Napa Valley’s Lewis Cellars sold to Justin Vineyards and Winery

Justin Vineyards & Winery announced last week that it had acquired Lewis Cellars for an undisclosed fee.

It marks an expansion into Napa Valley wine for the Paso Robles-based producer and its owner, the Wonderful Company.

As a $5bn privately-held group founded by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the Wonderful Company also owns Landmark Vineyards in Sonoma County and JNSQ rosé wine, as well as the Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful brands.

Lewis Cellars makes around 9,000 cases of wine per year and is known for high-end wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Justin Vineyards said Lewis Cellars will continue to be led and run by the existing team, including Randy Lewis and his stepson, Dennis Bell.

But, Justin said the wines would benefit from access to the larger group’s marketing, strategy and sales teams. It’s expected that this will help the wines reach new audiences, such as via wine clubs or restaurants.

‘We are excited to join forces with the Justin team,’ said Randy Lewis, the ex-racing driver who co-founded Lewis Cellars with his wife, Debbie, back in 1992.

‘With the additional resources and industry expertise available through this partnership, we can really show the world the excellence we’ve bottled,’ he said.

Clarence Chia, senior vice president of marketing, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer for Justin Vineyards, added, ‘Lewis Cellars has a rich history, superior quality, and a pedigree that made it the perfect winery to help us expand into the Napa Valley region.’

There have been several high-profile winery deals in California in recent years.

In June this year, Delicato Family Wines said it had agreed to acquire the Sonoma County-based Francis Ford Coppola winery.

Before that, in January 2021, Stony Hill Vineyard in Napa Valley was sold to businessman Gaylon Lawrence Jr and master sommelier Carlton McCoy Jr.