Two buyers have teamed up to acquire Washington State-based wine business Hattrup Farms.
Andrew Schultz of US vineyard consulting company Brothers in Farms and Tinte Cellars owners Tim Gamble and Teresa Spellman Gamble have joined forces to purchase the company for an undisclosed sum.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal includes two vineyards, Elephant Mountain and Sugarloaf, spanning a total of 217 acres, with over 160 acres planted with grapevines.
In this transaction, Schultz will take ownership of Elephant Mountain Vineyards and 50% of Sugarloaf Vineyards, while Tinte Estates, under the Gambles, will acquire the remaining 50 acres of Sugarloaf Vineyard.
For Schultz, the acquisition represents a “full-circle moment”, as he worked at Hattrup Farms from 2012 to 2017.
This investment also enhances Tinte Estates' portfolio of “mature premium vineyards” in the Rattlesnake Hills and Red Mountain AVAs of Washington State.
The Gambles said: “This acquisition aligns perfectly with our vision of making a positive impact through exceptional wine and will significantly expand our choices when it comes to producing premium estate wines under our Tinte Cellars label.”
Joe and Susan Hattrup, the co-founders of Hattrup Farms, set up the Elephant Mountain Vineyards in 1998 within the Rattlesnake Hills appellation.
The vineyard, situated at a higher elevation of 1,300 to 1,460ft above sea level, is currently home to 93 planted acres.
It is predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, among other varieties.
Sugarloaf Vineyard, also located in the Rattlesnake Hills, was established by the Hattrups in 2006 and spans 70 acres.
The vineyard is planted mainly with Rhône varieties, in addition to Tempranillo, Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Both vineyards, some 5km apart, benefit from extended growing seasons due to the number of frost-free days, with Sugarloaf being the warmer site, the company said.
Brothers In Farms, founded in 2016 by Schultz, manages 500 acres of wine grapes across Washington and Oregon.
Set up in 2018, Tinte Cellars is based in Woodinville, Washington and focuses on premium wines and philanthropy.
Its offerings include Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc.
