Water Into Wine: Landmark Winery sold to Fiji Water's Resnick

Landmark Vineyards, one of the signature wineries on Highway 12 since its founding in 1989, has been sold Stewart Resnick, owner of a number of agricultural brands, according to this story on the Bloomberg website.

Billionaire Stewart Resnick, owner of California citrus and pistachio farms and brands including Fiji Water, bought Sonoma Valley’s Landmark Vineyards as deals for premium-wine properties rebound.

Terms of sale for the 18-acre property on Adobe Canyon Rd., just north of the Sonoma Highway (Hwy 12) were not disclosed. The winery is clearly visible from the road, and its grounds are decorated with John Deere tractors and other family farm memorabilia (Deere invented the steel plow in 1837; plows were formerly made of cast iron). His great-great-granddaughter Damaris Deere Ford relocated the vineyards from Windsor and brought in winemakers such as Helen Turley to develop the location's potential.

Resnick purchased a Paso Robles premium winery less than a year ago -- Justin Vineyards, known for its premium red wines. By contrast, Landmark's signature wine is its Chardonnay, cited by Robert Parker Jr. as one of California's best expressions of the varietal.

“This is a very good winemaker, and fits the profile we were looking for: affordable luxury,” said Resnick, chairman of Roll Global Corp., the Los Angeles-based holding company for Fiji Water, Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice and other food brands. “It’s not the very high-end, but the middle high-end, and good quality for the value. And, it was for sale.”

The sale is seen as a sign of the resurgence in value for premium wine properties.