Bacchus Capital Management to Launch BCM Wineworks Sales and Marketing Company

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bacchus Capital Management, LLC, a San Francisco-based private equity firm providing strategic capital in the wine industry, has announced the launch of BCM Wineworks, a sales and marketing company representing Sbragia Family Vineyards, DeLille Cellars and Madrigal Family Winery, three of Bacchus' portfolio brands. BCM Wineworks will directly represent these three ultrapremium wineries to wholesalers, restaurants and fine wine retailers. Sam Bronfman will serve as the Company's Chairman, Steve Cousins as President and Jay Soloff as the Vice President of National Sales.  Industry veteran Bill Piersol will be Senior Advisor of Marketing and Planning.

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"The launch of BCM Wineworks is a natural evolution of the Bacchus mission," commented Bronfman, Bacchus Capital Co-founder and Managing Partner. "Our goal has always been to invest in and support high-end wineries and iconic winemakers. Our proposition is to provide growth capital and leverage our team's expertise in winery operations, distribution, finance and marketing. Wineworks is the logical extension of what we have been building over the past few years. Today, we have the brands and the people in place to enter a very competitive market. Direct representation for these three brands is an ideal solution and a great business opportunity."

"From the start, we have said that our private equity model is unique and exceptionally flexible," commented Peter Kaufman, Bacchus Capital Co-founder and Managing Partner, and Wineworks Director. "We do not have one singular approach to investing in wineries or to building businesses. Wineworks makes sense given the market today and the need that smaller high end wineries have to find creative solutions to gain distribution and visibility. Bacchus has an unusual pool of talent and a portfolio of exceptional wineries, which supports launching our own sales and marketing company."

"Sbragia Family Vineyards has been a lifelong dream of mine," remarked Ed Sbragia, Founder and Winemaster at Sbragia Family Vineyards. "I am very excited to collaborate with my partners at Bacchus Capital, and to continue working with seasoned professionals focused on a small group of ultrapremium portfolio brands. I look forward to mapping out this next chapter of our shared future."

Bacchus portfolio companies include: Andretti Winery, a well-known Napa winery founded by Mario Andretti; DeLille Cellars, the renowned Washington state winery  co-founded by acclaimed winemaker Chris Upchurch; Madrigal Family Winery, a recognized Napa Valley winery located on Highway 29; Maritime Wine Trading Collective, a leading boutique wine import, production, and distribution company; Panther Creek Cellars, a historic Oregon winery founded by Ken Wright; Sbragia Family Vineyards, the Dry Creek Valley winery founded by world-class winemaker Ed Sbragia; Wine by Joe / Dobbes Family Estate, one of the largest wine producers in Oregon. Bacchus previously had successful financings with Cameron Hughes Wine, one of America's fastest growing wine businesses and Qupe, a leading Central Coast winery.

About Bacchus Capital Management

Bacchus Capital Management is an investment firm providing strategic capital and making equity investments in United States wineries and wine businesses. For more information, visit www.bacchuswinefund.com

SOURCE Bacchus Capital Management, LLC