Chateau Ste. Michelle Changes Hands - Quench Report Issue #20

Plus Recent History of Gin, Meet Rupee Beer, Hot Jobs and more

Author

Matt Rice
December 15, 2025

Welcome to Issue #20 of The Quench Report, the newsletter that raises a glass and delivers the latest and greatest in Beverage Alcohol and the broader Beverage category.

What’s on tap for today:

  • 🍷 Chateau Ste. Michelle Changes Hands (Again)

  • 🥃 The Recent History of Top Gin Brands

  • 🆕 Meet Rupee Beer

  • 🔥 Hot Jobs Worth Applying To

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WHAT’S ON TAP - UPCOMING

📊 Dec 16
• Nielsen data through Dec 6
• Circana data through Dec 7

 🍷 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE GETS A NEW OWNER

Last Friday, Washington State's Chateau Ste. Michelle got a new home, and this time, it's staying local (and isn’t a Tobacco company!). The Wyckoff family (also Washington-based) has acquired the winery from Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity firm.

Few facts about CSM:

  • They're the 8th largest wine supplier in the U.S. by volume, moving roughly 6 million cases (9LE) annually

  • Sycamore is retaining the brands from Oregon (Erath and A to Z)

  • Sycamore acquired CSM in 2021 for $1.2 billion from tobacco giant Altria

  • Fun fact: CSM has a history with Big Tobacco. Before Altria, they were owned by UST (US Smokeless Tobacco) starting in the 1970s

Check out their portfolio below: 👇️ 

🧠Our Thoughts

Locally Owned: Having Washington's biggest winery owned by a Washington company? That feels right. Here's something people forget: from 2014 onward, Chateau Ste. Michelle was one of the fastest-growing table wine brands in the U.S., posting near-double-digit growth for several years. Fingers crossed the Wyckoff family can help recapture that momentum for the whole Washington wine scene.

🥃 GIN EVOLUTION OVER TIME

Gin has struggled in the U.S. over the past decade, though a few brands have bucked the trend and seen growth lately (most notably Hendricks and Empress). Want to know how the top 10 has changed over the past decade. Check it out 👇️

🧠Our Thoughts

Premiumization: Even though the category is down versus 2014, consumers are trading up. Higher-priced gins are outpacing their value-shelf cousins.

Imports: International gins are crushing domestic ones. While domestic gin has dropped 2 million cases since 2014, imported gin has gained 1 million cases.

🍺 🆕 MEET RUPEE BEER

Last week at BrewBound in California, Rupee Beer was named a "Rising Star". The brand's been around for a few years, but it's really starting to take off. For those who haven't crossed paths with it yet, here's what you need to know:

Check it out below👇️ 

🧠The Details

  • The founders: Brothers Van and Sumit Sharma, both Indian-American and based in Maine.

  • Where it's made: Dorchester Brewing in Boston, MA (though the beer draws heavy inspiration from India)

  • The offerings: Basmati Rice Lager, Mango Wheat Ale, India Pale Ale, Darjeeling Hard Tea, and even a non-alcoholic option.

  • The positioning: Rupee Beer's positioning is centered on being the ultimate pairing for Indian and spicy global cuisine.

Keep your eyes peeled, Rupee Beer is expanding fast and could be hitting your market soon!

THIS WEEK’S HOT JOBS IN BEVERAGES

These roles came to us via personal recommendations (not public job boards). Want your open role featured? Email: [email protected] 👇️ 

THANKS FOR READING

The Quench Report is a free weekly newsletter from Thirsty Insights, a beverage alcohol consulting company that serves top clients in strategy, insights, and analytics.

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