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16 WINES&VINES March 2018 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS W alla Walla, Wash.—A tide of deals announced in January and Febru- ary show that wineries were ac- tively hammering out purchases in the final quarter of 2017, as wine sales continued to expand. Washington, and in particular the Walla Walla AVA, has been an epicenter of activity, with Vintage Wine Estates announcing the pur- chase of Tamarack Cellars on Jan. 15. The next day, Doubleback Winery, a venture of former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe, an- nounced the purchase of the 28- acre Lefore vineyard on the Oregon side of the valley. The purchase took place last fall, but general manager Josh McDaniels said the announcement aimed to send a strong signal in advance of Doubleback's new releases. Situated in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater subappellation, the vineyard boosts Bledsoe's vineyard holdings to 155 acres across four properties. Also in The Rocks District is Maison Bleue Winery, which an- nounced completion of its sale to Willamette Valley Vintners Inc. of Turner, Ore. Maison Bleue co- o w n e r a n d w i n e m a k e r J o n Meuret is consulting winemaker for Willamette Valley Vintners' Pambrun project. The acquisition sets the stage for Maison Bleue to plant an estate vineyard, winery and tasting room on a 36-acre site Willamette Valley Vintners purchased at the end of 2016. An initial planting of 5 acres of Syrah will go in this spring, plus a further 10 acres next year. Outside The Rocks District, Napa's Huneeus Vintners agreed to purchase Oregon's Benton- Lane Winery, which has 142 acres of vineyard on a sprawling, 1,860-estate north of Eugene in a deal that closed Jan. 17. Common to most of the deals is a vision of expanding produc- tion. Many out-of-state purchasers see opportunities to boost the flow of wine from a region that offers high quality with better margins. Pat Roney, president and CEO of Vintage, said the company is committed to expanding Tama- rack's production from its current level of 25,000 cases, but growth will be prudent. The more immediate goal was to flesh out the company's portfo- lio, giving it a well-rounded list for distributors, which are consoli- dating and seeking good sources with broad offerings. Tamarack's acquisition follows not only Layer Cake but last year's purchase of Firesteed Winery in Rickreall, Ore. While the start of each year brings a number of transactions worked out in the previous months, conditions are favorable for renewed merger and acquisi- tion activity in 2018. Erik McLaughlin, managing partner of commercial advisory firm Metis, which worked with Tamarack on its sale, told Wines & Vines his company is handling more deals for clients than at any time in its history. "We think 2018 will be very active," he said. "We're seeing an increased interest in the Pacific Northwest from strategic operators from California and Eu- rope, shifting from California for the sake of diversification." —Peter Mitham Strong Deal-Making Kicks Off 2018 Mergers and Acquisitions QST offers its clients……. Professionally fabricated stainless tanks 35 years of tank fabrication experience Performance & reliability guarantees Custom designs & modern features Quick & competitive tank project pricing On site tank repairs & modifications Special application tanks of all sizes "In stock tanks" from 500 to 10,000 gallons 510 Caletti Ave. Windsor, Ca. 95492 Phone 707-837-2721 or Toll-Free 877-598-0672 www.qualitystainless.com Company Website winetanks@aol.com email contact/sales info Custom Fabricated Tanks for the perfect size & fit… or Ready to Ship "Stock Tanks" Either way QST is ready to assist our clients! Call QST today for information or pricing! QUALITY STAINLESS TANKS " We're seeing an increased interest in the Pacific Northwest." —Erik McLaughlin, Metis