Landmark Vineyards buys historic Hop Kiln winery

Landmark Vineyards has purchased the historic Hop Kiln winery on Westside Road, adding the Healdsburg address to its portfolio of premium properties located in the Sonoma Valley and Paso Robles.

Landmark, owned by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, whose $4 billion Roll Global company owns Fiji Water, Pom Wonderful juice and other businesses, bought the estate and 240 acres of land for an undisclosed price.

The winery had been owned by Westside Grapes, a Seattle-based limited liability company that purchased the facility in 2004. It was represented by International Wine Associates, a mergers and acquisitions firm based in Healdsburg.

The winery had been operated under the umbrella of HKG Estate Wines, whose chief executive officer is David Di Loreto. Di Loreto was part of a company that bought the Kenwood Inn and Spa in 2007.

The Hop Kiln building is a registered California Historical Landmark and recognized by the California Office of Historic Preservation as “the most significant surviving example of a stone hop kiln in the North Coast region.”

The land includes 100 acres of planted vineyards, mostly pinot noir and chardonnay, where grapes have been grown on the land since the late 1800s.

The Resnicks in 2011 bought Landmark Vineyards in Kenwood, one of Sonoma County’s premiere family-owned wineries and known for its chardonnay. Their portfolio also includes the JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, which was recently named winery of the year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, a respected trade publication.

“We are excited to integrate Hop Kiln’s historic estate and vineyards into our luxury wine portfolio,” said David Ricanati, president of Landmark Vineyards, in a statement. “Hop Kiln’s vineyards further Landmark’s commitment to quality and match our dedication to producing handcrafted, ultra-premium wines from Sonoma County.”

Hop Kiln recently has been in the spotlight. Its previous owners sought to expand production and its events business in the midst of growing opposition among community activists, who contend the area has become a congested tourist mecca that blights their quality of life.

The Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments last year approved a permit to expand the winery’s operations, but placed restrictions on events because of community complaints.

The board allowed the winery to produce an additional 10,000 cases annually for a total of 30,000 cases, and build a new 15,550-square-foot wine production facility.

But after hearing from opponents, the board reduced a staff-proposed 16 promotional events annually to four, as well as prohibiting weddings. The winery would be allowed to participate in eight industrywide event days, with any outdoor event ending at 5 p.m., and indoor events to wrap up by 9 p.m. Buses would be limited to no more than 12 seats.

The winery owners appealed the decision to the Board of Supervisors, but their case has not been heard. Landmark did not comment on whether or not it would pursue the appeal.

The sale also continues a growing trend of consolidation in the wine industry as vintners are increasingly seeking high-end grapes from Sonoma and Napa counties because they make more profitable wine.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.