Biggest Washington Winery is Now the Biggest Oregon Winery
The biggest winery in Washington is now the biggest winery in Oregon. Chateau Ste. Michelle achieved the feat by acquiring A to Z Wineworks of Oregon, along with Rex Hill brands.
Chateau Ste. Michelle itself was purchased by private New York equity firm Sycamore Partners in 2021 for $1.3 Billion.
At the time, Stefan Kaluzny, Managing Director of Sycamore Partners, said: "We believe Ste. Michelle Wine Estates' outstanding portfolio of iconic wine brands have tremendous potential for continued growth and success."
The purchase of A to Z Wineworks, and Rex Hill marks the first strategic acquisition under the ownership of Sycamore Partners.
“We are delighted to welcome A to Z to the Ste. Michelle family,” said David Dearie, President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in a press release. “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 and we’re excited to introduce new consumers across the country and around the world to the full complement of our region’s outstanding wines.”
President and CEO of A to Z, Amy Prosenjak, will become "President of Oregon Brands."
A to Z Founding Partners Deb Hatcher, Cheryl Francis, and Sam Tannahill 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,” said Ms. Hatcher in the press release. “They understand the Pacific Northwest better than anyone, and they know what it takes to promote an entire region on the global stage.”
And thanks to Chateau Ste. Michelle's acquisition of A to Z Wineworks, you can expect Oregon's signature Pinot Noir to have a lead role on that stage.
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