Pernod Ricard wine brands change hands

Pernod Ricard has sold two of its Marlborough-based wine makers, Stoneleigh and Brancott Estate.

The French-owned company has announced the sale of ten of its New Zealand, Australian and Spanish wine brands to Australian Wine Holdco Limited (AWL)

The French multinational sold seven wineries in New Zealand, Australia and Spain to the owners of Accolade Wines.

Pernod Ricard said the move was made to direct its focus to its portfolio of premium international spirits and champagne brands that drive the growth of its business.

The brands in the AWL deal include Stoneleigh, Brancott Estate and Church Road from New Zealand, Jacob’s Creek, Orlando and St Hugo from Australia, and Campo Viejo, Ysios, Tarsus and Azpilicueta from Spain.

The business is an integrated platform from vineyard to bottle and includes seven wineries producing over 10 million 9Lcs cases annually.

AWL comprises funds backed by Bain Capital, Intermediate Capital Group, Capital Four, Sona Asset Management, and Samuel Terry Asset Management.

“Both Accolade Wines and Pernod Ricard have a long, proud history as world-class wine producers”, says AWL spokesperson Joshua Hartz in a press release.

“Combining Accolade Wines with the Pernod Ricard assets will create a more certain and financially sustainable future for the business, allowing us to better serve our customers, in more segments and more geographies.

Pernod Ricard will continue to own champagne brands, its U.S. and French wine brands, as well as labels in Argentina and China.