Sokol Blosser to Acquire Kalita Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley
Yamhill-Carlton AVA, OR, August 19, 2021 - Sokol Blosser Winery has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the 65 acre Kalita Vineyard property from Arthur and Sherry Kalita, which includes 22 acres of planted Pinot Noir in the heart of the esteemed Yamhill-Carlton nested AVA of the Willamette Valley. The transaction is set to close on August 23rd.
This transaction adds the first Yamhill-Carlton designated AVA Vineyard to the Sokol Blosser’s portfolio of vineyards which include over 100 vineyard acres in the Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills nested AVAs of the Willamette Valley. METIS, the premier M&A advisory firm in the Pacific Northwest focused on the global adult beverage and hospitality industries, was the sole transaction advisor.
Kalita Vineyard has been owned by Arthur and Sherry Kalita since the first vines were planted in 1999. Located ten minutes north of downtown Yamhill, OR, Kalita Vineyard has been farmed on a LIVE Certified Sustainable basis with Results Partners managing all aspects of the vineyard since its inception. The Vineyard has supplied fruit for some of the Willamette Valley’s most prestigious producers including Et Fille Wines, Big Table Farm, Panther Creek Cellars, Ponzi Vineyards, and Domaine Divio. Wines made from Kalita Vineyard fruit have achieved over 45 ratings between 90 and 95 points from major wine publications.
While the Kalitas are sad to be saying goodbye to a vineyard that has given them much joy over its 21-year history, they are very pleased Sokol Blosser will now own the vineyard. “We are pleased to turn over the vineyard to the Sokol Blossers, a family with 50 years of experience in the Oregon wine business and unparalleled commitment to sustainability in all phases of the farming and winemaking process,” said Arthur Kalita.
“We have been looking for a long time to expand our vineyard holdings in Oregon,” said Sokol Blosser CEO Alison Sokol Blosser. “This was the first property that we really fell in love with. We were looking for a vineyard that has been farmed in a thoughtful, sustainable way from the start and was the right size for us. We are thinking ahead and want to create a strong foundation for the next generation of Sokol Blossers.”
“We knew the next steward of the Kalita Vineyard had to share Arthur and Sherry’s deep commitment to sustainability,” said METIS CEO Erik McLaughlin. “Sokol Blosser brings 50 years of vineyard management and is one of the pioneers of sustainable vineyard farming in the Willamette Valley. We’ve worked with Alison and Alex for several years now exploring various vineyard options and we couldn’t be more thrilled that their patience and persistence in finding the exact right vineyard to join their family paid off. I know Alex, Alison and the rest of the Sokol Blosser team will take great care of the vineyard and honor the Kalita legacy.”
“Each member of the METIS team was incredibly professional and thorough, and found us a buyer who shares our farming values,” said Arthur Kalita. “We are very pleased with the outcome of this transaction and would highly recommend METIS to anyone thinking of exploring a sale in the wine industry.”
Sokol Blosser will apply for organic certification for Kalita Vineyard and anticipates receiving it by the 2023 harvest. Winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser will make a number of Pinot Noirs from Kalita Vineyard, including single-block wines, and is also excited about making wines with Dundee Hills and Yamhill-Carlton fruit that will express the terroirs of both sites. Sokol Blosser will keep the name of the vineyard, honoring its original owners who have farmed it with great attention to sustainability and quality for the last 21 years.
About Sokol Blosser Winery
As one of the Willamette Valley’s pioneering wineries, Sokol Blosser has played a key role in developing and shaping the now-prominent Oregon wine industry. The winery remains family owned and operated, with the second generation now at the helm: siblings Alison and Alex Sokol Blosser. Achieving B Corp certification in 2015, the winery creates wines of world-class quality, produced in a sustainable manner, reflecting the distinctive flavors of the grapes, soil and climate. The winery produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, Riesling and small quantities of single block Pinot Noir under its Sokol Blosser brand, and a white wine, red blend, Pinot Noir, sparkling wine, Riesling, and Chardonnay and Oregon’s first nationally distributed box wines under the Evolution label. Visit http://www.sokolblosser.com/ and follow @sokolblosser and @evolutionwines on Instagram and Facebook.
About the Yamhill-Carlton AVA
Established in 2004, The Yamhill-Carlton AVA, is contained within the Willamette Valley AVA and is located 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Portland and 40 miles (64 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. The region is bordered by the Coast Range to the West, Chehalem Mountains to the north and the Dundee Hills to the east. These barriers provide protective cover from extreme weather resulting in warmer temperatures and the earliest harvest dates in the Willamette Valley. The warmer mesoclimate produces ripe, texturally driven wine with an abundance of spice and floral qualities layered onto dark fruit flavors. Yamhill-Carlton has the oldest soil and parent material in the Willamette Valley.
About METIS
METIS is the premier mergers and acquisitions advisory firm in the Pacific Northwest focused on the global adult beverage and hospitality industries. METIS (and its antecedent company) have been advising privately-held businesses on capital transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and recapitalizations for over 30 years. For more information about Metis, please visit www.metisnw.com.
For more information about this or any other transaction, please contact the Metis team:
Erik McLaughlin
CEO & Managing Partner
