Wine Industry Investment Firm Partners with Ed Sbragia, Legendary Napa Valley and Sonoma Winemaster
SAN FRANCISCO, October 25, 2011 – Bacchus Capital Management, LLC, a San Francisco-based private equity firm providing strategic capital in the wine industry, has invested in Sbragia Family Vineyards. The winery was founded in 2001 by Ed Sbragia , one of the country’s top 10 winemakers.
“Sbragia Family Vineyards continues to fulfill my lifelong dream of producing artisanal wines under my family’s name,” stated Ed Sbragia , Founder, President and Winemaster at Sbragia Family Vineyards. “With the Bacchus partnership, we will be able to continue growing t he brand and the business to the level I had always hoped.”
Sbragia continued, “Working together with the Bacchus team, we will be able to develop our portfolio of highly rated, primarily vineyard-designated wines. Bacchus will enable us to build our inventory and infrastructure as well as assist our distribution partner, Treasury Wine Estates, in expanding the reach of the brand.”
“Ed Sbragia is truly a living legend in the winemaking industry,” stated Sam Bronfman II, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bacchus. ”His talents and contributions are well recognized. As a partner, we look forward to working with him and supporting his vision. This is an ideal investment for us. Sbragia Family Vineyards is a terrific complement to our already distinguished and expanding portfolio of companies.”
“Our significant equity investment in Sbragia Family Vineyards illustrates the opportunity for Bacchus and for wineries in need of capital today,” commented Peter Kaufman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Bacchus . “Our portfolio companies benefit from our unique value-added proposition. Pairing our flexible capital and wine operation experience with Ed’s exceptional talent and reputation is a win-win for everyone and will surely offer an exciting future.”
Bacchus portfolio companies include: Qupé, a leading Centr al Coast winery; Pietra Santa, also of the Central Coast; Andretti Winery, a well-known Napa winery founded by Mario Andretti; and Wine by Joe, t he 2nd largest wine producer in Oregon. The Company previously had a successful financing with Cameron Hughes Wine, one of America’s fastest growing wine businesses.
Ed Sbragia is a third-generation Dry Creek Valley vintner, who is well-known for his position as Winemaster at Beringer Vineyards in Napa, where he worked for 32 years. Ed Sbragia is the only winemaker in the world to be honored with the distinction of having received the Wine Spectator #1 wine of the year award for both a red and a white wine – a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay, respectively.
About Sbragia Family Vineyards
Sbragia Family Vineyards is located in the beautiful Dry C reek Valley. The label was born in 2001, when Ed Sbragia decided to focus on making limited, individual lot s of wine from grapes grown in select blocks of his favorite vineyards. Sbragia Family wines are all single vineyard and are made from Dry Creek, Napa and Sonoma County fruit. Five of the wines, including S auvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and two Zinfandels, are sourced from estate vineyards that range in size from five to thirteen acres and are owned by the Sbragia Family.
The Sbragia family history runs deep in the Dry Creek Valley. Ed’s grandfather came to the Valley from Tuscany in 1904, where he worked in wineries. Ed’s father, Gino, acquired his own vineyards near Healdsburg, growing zinfandel grapes for sale and home winemaking. The Sbragia family purchased the old Lake Sonoma Winery facility at the end of Dry Creek Valley in 2006 and it is where Sbragia Family Vineyards has made a home for their wines. Today, Ed is joined by his son, Adam Sbragia , as winemaker.
Additionally, Adam’s wife Kathy handles hospitality, Kevin, Ed’s youngest son, works in the cellar during harvest, and Ed’s wife, Jane, and daughter, Gina, c an often be found in the tasting room.
For more information, visit www.sbragia.com
About Bacchus Capital Management
Bacchus Capital Management is an investment firm co-founded in 2007 by Sam Bronfman II, Peter S. Kaufman and Henry F. Owsley providing strategic cap ital and making equity investments in United States wineries and wine businesses. Quinton Jay and Rob Rupe are the Managing Directors.
Bronfman and Jay bring extensive wine industry experience through leadership positions at Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines, Diageo Global Wines, Artesa Vineyards and Winery, Etude, Quintessa and Bonny Doon Vineyard. Kaufman and Owsley are leading investment bankers specializing in credit analysis, valuation and restructuring.
For more information, visit www.bacchuswinefund.com
CONTACT : Hilary Peck of Bacchus Capital Management, (212) 486-3600, ext. 125, hpeck@bacchuswinefund.com, or Kathy Sbragia of Sbragia Family Vineyards (707 ) 473-2992, ext. 11, kathy@sbragia.com
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