The Wine Group (TWG) has acquired St. Agrestis, the company behind the rapidly growing non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) Phony Negroni, chief marketing officer Helen Kurtz tells VinePair. TWG has not disclosed the transaction’s sum.
In addition to the Phony Negroni — a non-alcoholic riff on the classic cocktail and the brand’s most popular product — St. Agrestis’s portfolio includes other zero-proof and alcoholic RTD aperitivos and Negronis. TWG’s purchase marks its first significant foray into the spirits sector, but Kurtz says the company plans to hone in on St. Agrestis’s non-alcoholic portfolio.
“There is huge growth in non-alc right now, whether it’s in spirits, in beer, or in wine,” Kurtz says. “That is what’s growing, and we want to grow with that.”
Brooklyn-based St. Agrestis sold approximately 59,000 cases in 2025, Kurtz notes. On-premise transactions accounted for 45 percent of those sales; retail 30 percent; and direct-to-consumer (DTC) 25 percent. The brand is currently present in 35 markets and roughly 4,000 bars and restaurants, with a small presence in Canada and the U.K.
TWG had its eyes on St. Agrestis before both parties commenced talks, which began around a year ago. St. Agrestis was attractive to The Wine Group — the second largest wine supplier in the U.S. — because of its explosive growth in the zero-proof sector, its widespread on-premise presence, and its ability to expand the California-based company’s reach outside of wine.
“It’s got a great foundation of consumers that love it and take the time to buy it DTC and look for it on-premise, and that kind of loyalty and ability to tap into that is a real advantage for us,” Kurtz explains.
Following the transaction’s close, St. Agrestis’s production will remain at its Brooklyn facility for one year. Co-owner and chief marketing officer Matt Catizone will also maintain his role for at least one year, Kurtz shares. Louie Catizone and Steven DeAngelo, co-owners who purchased St. Agrestis from its previous owners along with Matt in 2017, will stay on the team for at least six months.
The Wine Group does not intend to make immediate changes to the Phony Negroni nor other St. Agrestis products. Among the early moves for St. Agrestis under TWG’s purview will be growing its inventory to bolster and widen its market presence. TWG also plans to add an RTD non-alcoholic spritz to its portfolio, Kurtz says, citing the burgeoning demand for carbonated, aperitivo-based cocktails.
“What’s great about a big company coming in and buying a small company is the scale and the resources we can bring,” Kurtz elaborates. “To me, there’s no reason [St. Agrestis] shouldn’t be national in the right places at the right time.”
Whereas much of the RTD and non-alcoholic offerings on the market are geared toward drinkers with a sweet, fruit-forward palate, the Phony Negroni’s bittersweet, botanical profile invites a more worldly, sophisticated audience, Kurtz says.
“When we look at the places in which the brand is distributed, it does trend to a higher price point, and we want to really leverage that and celebrate that while also making it accessible,” she says. “That’s the beauty that happens in an acquisition. Because we have an incredible network of distribution partners, we can get it to more places.”
The Wine Group is setting out to double down on St. Agrestis’s well-established on-premise reach and to expand its presence in retail shops, as well as continuing its hold on DTC sales. The brand packages its drinks in colorful, polka-dotted glass bottles and cans, and consumers can expect to see the playfully designed goods beverages popping up at their local businesses.
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