Blackstone to close Kenwood facility

The label will live on, but the Blackstone winery and visitor center in Kenwood will close at the end of February.

Some production will move to the Ravenswood Quarry facility south of Sonoma and the Kenwood property, owned by Constellation Wines U.S., will be put up for sale.

“The Blackstone Sonoma Reserve tier is deeply rooted in Sonoma County,” said Nora Feely, vice president of corporate communications said. “We will continue to craft these wines in Sonoma, just at a different location.”
The close of the Kenwood facility will affect some 20 employees, Feely said, many of whom will be transferred to new positions within the company.
Constellation, the largest wine company in the world, also owns Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois and Ravenswood, among many others.

Blackstone produces about 1.5 million cases a year, mostly at other Constellation facilities. The Kenwood property is located on Sonoma Highway just south of Adode Road. It was previously the home of the St. Francis winery.

Relocating production of the reserve wines to the Ravenswood site will not compromise quality or style, Feely said. “The facility was designed specifically for small-production, high-end wines.”