Constellation Brands Makes Minority Investment In Kerr Cellars
DEL MAR, CA - JULY 2: Shoot for Kerr Cellars at the Fairmont Grand in Del Mar, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle)
Through Focus on Female Founders Program, Investment Marks First in Super-Luxury Wine Segment for Constellation Brands Ventures
Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, announced today that it has acquired a minority stake in Kerr Cellars’ super-luxury portfolio of Napa Valley and Sonoma County, California wines. Founded by professional golfer Cristie Kerr, Kerr Cellars remains independently owned and will continue to manage, produce, market and sell its high-performing, award-winning wines such as Reserve Red, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Cristie Kerr, one of the most accomplished golfers of her generation, launched Kerr Cellars in 2013 in partnership with world-class winemaker, Helen Keplinger. Together, Kerr and Keplinger are committed to creating wine that is uncompromising on quality and experience and making some of the best, most highly rated wines in California.
“Cristie, Helen, and the Kerr Cellars team have created a winning collection of wines that have garnered incredible industry praise and strongly resonate with consumers,” said Jennifer Evans, vice president, Constellation Ventures. “Cristie’s dedication to excellence, relentless focus on detail, and commitment to creating wines with remarkable character, depth, and finesse have positioned Kerr Cellars for growth within the super-luxury wine segment, filling a key white space within Constellation’s wine and spirits portfolio. We believe Kerr Cellars has significant runway for success and look forward to working closely with their team to strategically expand their resources and strengthen their position within fine wine.”
“I have always believed that the key to success is surrounding yourself with the most talented people who can make you better, whether it’s in golf, philanthropy, or winemaking, which is why I am thrilled to collaborate with Constellation Brands, an industry leader in fine wine committed to building brands consumers love,” said Kerr. “We have a clearly defined vision of where we intend to take Kerr Cellars, and partnering with Constellation Brands provides access to resources and insights that will help us fulfill our commitment to consumers to bring them the highest quality wines from some of California’s finest vineyards.”
Kerr Cellars wines consistently receive exceptional scores from industry-leading publications, including 96-100 points from Robert Parker, Wine Advocate and reliably earn 90+ points from Wine Spectator, Antonio Galloni, and James Suckling.
The investment was made through Constellation Brands Ventures’ Focus on Female Founders program which makes meaningful investments in female-founded and female-led businesses doing disruptive and innovative work across beverage alcohol. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
