Metis advises sale of Southwind Vineyard and iconic “Glass House”
to owners of Sagemoor Vineyards
Walla Walla, WA, June 11th, 2021 - METIS, the premier M&A advisory firm in the Pacific Northwest focused on the global adult beverage and hospitality industries, today announced it has advised on a transaction that will bring Southwind Vineyard and the iconic Glass House event space into the Sagemoor family.
The purchase has been made by Horizon Vineyards, a partnership between Allan Bros., a fruit growing, packing and shipping company located in Naches, WA, and private equity firm Resource Land Holdings (RLH). Together, they own Sagemoor Vineyards which supplies more than a dozen premium wine grape varietals from over a thousand vineyard acres to many of Washington’s most prestigious wineries.
“METIS guided us through every detail as a trusted and discreet partner,” said Rick Middleton of Middleton Family Wines, the previous owner of the Southwind Vineyard. “METIS’ strong relationships in the wine industry and their knowledge of the business of grape growing helped us find the right buyer who understood the potential of our property.”
The strategic acquisition includes Southwind Vineyard, the largest vineyard property within the SeVein Vineyard development, a collection of some of the most acclaimed vineyard properties in Walla Walla. Located just west of Milton-Freewater on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, Southwind includes over 330 acres, including approximately 70 acres of developed, ultra-premium vineyard. Southwind is known for its variety of distinct soil types, including fractured basalt and high elevation wind-swept hilltops, as well as some of the valley’s first plantings on Phylloxera resistant rootstock. Several of the Northwest’s top wineries have made high scoring wines from the vineyard including Dusted Valley, Cadaretta, Domaine Serene, Northstar, Tamarack, and Devison.
The Southwind property is also home to the distinctive “Glass House”, an iconic venue that has served as a gathering space to countless industry events. The unique venue is perched on a hilltop in the center of the vineyard and is equipped with garage doors so guests can enjoy the open air and sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and the Walla Walla Valley.
The new owners will continue operating Southwind Vineyard as an ultra-premium flagship vineyard while significantly expanding the planted vineyard on open plantable acreage.
“Horizon brings a wealth of experience to the vineyard including financial strength, a deep knowledge of vineyard management, and outstanding relationships with Washington’s top winemakers,” said Erik McLaughlin, CEO of Metis. “Metis is proud that both buyer and seller trusted us to serve as a partner through every detail of the evaluation, sale and diligence process.”
About Southwind Vineyard
Southwind Vineyard is the largest vineyard property within the SeVein Vineyard development, a collection of some of the most technologically advanced vineyard properties in the Walla Walla Valley. Located just west of Milton-Freewater on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, Southwind includes more than 330 acres, including approximately 70 acres of developed, ultra-premium vineyard. Several of the Northwest’s top wineries have made high scoring wines from the vineyard including Dusted Valley, Cadaretta, Domaine Serene, Northstar, Tamarack, and Devison. The property is also home to the “Glass House”, an iconic event venue with sweeping views of the Walla Walla Valley and Blue Mountains.
About Horizon Vineyards
Horizon Vineyards is a partnership between Sagemoor Vineyards and Resource Land Holdings (RLH). Sagemoor Vineyards is an iconic mainstay of the Washington wine industry, having owned and operated a collection of the state’s most revered vineyards including Bacchus, Dionysus, Sagemoor, Weinbau, and Gamache. Find out more at www.sagemoorvineyards.com. Resource Landing Holdings (RLH) is a real estate and natural resource focused private equity firm that invests in and builds sustainable partnerships and joint ventures with owners and operators in a variety of asset classes throughout the United States, including agriculture, timber, mining, energy, environmental protection and mitigation, and water rights.
About METIS
METIS is the premier mergers and acquisitions advisory firm in the Pacific Northwest focused on the global adult beverage and hospitality industries. METIS (and its antecedent company) have been advising privately-held businesses on capital transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and recapitalizations for over 30 years. For more information about Metis, please visit www.metisnw.com.
For more information about this or any other transaction, please contact the Metis team:
Erik McLaughlin
CEO & Managing Partner
