BBR brings two Napa Valley wine producers to the UK

Fine wine merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd (BBR) has announced Napa Valley estates Heitz Cellar and Ink Grade as new agencies for BBR and Fields, Morris & Verdin (FM&V) in the UK.

Both wineries are a part of the Lawrence Wine Estates portfolio and represented by fine wine importer Demeine Estates in North America and globally.

Lawrence Wine Estates supports a collection of wine estates in Napa Valley and France, including, alongside Heitz Cellar and Ink Grade, Haynes, Burgess, Brendel, Stony Hill Vineyards, and Château Lascombes in Bordeaux.

Lawrence Wine Estates’ acquisition of Château Lascombes in November 2022 was the largest ever financial transaction in the Médoc. Carlton McCoy, managing partner of Lawrence Family Wine Estates, said that he felt Château Lascombes “hasn’t made great wines consistently in recent years”, and that his firm had plans to improve its farming practises.

Demeine Estates is a family-owned producer, importer and marketer based in the heart of Napa Valley, California. Founded by The Lawrence family and Carlton McCoy Jr MS, and led by president Philana Bouvier, the company’s portfolio also consists of family-owned domestic and international producers.

Heitz Cellar, founded in 1961, was acquired by the Lawrence family in April 2018. The estate’s vineyards are planted in six of Napa Valley’s sub-appellations: Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Howell Mountain, Oak Knoll District, and Calistoga,a dn 100% of its vineyards are grown certified CCOF organic. The winery also plans to move towards biodynamic farming in the near future.

Ink Grade produces single-estate wines from its vineyard in the Howell Mountain AVA. Its 750-acre (304 hectare) property has 220 certified acres (89 ha) under vine, producing Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Merlot.

Demeine Estates president Philana Bouvier said of the new partnership: “We are excited to partner with one of the most esteemed retailers and importers in the UK to bring these revered wines to the market as we expand the global reach of these Napa Valley wineries.”

Berry Bros. & Rudd recently announced that it was working with Port producer Symington Family Estates to acquire English wine producer Hambledon Vineyard. The purchase of England’s oldest commercial vineyard is a 50/50 joint venture between the two British-owned businesses.