Metis Advises Tamarack Cellars in Acquisition by Vintage Wine Estates
SEATTLE, January 16, 2018 – Metis announced today that it acted as the exclusive financial and transactional advisor to Tamarack Cellars ("Tamarack"), one of Walla Walla’s pioneering wineries in its sale to Vintage Wine Estates. The Tamarack acquisition includes all brand, inventory, real estate, leases, equipment, grower contracts and the tasting room. Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
Founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman, Tamarack Cellars is highly regarded for its range of wines including Firehouse Red Blend, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a number of limited-production, single-vineyard reserve blends sourced from the state’s top vineyards. The Wine Specator has named Tamarack Cellars wines to their list of TOP 100 Wines in the World three times. Long-time winemaker Danny Gordon will continue in his leadership role crafting wines at Tamarack Cellars. All Tamarack Cellars personnel have been retained to continue to deliver consistent service and guest experiences to Tamarack customers.
Vintage Wine Estates is a privately held company, located in Santa Rosa, CA, owned by a group of vintner families with deep roots in the wine business. With its acquisition, Tamarack joins a family of industry leading wineries that have expanded its case production and national reach under the business leadership of Vintage Wine Estates.
“Tamarack’s acquisition by Vintage Wine Estates works on so many levels,” said Erik McLaughlin, Managing Partner of Metis. “I’ve known Ron and Jamie for years and really wanted to make sure their legacy would end up in the right hands. There were several offers and significant interest from various sectors for Tamarack, but we agree with the Colemans’ decision to select Vintage Wine Estates. Vintage Wine Estates is a trusted partner that is dedicated to retaining the team and the characteristics of the winery that helped make Tamarack successful, while adding a layer of resources that can truly grow the business. It’s a win-win for both parties.”
“Metis’ persistence, determination, and professionalism throughout the entire process was instrumental in guiding us through this formidable process,” said Ron Coleman. “Erik and his team knew we wanted to take care of our employees and our customers above all, and they helped us negotiate a deal that makes sense for everyone. We are turning over our company with peace of mind and we absolutely couldn’t have done this without them.”
For more information about this transaction, please contact the Metis team:
Erik McLaughlin
Managing Partner
Jessica Leung
Analyst
About Metis
Metis, an Exvere company, advises Pacific Northwest businesses on capital transactions including mergers, acquisitions, and recapitalizations. With offices in Seattle, Walla Walla, and the Willamette Valley, Metis offers concentrated experience and expertise in the Pacific Northwest wine, alcohol, and hospitality industries. For more information about Metis, please visit www.metisnw.com.
About Tamarack
Tamarack Cellars is one of Walla Walla’s pioneering wineries, founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman in a historic World War II Firehouse at the Walla Walla Airport district. Winemaker Danny Gordon recently completed his 19th harvest at Tamarack and is known for producing high scoring wines that consistently over-deliver for their price points. Tamarack wines have been selected by the Wine Spectator for their annual list of the TOP 100 Wines in the World three times. Tamarack wines are distributed nationally in 30 states.
About Vintage Wine Estates
Vintage Wine Estates is a privately held wine company owned by a group of vintner families with deep roots in the wine business. The families own a collection of winery estates and brands including Clos Pegase Winery, Cosentino Winery, Girard Winery, B.R. Cohn Winery, Swanson Vineyards, Viansa Sonoma, Windsor Vineyards, Cameron Hughes, Firesteed, Cartlidge & Browne, Sonoma Coast Vineyards, Middle Sister, Tall Dark Stranger, Pro-mis-Q-ous, Monogamy, Girl & Dragon, Purple Cowboy and a number of exclusive wine brands. Vintage Wine Estates is a majority partner in Splinter Group Spirits, producing craft Kentucky Bourbon whiskey (Straight Edge), American whiskey (Slaughter House) and Partner Vermouth and markets Clayhouse and Buried Cane wines. An industry leader across all sales channels and dedicated to providing wine consumers with a range of wines from $10 to $100+ dollars, Vintage Wine Estates produces outstanding wines from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and other premium California winegrowing regions and respects the way people buy their wine across all sales channels: at wineries, retail, telephone, television and Internet. www.vintagewineestates.com
Media Contact
Constance McBarron
Barokas PR for Metis
206-264-8220