WarRoom Cellars Acquires Historic SIMI Wine Brand

SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Nov. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WarRoom Cellars, a growing Central Coast wine company, is excited to announce the acquisition of the SIMI brand from The Wine Group (TWG).

WarRoom Cellars President Andrew Nelson explained, "The acquisition of SIMI is an incredible honor. It's a California legacy we will celebrate and strengthen. WarRoom has a proven and repeatable process to revitalize heritage wine brands by honoring where they come from while bringing a fresh relevance that resonates with today's consumers. With every acquisition, we elevate the brand to deliver stronger velocity, real growth, and a renewed confidence distributors can count on."

SIMI was founded in 1876 in San Francisco and soon established its home in Healdsburg in Sonoma County, becoming one of the few California wine brands to survive Prohibition, thanks to the extraordinary leadership of 18-year-old Isabelle Simi. After her father and uncle both passed away suddenly from influenza in 1904, Isabelle stepped in to run the business and guided it through decades of challenge. She kept SIMI alive by selling sacramental wine and stockpiling 500,000 cases. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, she released them to a thirsty nation and earned immediate national acclaim.

Isabelle's independence became legend. She planted a rose bush for every U.S. president except Herbert Hoover, whom she blamed for Prohibition. When Hoover sent her one in hopes of being included, she returned it to him. Four remarkable women would follow in her footsteps, including Zelma Long, who in 1979 became the first woman to assume senior management of a California winery. SIMI's legacy of resilience, quality, and strong female leadership has defined the brand for nearly 150 years.

WarRoom Cellars' Director of Winemaking, Nicole Walsh, will continue the legacy. Nicole commented, "I have great admiration for Isabelle, Zelma, and the SIMI women before me. I look forward to continuing this important legacy in California wine history."

The Wine Group commented about the acquisition, "We're thrilled to have found such a great fit for the iconic SIMI brand with WarRoom Cellars," said John Sutton, CEO at The Wine Group. "The sale supports The Wine Group's continuous focus on aligning our portfolio to current and long-term goals. We look forward to watching SIMI's success in the WarRoom's very capable hands, while focusing on our company's portfolio priorities, including a sustained focus on developing a diversified portfolio at retail."

WarRoom Cellars partners with Total Beverage Solution (TBS) to manage sales and distribution for its portfolio. WarRoom and TBS have a successful partnership, with WarRoom focusing on wine production and brand positioning, and TBS managing sales and distribution.

BMO Capital Markets served as the advisor on the transaction.

About WarRoom Cellars:
WarRoom is an innovative wine company founded in 2018 on the Central Coast of California. The company acquires heritage wine brands and repositions them for growth by focusing on what customers love. The name of the company reflects a commitment to the philosophy "All for wine, wine for all." It highlights their mission as "stewards of legacy wine brands" and "masters of guerrilla winefare."

Independently owned and operated by a small group of wine professionals, WarRoom is deeply committed to honoring the soul of every brand it acquires. Their goal is to help distributors sell more wine, increase profitability, and have more fun. WarRoom Cellars brands include Lapis Luna, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Toad Hollow, Lyeth Estate, Parducci Cellars, Paul Dolan Vineyards, Iris Vineyards and SIMI.

SOURCE WarRoom Cellars