(The Washington Post) There have been some dramatic acquisitions in the wine business the past several months. Most recently, Jackson Family Wines purchased Copain winery, a highly regarded boutique Sonoma County producer of syrah, pinot noir and chardonnay. In April, Ste. Michelle Estates, the parent company of Washington state’s Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest wineries, purchased Patz & Hall, another Sonoma County specialist in chardonnay and pinot noir. The sale amounts for these purchases were not disclosed.
Contrast those transactions with two mammoth buys carried out by Constellation Brands, one of the world’s largest wine companies. Also in April, Constellation purchased the Prisoner Wine from Huneeus Vintners for a reported $285 million. And last year, Constellation paid a whopping $315 million for the Meiomi brand of pinot noir, a transaction that did not include a winery or vineyards.
This may just sound like a lot of money changing hands, ...
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