Rack & Riddle Acquires Weibel Family Winery Lodi, Dramatically Expanding Custom Sparkling Wine Offerings
*Company Now #1 Producer of High-Quality Sparkling Wine in the US, with Capacity of 3.5 Million Cases*
*WALNUT CREEK, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 31, 2023 / *Following a recent expansion adding a state-of-the-art sparkling production site in Geyserville, Rack & Riddle, an SBJ Capital portfolio company, has now acquired the Weibel Family Winery in Lodi, making the company the largest premium, custom sparkling wine producer in America.
Founded in 2007, Rack & Riddle began as a small company focused on producing superior sparkling wine in the traditional French Méthode Champenoise. Over the years, the company has steadily grown, and with the addition of the Weibel Family Winery (which is now Rack & Riddle Lodi) has four modern sparkling winery locations and 150 employees. From Méthode Champenoise, Charmat, in-line carbonation and canned premium sparkling wines, Rack & Riddle now crafts the full spectrum of sparkling wines that American consumers currently enjoy.
"We have purchased the Weibel Family operation, marking a milestone for Rack & Riddle. The trajectory of our business has clearly mirrored the growing demand in the United States for quality sparkling wine at all price points and methods," said Rebecca Faust and Bruce Lundquist, Rack & Riddle Co-CEOs. "We look forward to bringing our collective sparkling experience to Lodi to enhance founder Fred Weibel's legacy. Our goal has always been to be the best of all things sparkling."
Tom Barber and Bill Jesse, co-founders and Managing Directors at SBJ Capital, added, "When we first partnered with Rebecca and Bruce, we spoke about a core strategy of expanding beyond the traditional French Méthode Champenoise segment and into other production methods. Following the recent facility expansion in Geyserville, the acquisition of Weibel is another major step forward on that strategic initiative, and we are excited to now leverage Rack & Riddle's legacy of producing high-quality wines into adjacent sparkling segments."
Industry trends confirm that sparkling wine consumption has consistently grown over the past several years, and Rack & Riddle is poised to continue to meet the demand.
"The Weibel Family Winery legacy could not be in better hands than with the team at Rack & Riddle. Their expertise in sparkling wine is second to none," Fred Weibel, Founder and former owner of Weibel Family Winery added. "This is the only company that I trust to continue what my family began so very long ago."
The acquisition includes all intellectual property and assets. The majority of Weibel employees have joined the Rack & Riddle staff.
*About Rack & Riddle*
Established in 2007 in Northern California by wine industry veterans Rebecca Faust and Bruce Lundquist, Rack & Riddle was founded with the mission to craft superior sparkling wines. Through years of steadfast dedication and thoughtful expansion, Rack & Riddle has become the #1 custom sparkling wine producer in the United States with 3.5 million cases of capacity. An exceptional winemaking team dedicated to the mastery of sparkling wine supported by state-of-the-art technology, delivers turnkey grape-to-bottle, wine-to-bottle, and private-label sparkling wine services with tank sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000 gallons. Four modern wineries located in Healdsburg, Geyserville and Lodi specialize in Méthode Champenoise, Charmat, and in-line carbonation solutions producing the best of all things sparkling. The company prides itself on being an upstanding member of the communities in which it operates and is committed to operating fairly, ethically, and sustainably.
*About SBJ Capital*
SBJ Capital is a private investment firm focused on investing in founder and family-owned consumer and services companies. SBJ provides operational resources, strategic advice, domain expertise, and a partnership approach to realize the shared goals of entrepreneurs, owners, and management teams. SBJ was founded by an experienced team of professionals with a track record of growing companies both as principal investors and as operating executives. Please visit www.sbjcap.com for more information.
*Contact Information*
Tom Barber
Managing Director
tom@sbjcap.com
6158481990
*SOURCE:* SBJ Capital
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