Expect large wine companies to continue to acquire smaller wineries as they look to expand into the premium US wine segment. Roger Nabedian, who is a general manager at E&J Gallo, said, “I do think we are seeing another generational change, particularly up here in the North Coast. Entrepreneurs who started their business in the 1960s, 1970s, and maybe early 1980s that don’t have a line of sight or interest in their family for succession are looking for a way to have their brands live on.” Premium wines have seen continuous growth, which makes some of these wineries and brands especially attractive. Take Jackson Family Wines for example. They have purchased Field Stone Winery, Copain Wines and Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in the last year. It is likely we will see more companies jumping on this trend. Source: THE PRESS DEMOCRAT