Crimson Wine Group Doubles Portfolio with Raeburn Winery Acquisition, Boosting Annual Output to 650,000 Cases

California-based Crimson Wine Group has acquired Raeburn Winery from Purple Brands, a move that will double the size of Crimson’s wine portfolio. The acquisition, which became effective immediately, includes some inventory assets but the purchase price was not disclosed. Raeburn, located in Sonoma County, produces about 250,000 cases annually. This addition brings Crimson’s total annual case production to approximately 650,000. Jennifer Locke, CEO of Crimson Wine Group, said the deal will strengthen the company’s market presence and relevance with both retail and on-premise customers. Raeburn’s wines are primarily sold in the $15 to $25 retail price range. Crimson Wine Group’s existing portfolio includes Pine Ridge Vineyards, Seghesio Family Vineyards, Chamisal Vineyards, and Archery Summit.

In the spirits sector, January’s whisky auctions exceeded expectations despite the typical post-holiday slowdown. The top 20 hammer prices at auction reached a combined value of $984,579, marking a 20% increase compared to January 2025. Sotheby’s set a new record for American whiskey with a $130,000 bid for an Old Rip Van Winkle 1982 20-year-old bottle from Sam’s Wines & Spirits. This surpassed previous records including a 6-liter bottle of O.F.C. 1982 that sold for $122,900 at Unicorn Auctions and last year’s $100,000 winning bid at Sotheby’s for another Old Rip Van Winkle selection.

Brown-Forman has introduced a new small batch collection under its King of Kentucky brand. The collection features three whiskies blended from barrels aged between 12 and 18 years. Some barrels were reported to be only 16% full due to evaporation losses known as the angel’s share. The whiskies are bottled at strengths of 52.5%, 53.75%, and 55%. Each bottle carries a suggested retail price of $299 and will be available in limited quantities in select U.S. markets. Brown-Forman confirmed that while these small batch releases are new for King of Kentucky, single barrel releases under the brand will continue in the fall.