Wines & Vines Home
   
 
Welcome Guest
LOGIN |  CREATE ACCOUNT
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
05.18.2012  
 

Foley Acquires Sawyer Cellars

Wine investor to expand production and build new winery in Rutherford

 
by Andrew Adams and Paul Franson
 
 
sawyer foley
 
Bill Foley bought Sawyer Cellars from Charles and Joanne Sawyer, who purchased the property around 1995.
Napa, Calif.—Bill Foley has purchased Sawyer Cellars in Napa Valley, increasing the number of wineries under the Foley Family Wines umbrella to nine.

Foley told Wines & Vines today he plans to rename the winery Foley Johnson after his wife and expand production. Sawyer Cellars currently produces 6,000 cases per year, according to WinesVinesDATA, but is permitted to make 20,000. Foley did not say how much he paid for the winery.

Foley said he also plans on building a bigger winery at the Sawyer Cellars site located in Rutherford. He added that he will adjust the wine style but retain winemaker Brad Warner, who has been winemaker at the winery since the first harvest there in 1999.

Charles and Joanne Sawyer, the founders of the winery, made their first wine in 1991 and purchased the property for the winery four years later. The Sawyers produced an estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc; the average bottle price is $40. 

Foley Family Wines is comprised of Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg, Firestone Vineyard in Los Olivos, Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery in Lompoc, Kuleto Estate Winery in St. Helena, Lincourt Vineyards in Solvang, Merus Wines in St. Helena, Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery in Sonoma and Three Rivers Winery—the only winery outside of California—located in Walla Walla, Wash. The entire group of wineries produces 543,000 cases of wine, of which Sebastiani accounts for 300,000.

SHARE »
Close
 
Currently no comments posted for this article.
 
CURRENT NEWS INDEX »
 
 

 
Wines & Vines Home
 
866.453.9701 | 415.453.9700 | Fax: 415.453.2517
65 Mitchell Blvd., Ste. A San Rafael, CA 94903
info@winesandvines.com
Wine Industry Metrics
 
Off-Premise Sales » Month   12 Months  
April 2012 $386 million
4%
$4,842 million
6%
April 2013 $400 million $5,128 million
     
Direct-to-Consumer Shipments » Month   12 Months  
April 2012 $141 million
1%
$1,347 million
10%
April 2013 $142 million $1,484 million
     
Winery Job Index » Month   12 Months  
April 2012 173
59%
147
18%
April 2013 275 174
     
 
MORE » Released on 05.15.2013
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Direct To Consumer
Wine Shipping Report
2013
 
Download full report »
 
 
READER COMMENTS
 
Article: Experts Joust Over Wine Closures »
 
Diam closures offer all the advantages of natural cork w/none of the TCA and permeability...
Reader: David Noyes
 
Article: New Thinking in the Brett Debate »
 
As a consumer desiring those characteristics, I buy that wine from France. Having taken over...
Reader: Patrick Boyle
 
Article: What Distinguishes Paso Robles Cabernet? »
 
What happened to Sonoma? Did it disappear? Monte Rosso, Chalk Hill, Knight's Valley all gone? With...
Reader: Donn Rutkoff
 
Article: What's in a Winery Name? »
 
I agree with this idea partially, but not completely. Granted, the winery name should be...
Reader: GordonP
 
Article: What's in a Winery Name? »
 
The wine industry demonstrates a failure of imagination when it comes to naming. That the...
Reader: Fred
 
 
CALENDAR
  • May 15-19
     
    Nantucket Wine Festival
     
  • May 17-19
     
    Taste Alexander Valley
     
  • May 17-19
     
    Lodi Zinfest
     
  • May 17-19
     
    Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
     
  • MORE »
 
A compilation of wines reviewed each week by leading wire service and major daily newspaper wine columnists
 
READ »
 

Directory/Buyer's Guide — Your Wine Industry Marketplace
 
 
WINERY SEARCH
 
 
Advanced Search »
SUPPLIER SEARCH
   by Product
 by Company Name or Brand
 
Browse by Category »
2013 Directory/Buyer's Guide
The Wines & Vines Directory and Buyer's Guide
 
 
EXPANDED ONLINE SEARCH INCLUDED WITH PURCHASE
 
ORDER NOW »
 
LEARN MORE »
 
 
Wines & Vines Magazine
 
 
LEARN MORE »
 
SUBSCRIBE »
 
Digital Edition Now Available!
Wines & Vines Digital Edition Now Available
 
LEARN MORE »
 
ORDER NOW »
 
 
The Wines & Vines Online Marketing System
 
The Industry Standard winery marketing application
 
FREE LIVE DEMO »
 
VIEW VIDEO »
 
 
 
 
Latest Job Listings
 Wine Shop And Wine Bar...
 Napa, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Skilled Cellar Worker
 Santa Rosa, CA
Winemaking and Production
 Assistant Winemaker
 Santa Rosa, CA
Winemaking and Production
 Tasting Room Associate
 St. Helena, CA
DTC, Tasting Room and Retai
 Wine Data Specialist
 San Francisco, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Central Region Manager
 Napa, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Strategic Account Mana...
 Las Vegas, NV
Sales and Marketing
 Strategic Account Mana...
 Napa, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Portfolio Manager
 Benicia, CA
Sales and Marketing
 Desktop Support Specia...
 St. Helena, CA
General Administration and
 
More Job Listings >>
Follow Us On:
 
 





Home  |  About Us  |  Editors  |  Subscribe  |  Print Edition  |  Digital Edition

Advertise  |  Site Map  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy
 
 
Copyright © 2001-2013 by Wine Communications Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No material may be reproduced without written permission of the Publisher.
Wines&Vines does not assume any responsibility for any unsolicited manuscripts or materials.