Fetzer Vineyards Adds Excelsior Wines To Portfolio
California winery to incorporate collection, becoming nation's 12th-largest wine marketer
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif., June 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fetzer Vineyards today announced the incorporation of the Excelsior Wine Company ("Excelsior") collection to its portfolio, effectively becoming the nation's leading supplier of South American wines and the 12th-largest wine marketer in the United States.1 Excelsior's multi-origin portfolio includes the Chilean wines of Viña Concha y Toro as well as its Argentine property, Trivento, and the Little Black Dress and Beckon lines from California.
Fetzer Vineyards' Expanded Offerings Encompass Iconic South American Selections
The Excelsior portfolio includes iconic South American wine brands such as Chile's most-acclaimed wine, Don Melchor, and the Marques de Casa Concha, Casillero del Diablo and Frontera labels, and Argentina's Trivento Reserve. Their addition to Fetzer Vineyards' collection complements the California vintner's leadership in a variety of sectors, including the bourbon barrel-aged and organic categories, in addition to South American wines under the new arrangement. Following the addition of Excelsior's wines, Fetzer Vineyards' portfolio will comprise some 5.2 million cases annually.
"We are thrilled to add this celebrated and diverse portfolio to our growing collection," said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Fetzer Vineyards. He added, "These wines further enhance the breadth of our offerings, and allow us to deliver a variety of desirable brands—across multiple origins, and in every market segment— for our valued trade partners and wine consumers."
Expanding on a decades-long relationship, Viña Concha y Toro and Banfi Vintners formed Excelsior in 2011 as a sales and marketing venture for the U.S. Excelsior was co-managed by both companies until June 2018, when Viña Concha y Toro committed to fully acquiring Excelsior.
About Fetzer Vineyards
Founded in 1968 by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, California, Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of wines from sustainable, organic and biodynamic grapes. In addition to robust offerings under the winery's flagship Fetzer label, the winery also crafts the leading wine from organic grapes, Bonterra Organic Vineyards, named the 2016 American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, and 1000 Stories, the original bourbon barrel-aged wine. Other offerings include Adorada, Anthony's Hill, Jekel Vineyards, Sanctuary Wines and 1000 Stories, as well as imports Cono Sur and Viña Maipo. Recently, the winery entered the ultra-luxury wine and spirits category by forging a partnership with Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. to sell its historic craft rye whiskey. Part of global winery Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards exports its diverse wines to more than 50 countries worldwide. www.fetzer.com
About Viña Concha y Toro
Viña Concha y Toro is the largest wine company in Chile and Latin America, the fifth-largest company in the world in terms of volume sold, and the second-largest in planted vineyards. Its successful business model, accompanied by its persistent efforts in innovation and sustainable development, have enabled it to grow and expand its presence to more than 140 countries, leading it into a global, recognized and admired company around the world. Viña Concha y Toro was founded in 1883, and currently has more than 11,000 hectares of vineyards in Chile, Argentina and the United States. www.conchaytoro.com
1 Source: Shanken's IMPACT Databank Review and Forecast, "The U.S. Wine Market," 2017 Ed.; Top 25 Wine Marketers, Pro-Forma (9-liter case depletions).
SOURCE Fetzer Vineyards
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