Raymond Vineyards and Boisset Collection bought the 55-acre Bartolucci Vineyard off of Stice Lane in St. Helena. The vineyard is adjacent to Raymond’s Stice Vineyard and has 47 acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Following the philosophy of all of Boisset’s Napa vineyards, the Bartolucci vineyard will be converted to certified Napa Green, certified organic and certified Biodynamic® farming. A spokesman said the conversion is expected to take two years and would begin after this year’s harvest.
“We believe in Napa Valley, and we believe in the importance of a long-term vision of making fine wines with a deep commitment and respect to the most prestigious and high-quality terroir,” said Jean-Charles Boisset, Raymond’s owner.
Spokesman Patrick Egan said in an email that Boisset had been interested in the family owned property for quite some time.
The Bartolucci family has been farming in Napa Valley for four generations, starting in the 1920s, while Raymond celebrates a five-generation family legacy of winemaking dating to the earliest foundations of the Napa Valley. The Bartolucci-Stice vineyard was originally planted in 1976, just two years after the first harvest of Raymond Vineyards in 1974.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
June’s Lucky Number 7
It was the seventh sale of a winery or vineyard announced in the past five days, including Campari selling Chateau de Sancerre and Pacific Rim buying Firesteed’s winery.
Rob McMillan, executive vice president and founder of Silicon Valley Bank’s wine division, said the flurry of sales in June was a “coincidence, albeit there are a few European buyers in there who will probably want to start their holiday so perhaps from that angle there is some seasonality.”
He added that “on average, the U.S. consumer is demanding more premium alcoholic beverages, be it for wine, spirits or beer. For wine, that change is causing larger wine producers to source better vineyards instead of depending on fluctuating grape markets.
“It’s pressuring vineyard pricing higher, and causing winery and vineyard owners to consider their options. Long-term interest rates are still at historic lows and that adds to the attractiveness,” McMillan said.
Published: June 14, 2017
