Boisset/Lockwood’s Nuanced PR Release = Confusion

So what is it? A partnership? Acquisition? Both? Neither? Something else entirely?

• Boisset Family Estates Expands into Monterey
• Boisset partners with Monterey’s Lockwood

The news release (below) is so wandering, vague and filled with flowery, self-congratulatory language and descriptions of grandiose plans and ambitions that there’s no way to determine what actually transpired.

In a biblical sense, the event (whatever it was/is) appears  “viewed through a mirror darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). If the intent was to get some press without really saying much, it was successful.

My guess is that Boisset bought the brand and Lockwood keeps the vineyard and winery. Or maybe Boisset bought the brand, inventory and winery and Lockwood keeps the vineyard.

NEWS RELEASE

Boisset Strengthens its California Terroir Collection

Monterey’s Lockwood Vineyard Joins the Boisset Family Estates Collection

November 02, 2011 – St. Helena, CA: Boisset Family Estates today announces the addition of the Lockwood Vineyard brand to its California collection, forming a strategic partnership with Lockwood’s founders for the long-term stewardship of the Monterey brand’s legacy. Lockwood’s founding partners, Paul Toeppen, Phil Johnson and Butch Lindley, will remain owners of their estate vineyard, while Boisset will propel the 75,000 case brand in the market. For Boisset, Lockwood represents a tremendous opportunity to explore Monterey and partner with one of the region’s most remarkable vineyards. Lockwood’s Monterey appellation complements Boisset’s California portfolio of terroir-driven wineries in the Napa Valley, Russian River Valley and Sonoma County.

“Monterey’s future is only beginning… We are honored to have found a partner with a long history and a very deep commitment to terroir in this fabulous wine region,” commented Jean-Charles Boisset of Boisset Family Estates. “The partners that began Lockwood – Paul, Phil and Butch – dedicated themselves to a very unique terroir and making wines that harness its diversity and express its potential. We look forward to working with them while catapulting the wines to new heights.”

The wine’s incredible potential arises from the vineyards’ location at the confluence of the unique factors that make Monterey singularly unique in the wine world: the Monterey’s Bay’s Blue Grand Canyon, the only marine canyon that directly impacts a major wine growing region, collides with the warm air of the southern inland valleys just where the vineyard is planted at the base of the Santa Lucia mountains in inimitable soils.

“This confluence of terroir offers a stunning opportunity to grow incomparable wines,” said Boisset. “With Lockwood, I was immediately struck by a Chardonnay reminiscent of southern Burgundy – Pouilly-Fuisse and Macon-Villages in particular. Simultaneously, the soil profile reminds us somewhat of Chablis as each boast the influence of fossilized sea shells. We believe that wines from Monterey have an immense opportunity to bring a prestigious cool-climate California appellation at a tremendous value both US and internationally, with wines revealing less oak, great minerality, and a fabulous purity that honors food.”

Lockwood Vineyard built its reputation from a remarkable vineyard nestled at the base of the Santa Lucia mountain range. 1,850 contiguous acres wind through both warm and cool climate regions with a distinctive soil that gives meaning to the term terroir. “Lockwood Shaly Loam”, recognized by the U.S. Geological survey in 1946, consists of crushed fossilized seashells similar to chalk and limestone. It’s found only in two small areas of Central California: the area of the vineyard and a coastal cliff region near Big Sur. The vineyard experiences diurnal temperature swings of 60ºF in a matter of a few hours, and its diverse micro-climates allow multiple varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon to thrive. Boisset, known for its commitment to prestigious appellations, will produce wine from grapes grown on the estate vineyard in cooperation with the founding partners.

“We are excited to have found a partner to continue the legacy of the Lockwood brand,” said Paul Toeppen, one of the original partners that established the Lockwood brand in 1989. “We’ve witnessed Boisset’s respect and commitment to the wines in its collection. They appreciate and will build upon the best parts of the Lockwood Vineyard brand. We know the Boisset family is committed to the California wine world for the long-term.”

About Boisset Family Estates

Boisset Family Estates boasts a collection of wineries in California’s most prestigious appellations, including DeLoach Vineyards in the Russian River Valley, Raymond Vineyards in the Napa Valley, Buena Vista in Carneros, and Lyeth Estate in Alexander Valley. The family-owned company also includes historical and

unique wineries with leading positions in Burgundy, Beaujolais, the Rhône Valley, the South of France, and Canada. One of the world’s foremost producers of Pinot Noir and principal proponents of organic and Biodynamic® viticulture, Boisset crafts fine wines with a strict terroir approach: each house in its family of wineries has a unique history, identity, and style, yet all are united in the pursuit of superior quality. To learn more about the Boisset Family Estates collection, please visit www.boissetfamilyestates.com.

To learn more about Lockwood Vineyard, visit: www.lockwood-wine.com.

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