What Led up to the Sale of Ste. Michelle

Dear Client: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE), the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest, has been in a state of flux the last few years, with changes made across the board. Indeed, just yesterday evening news broke that Sycamore Partners sold Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to the Wyckoff family for an undisclosed sum [see WSD 12-08-2025].  You may recall, Altria acquired SMWE in 2008, and then sold it to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $1.2 billion in 2021 [see