America’s #3 Wine Producer Adds America’s #1 By-The-Glass Spanish Brand To Portfolio
Livermore, Calif., August 7, 2018 – The Wine Group announced today that it has purchased the Beso Del Sol brand, the fastest growing authentic Sangria brand in the U.S. and the #1 Spanish by-the-glass brand in the on-premise channel.¹
Beso Del Sol, which translates to “kiss of the sun,” is recognized for its authentic, high-quality Sangrias made from wine and fruit grown in the Castilla-La Mancha region of central Spain. Beso Del Sol’s Red, White and Rosé Sangrias are available in 3-liter boxes, 500ml Tetra Pak, and 1.5-liter bottles, and all adhere to the EU’s legal definition of Sangria, which mandates that product labeled solely as “Sangria” must be made from wines and natural fruit grown on the Iberian Peninsula.
“We are excited to bring Beso Del Sol’s impressive Sangrias into The Wine Group portfolio,” said Brian Vos, CEO of The Wine Group. “We look forward to continuing to build on the brand’s strong reputation and explosive growth, while working with Beso Del Sol’s growers and suppliers in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain to maintain its outstanding quality.”
The Sangria category has shown strong growth in recent years, and it is presently growing at +5.5% vs. YA, well ahead of the total wine category (+1.6%) according to Nielsen.² Additionally, Sangria is especially popular in the on-premise channel, where it remains the #1 wine cocktail.³
Beso Del Sol was founded by industry veterans who saw an opportunity to provide a higher quality Sangria made with authentic, natural ingredients. Since its national launch in 2015, Beso has been honored as a “Growth Brand Award” winner by Beverage Information Group for four consecutive years, and the brand was cited by Shanken’s Impact Newsletter as a “Hot Prospects” Award winner in 2016 and a “Hot Brand” winner in 2017.
Zepponi & Company served as the exclusive financial advisor to Beso Del Sol, Inc. in the sale of their namesake brand to The Wine Group.
About The Wine Group
Established in 1981, The Wine Group is the world’s third largest winery by volume. Based out of Livermore, CA in the historic Concannon Estate, The Wine Group is management owned and operated. Its portfolio of wines includes AVA Grace, Benziger Family Winery, Chloe Wine Collection, Concannon Vineyard, Cupcake Vineyards, Franzia, Imagery Estate Winery, McManis Family Vineyards, and Trapiche.
