WOODINVILLE, Wash. (December 10, 2020) – Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand have mutually agreed to discontinue their exclusive importer relationship, thus ending a ten-year partnership.
Villa Maria will be moving to a traditional import partner model and has selected Winebow Imports to represent its portfolio of Villa Maria and Esk Valley wines in the U.S. market, with the transition expected to be completed by March 2021.
“We are pleased to have partnered with the Villa Maria team to import, market and sell their wine brands in the world’s most important wine market,” said David Dearie, President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “We know the portfolio will enjoy continued success.”
“We have worked cooperatively with the Ste. Michelle team for 10 years and appreciate their commitment to building our portfolio in the U.S.,” said Matt Deller, Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer for Villa Maria Estate.
Ste. Michelle began importing the Villa Maria Estate portfolio in 2010. It continues to be the exclusive importer for Marchesi Antinori of Italy and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte of France.
About Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the third-largest premium winery in the United States and the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest. With a distinguished history that dates to 1934, the winery now farms more than 30,000 acres across Washington, Oregon, and California and distributes its wines in over 100 countries. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates pioneered vinifera winegrowing in Washington and remains the driving force behind viticulture and enology research in the state, including the establishment of the Washington State University viticulture and enology program and the construction of the university’s research and teaching winery, now named the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center.
The Ste. Michelle Wine Estates portfolio includes Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14 Hands, Columbia Crest, Intrinsic, Erath, Patz & Hall, Borne of Fire, Northstar, and Spring Valley Vineyard, along with several other premium brands. The winery also has partnerships with Marchesi Antinori (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Col Solare), Dr. Loosen (Eroica), and Michel Gassier and Philippe Cambie (Tenet). Ste. Michelle Wine Estates serves as the exclusive U.S. importer for Marchesi Antinori, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, and Villa Maria. For more information, please visit www.smwe.com.
