Ste Michelle Wine Estates acquires A to Z Wineworks
Washington State’s Ste Michelle Wine Estates has announced the acquisition of Oregon winery A to Z Wineworks, the first strategic acquisition for the winery under the ownership of private equity firm Sycamore Partners.
“We are delighted to welcome A to Z to the Ste Michelle family,” said David Dearie, president and chief executive of Ste Michelle Wine Estates.
“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.”
Amy Prosenjak, president and chief executive of A to Z, will join Ste Michelle as president of Oregon, with A to Z Founding Partners Deb Hatcher, Cheryl Francis, and Sam Tannahill also joining the company as consultants.
“I’ve long admired Ste Michelle’s leadership in the Pacific Northwest and their decades-long commitment to promoting the region’s wines,” said Prosenjak.
“Bill Hatcher, who is retiring as chairman of the board for A to Z, gave me the great gift of mentorship over the years.
“With such deep roots, I look forward to joining David and the Ste Michelle senior leadership team and together raising the bar even higher for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.”