The Washington State-based Wyckoff family acquired Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE) for an undisclosed amount on Dec. 4, the family announced yesterday. The third-generation agribusiness owners purchased SMWE from Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York.
The purchase includes all of SMWE’s estates, facilities, and inventory in Washington. SMWE is a collection of individual vineyards, including Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14 Hands Winery, and Columbia Crest. “Impact Databank” ranks Ste. Michelle as the 10th-largest wine marketer in the U.S. at 5.3 million cases in 2024.
Sycamore Partners purchased SMWE in 2021 for $1.2 billion and will retain ownership of the company’s brands in Oregon. The Wyckoff family, which has led wine-growing and other agricultural businesses since 1950, has partnered with SMWE for over 40 years.
SMWE is a collection of 17 estates based in the Pacific Northwest. The conglomerate has been a pioneer in winemaking in Washington — some of its estates began operation in the early 1930s. Now, some of its brands are the largest and highest quality wineries in the northwest. The acquisition by the Wyckoff family returns ownership of SMWE to its home state.
“We’ve been an integral part of the Ste Michelle family for over 40 years,” Court Wyckoff, CEO of Wyckoff Farms and Coventry Vale Winery, said to Shanken News Daily. “We planted our first grapes in 1978, started making custom wine for Ste Michelle in the early 1980s, and we share in the vision and the legacy of Ste Michelle and Washington wine.”
“Our team is thrilled to welcome family ownership with deep roots in Washington’s wine and grape-growing community who share our vision for sustained growth and our uncompromising commitment to wine quality,” David Bowman, Co-CEO of SMWE, said.
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