Fetzer sale 'possible'

US drinks giant Brown-Forman may sell its Fetzer wine brand, vineyards and winery as the company launches a wholesale review of the business.

The Kentucky-based company announced the review after widespread press speculation that a sale of its wine interests was imminent.

Brown-Forman said it was ‘exploring strategic alternatives’ for the Hopland-based Fetzer business, which could include a possible sale of all of its facilities, vineyards and ancillary brands.

‘We are still amidst the review process,’ said Brown-Forman CEO Paul Varga. ‘But given the recent media stories, we felt it was important to communicate with our employees and external stakeholders to set the record straight.’

Decanter.com understands that the review may not be complete until the middle of 2011, and that it was prompted by long-term concerns about the performance and profitability of the Fetzer business.

The review comes after the US company sold its ‘peripheral’ Italian wine brands Bolla and Fontana Candida to Gruppo Italiano Vini (GIV) in December 2008. GIV had already produced the wines for Brown-Forman for some time.

Written by Richard Woodard

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Richard Woodard is a freelance wine and spirits writer based in the UK. Aside from Decanter, he writes for several wine trade and media outlets including Imbibe, The Drinks Business, Harpers and Drinks International.

Since 2015 he has been the magazine editor of Scotchwhisky.com. He has formerly worked as a wine news reporter at Imbibe and a feature writer for Halycon Magazine.