For Sale: Winery in Sonoma Valley

Blackstone Winery

Constellation Brands appears to be weathering the downturn in wine sales better than some other "corporate wineries," such as Fosters (aka Treasury Wine Estates).   That doesn't mean they are sitting on their hands waiting for things to pick up.

Constellation moved production from one of their wineries, Blackstone, a couple years ago.   It's been fairly common to see the larger outfits consolidate production to fewer facilities to save money.   Blackstone's wine is now made at Ravenswood, another Constellation holding.

So the Blackstone Winery site in Kenwood, CA including winemaking facilities, a tasting room an some vineyard land is one the market.  Maybe you always wanted your own winery?  It's a great location just across the street from Chateau St. Jean (a Fosters holding).

An article about the sale in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

Matanzas Creek?

Which leads me to speculate on nearby Matanzas Creek Winery in Bennett Valley.   Where the heck is Bennett Valley you ask?   Well, it's definitely off the beaten path and probably way down on visitor traffic.   It's one of many wineries owned by Kendall-Jackson.  They, too, moved production elsewhere.   Now that's there's not much going on at the facility might it go up for sale?   Jackson also owns lots of vineyards so those would stay with the company.  Actually, it was Jess Jackson that got the Bennett Valley appellation awarded to the area so he has deep roots, you might say, in the area.   It's just that visitors either don't know where Matanzas Creek is or won't bother with the winding drive out to visit an area where there's only one winery.

Jackson has also moved wine production from Sonoma Valley's Arrowood Winery to (gasp!) Napa.

The article on Matanzas Creek moving their wine production.

Freemark Abbey and Rosenblum wineries have also moved wine production to other sites to decrease costs during this recession.