Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo, President and CEO of Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, confirmed on Friday that they have entered into a transaction to sell Sonoma, California winery to The Foley Group, headed by William P. Foley II, president of Fidelity National, Inc. and owner of several Central Coast wineries.
Cuneo is the granddaughter of the winery’s founder, Samuele Sebastiani, who started the winery in 1904. Samuele Sebastiani pioneered shipping wine in bulk in railroad tank cars to the east coast and the winery grew to produce millions of cases of wine per year.
Cuneo said, “All of the family agreed this is a good thing. Everyone can go their own way and do their own thing. We are really happy to sell to an individual and not to a corporate takeover. My brothers, Don and Sam, and I are all pleased.”
Since Sebastiani sold their Turner Road Vintners in 2000, they have focused on producing ultra-premium wines including cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, pinot noir and zinfandel.
Bill Foley already owns Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery, LinCourt Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley near Solvang, Firestone Vineyards with vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla, Washington, as well as Merus, Altus, and Goodnight Cellars.
Cuneo did not disclose the purchase price.
