Axa Millésimes, the winery investment company of the French insurance group Axa, has acquired the renowned Outpost Wines operation in Napa Valley (USA). According to sources close to the winery, the purchase price will be around 40 million dollars. Axa is thus taking over the entire operation with around 11.5 hectares of vineyards, in which mainly Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah and Grenache grow. The production is about 3,000 crates per year under the Outpost label and 22,000 crates filled for special projects. Thomas Rivers Brown, a well known Californian winemaker who has been with the company from the start, will continue his work.
Outpost Wines was founded in 1998 by Terry and Juli Pringle. In 2003 they sold it to the US family Dotzler, who gave the winery an excellent reputation.
Axa Millésimes owns Chateau Pichon Baron, Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Petit Village in Bordelais, Domaine de l'Arlot in Burgundy and the Disnoko Winery in Hungary and Quinta do Noval in the Douro Valley in Portugal.
(uka)