Investment Bank Adds to Impressive List of Top 100 Wine Clients

May 31, 2011 – Jeff Menashe, CEO of Demeter Group, announced today the sale of Seghesio Family Vineyards, one of California’s oldest family-owned wineries specializing in estate-grown Zinfandel wines, to Crimson Wine Group. Seghesio Family Vineyards joins Crimson’s estate-focused portfolio of luxury domestic brands including Archery Summit (Willamette Valley, OR), Chamisal Vineyards (Edna Valley, CA) and Pine Ridge Vineyards (Stag’s Leap District of Napa Valley, CA). The Healdsburg-based winery has gained a place on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list an impressive six times in the past decade.

Pete Seghesio, who will remain with the winery after the transaction is complete, represents the fourth generation of the Seghesio family. The Seghesios literally and metaphorically put down roots in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma in 1895 and were instrumental in the development of Sonoma County as a wine region. Over the years, the family acquired 400 acres, of which 300 acres are planted. “Much like the best things in life, it’s always serendipitous when you find a great match in business or in your personal endeavors,” stated Seghesio. “Crimson Wine Group represented just that, a company and team whose philosophy towards nurturing brands along with vision, strong distribution network and access to capital, would allow us to grow to the next level, a level that business on a family scale would have difficulty attaining on its own.”

Demeter Group acted as exclusive financial advisor to Seghesio Family Vineyards. "Demeter Group was instrumental in advising our family throughout this transaction," stated Seghesio. In the last six months, the San Francisco-based investment bank for high-growth consumer and retail companies has advised on four transactions representing enterprise value of approximately $400 million. Demeter Group’s alcohol beverage clients during this time period include Skinnygirl Margarita which was sold to Beam Global Spirits & Wine and JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery which was sold to Fiji Water. In addition to Seghesio and JUSTIN, Demeter Group’s recent wine industry transactions include the sale of Prisoner, Saldo, Flowers Vineyard & Winery, and Rosenblum Cellars.