WALLA WALLA

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You’re familiar already with the work of Pacific Northwest mergers and acquisitions advisory firm Metis. It’s the company that quietly launched a year ago out of Exvere... Read more >

NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP PURCHASES WALLA WALLA'S RED LION INN & SUITES, ANNOUNCES PLANNED RENOVATION

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A new ownership group has purchased the Red Lion Inn & Suites Walla Walla, effective January 12, 2018, and will begin a comprehensive renovation of the property's 85 guest rooms... Read more >

STRONG DEAL MAKING KICKS OFF 2018​

 

While the start of each year brings a number of transactions worked out in the previous months, conditions are favorable for renewed merger and acquisition activity in 2018... Read more >

VINTAGE WINE ESTATES EXPANDS PRESENCE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST WITH ACQUISITION OF TAMARACK CELLARS

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US-based Vintage Wine has acquired Washington, US-based wine producer Tamarack Cellars, regarded for its range of wines including Firehouse Red Blend, merlot and cabernet... Read more >

VINTAGE WINE ESTATES BUYS TAMARACK CELLARS​

Vintage Wine Estates has acquired Tamarack Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington, to expand its Pacific Northwest footprint.... Read more >

LONGTIME WALLA WALLA WINERY TAMARACK CELLARS CHANGES HANDS

 

Tamarack Cellars, the pioneer winery that planted roots in a renovated World War II Army air base firehouse 20 years ago and honored it with an acclaimed signature red blend... Read more >

INDUSTRY VETERANS SHARE CAREER LESSONS LEARNED

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Those who have worked in the restaurant industry also tend to have a customer focused mindset, according to Erik McLaughlin, managing partner at Metis... Read more >