04/05/06 Wine Alliance

Strategic wine alliance. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. An announcement made on Monday will help two major wineries with distribution and visibility. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Washington State and the Antinori family of Tuscany have formed a strategic alliance which includes plans for a joint venture marketing company and the exclusive distribution of the Antinori family of wines in the United States by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Kari Leitch, Director of Communications for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates says that while the alliance is exciting the scope is much broader. LEITCH: It's very important for Washington State because it shows that yet another major European wine making company is looking to Washington State as a wine growing region capable of being a partner. In addition to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates having exclusive distribution for the Antinori portfolio in the U.S., the Antinori company will also distribute Ste. Michelle Wine Estates wines in Italy. To be able to take advantage of the great sales team that is part of the Antinori portfolio will really help get the word out about Washington State and it's great wines to consumers throughout Italy. In addition to the distribution arrangement, the partnership will continue to produce the luxury red wine Col Solare in Washington State and consider additional ventures in the future. The Antinori family has been making wines since 1385 while Ste. Michelle Estates was established in 1934 and is the oldest winery in Washington. Recently the two companies began construction of a state-of-the-art winery for Col Solare on Red Mountain in Eastern Washington. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.