Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington state’s founding wine company,
announced today that it has acquired the Woodinville, Washington-based O Wines
brand, which currently sells its Chardonnay in the Northwest and several West
Coast markets. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates ultimately plansto release the
brand nationally with future vintages.
O Wines was established in 2006 by Stacy Lill and Kathy Johanson with a
mission to fund scholarships for low income, deserving youth. The brand has
funded more than 40 student scholarships in four years by partnering with
organizations like the College Success Foundation. Many of the scholarship
recipients were the first members of their families to attend
college.“We look forward to growing the brand and eventually adding a red wine to complement the Chardonnay,” says Ted Baseler president & CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “We will continue to donate a portion of the proceeds from wine sales to fund scholarships for low income, high potential youth."
"We have admired O Wines for a number of years and how they have helped young
people attend college,” says Baseler. “The brand’s mission is well-matched with
our culture of supporting the community and student scholarships so this brand
is a natural fit for us. With our marketing and sales strength, we are well
positioned to grow the brand and raise more money for students to gain access to
education.”
“O” represents “opportunity” and our vision for O Wines was to use wine as a vehicle to fund scholarships and help students improve their lives through education,” says Lill. “I am excited that Ste. Michelle Wine Estates will allow O Wines to achieve greater growth, visibility and brand awareness to help even more students attain their dreams. This is a special opportunity to have Washington’s largest winery build on the platform of our small winery for the greater good of the community and the state through education.”
“O” represents “opportunity” and our vision for O Wines was to use wine as a vehicle to fund scholarships and help students improve their lives through education,” says Lill. “I am excited that Ste. Michelle Wine Estates will allow O Wines to achieve greater growth, visibility and brand awareness to help even more students attain their dreams. This is a special opportunity to have Washington’s largest winery build on the platform of our small winery for the greater good of the community and the state through education.”
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, located
outside of Seattle, Washington, has a long and distinguished history that dates
back to 1934. Wines under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967, and since that time the company has expanded its vineyard holdings to more than
3,700 acres in Washington and California. Today the Washington portfolio
includes Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Northstar, Spring Valley
Vineyards, Col Solare, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Red Diamond, Snoqualmie and 14
Hands. The company also owns Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (with Italy’s Antinori
family), Conn Creek and Villa Mt. Eden in the Napa Valley of California, and
Erath, in Dundee, Oregon. In 2006, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates became the
exclusive U.S. importer for the acclaimed Antinori wine company of Italy and
Chile’s Haras wines, for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte of France in 2009 and for
New Zealand’s Villa Maria Estate in 2010.
source : winebusiness.com
