Miguel Torres S.A. names Ste. Michelle Wine Estates new U.S. importer
BARCELONA, Spain
Miguel Torres S.A. announced today that Ste. Michelle Wine Estates has been appointed the exclusive importer for their portfolio of Spanish and Chilean wines in the United States.
General Manager Miguel Torres said, “We are pleased with the many similarities of our philosophy to that of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. We share an unwavering commitment to wine quality, a strong track record of developing top premium brands, and a passion for the promotion of wine culture, together with the expression of terroir in our wines and stewardship for the environment in our estates and operations.”
For five generations, Torres has been a leader in the Spanish wine industry with properties in the top regions, including Penedès, Priorat, Conca de Barberà, Ribera del Duero and Rioja. The family also owns vineyards in Chile and California.
In addition to its acclaimed wine portfolio, Torres is regarded for its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. The initiative “Torres and Earth” includes ambitious programs for reducing environmental impact over time while continuing to deliver outstanding results. Torres also supports Fair Trade projects in Chile as well as social programs in other countries where the company operates.
Torres has successfully developed its business around the world, pioneering the internationalization of Spanish wines, and it exports its brands to more than 150 countries.
The family’s dedication to wine quality and producing wines which uniquely reflect their origins has been recognized by leading media outlets throughout the world. Torres recently ranked No. 1 in the Drinks International World’s Most Admired Wine Brands survey of leading masters of wine, sommeliers, educators and media (3/11/14). TIME magazine has profiled the family’s commitment to the environment (8/29/11), and the Torres portfolio has earned 90+ ratings and medals in consecutive vintages.
Ted Baseler, President and CEO for Ste. Michelle Wines Estates stated, “We are excited about the opportunity to market Spanish wines, particularly the wines of Torres in our home market.”
“Miguel Torres’ distinguished portfolio is an ideal fit with our ‘string of pearls’ wineries, all of which represent an unwavering commitment to producing distinctive, high quality wines from authentic estate vineyards,” Baseler said.
Ste. Michelle’s portfolio collection of ‘best in class’ producers includes those who pioneered and innovated in their respective areas, such as Marchesi Antinori, of Tuscany; Villa Maria, of New Zealand; and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, of France.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the third largest premium wine company in the U.S. and has led the development of vineyards in Washington State since 1934. Chateau Ste. Michelle is the 2nd largest domestic premium brand in the U.S.
Ste. Michelle also owns acclaimed wineries in Washington, Oregon and the Napa Valley.
While Ste. Michelle’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is well known for winning the Judgment of Paris in 1976, Torres captured the crown in 1979 when its Mas La Plana wine beat top Bordeaux wines at the Gault Millau Wine Olympiad, in Paris.
Spanish table wines have had a sales surge in the U.S. with the category up 12.7% in 2013. Consumers in the U.S. are showing a growing interest in Spanish wines, boosted by the successful development of new premium areas, including Priorat in Catalonia. Recovery of ancient indigenous grape varieties together with successful adaptation of international ones is delivering outstanding quality and unique wines to the marketplace.
Miguel Torres reached a mutual agreement with Dreyfus Ashby to move the U.S. distribution to a new importer. Miguel Torres said, “I would like to thank Dreyfus for their efforts, professionalism and our long relationship in the U.S.”
The distribution agreement also includes the Spanish brand Jean Leon and the top quality brandies, which Torres has been making since 1928. Torres produces a range of premium brandies, following a traditional winemaking protocol, including the Torres 10-year and the Jaime I 30-year bottlings.
The distribution agreement will be effective May of 2014.
About Miguel Torres S.A.
The Torres surname has been related to wine for more than three centuries, when the family planted the first vines in the Penedès. Since it was founded in 1870, Bodegas Torres has managed to combine tradition and innovation with the aim of leading the premium quality wine and brandy sector, always producing with the utmost respect for the environment. This family tradition has been scrupulously respected down through the centuries and the company has been passed down from father to son. Today the fourth generation of the family - President Miguel A. Torres and Vice-Presidents Juan M. Torres and Marimar Torres - are overseeing the steady transition to the fifth generation - represented by Arnau Torres - Rosselló, Mireia Torres -Maczassek, Cristina Torres and Miguel Torres - Maczassek, who most recently has taken up the role of General Manager of the company.
Today, Torres wines are exported to more than 150 countries. In Spain, Bodegas Torres is present in the following Denominations of Origin: Catalunya, Conca de Barberà, Costers del Segre, Penedès, Priorat, Ribera del Duero, Rioja and Rueda. Internationally Torres has vineyards and wineries in Chile /Valle Central and California /Russian River Valley (managed by Marimar Torres).
Torres owns 2.432 hectares of vineyards, 2.000 of which are in Spain, 400 in Chile, 32 in California, and employs more than 1.300 people. Torres’ most renowned “Single Vineyards” are Mas La Plana, Grans Muralles, Reserva Real, Perpetual, Fransola, Milmanda, Manso de Velasco (Chile), the Don Miguel and Doña Margarita Vineyards (California), and the Jean Leon winery which is managed by Mireia Torres - Maczassek, who combines this with running the Priorat winery and the Premium Cava project.
Most of the Spanish Single Vineyard wines age in the relatively new Waltraud Cellar, named after the German wife of Miguel A. Torres – Waltraud Maczassek – who initiated and directed exports to Germany, which today is one of the most important markets. Today Waltraud Maczassek is the President of the Miguel Torres Foundation, which promotes social collaboration projects.
About Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the third largest premium wine company in the U.S. The company, located outside of Seattle, Washington, has a distinguished history that dates back 80 years to 1934. Wines under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967, and since that time the company has expanded its vineyard holdings to more than 3,700 acres in Washington and California. Today its ‘String of Pearls’ wine portfolio represents owned or imported brands that demonstrate the producers’ unwavering commitment to creating distinctive, high quality wines from authentic estate vineyards.
Ste. Michelle’s Washington portfolio includes Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, 14 Hands, Northstar, Spring Valley Vineyard, Col Solare, Michelle sparkling wines, Red Diamond, and Snoqualmie. The company also owns Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (with Italy’s Antinori family), Conn Creek and Villa Mt. Eden in the Napa Valley of California, and Erath, in Dundee, Oregon. In 2006, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates became the exclusive U.S. importer for the acclaimed Marchesi Antinori wine portfolio of Italy and Chile’s Haras wines, for Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte of France in 2009, for New Zealand’s Villa Maria Estate in 2010, and for Miguel Torres of Spain and Chile in 2014.
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For further information:
Ryan Pennington
(425) 415-3359
ryan.pennington@smwe.com
