Vinum Capital Management, LLC Launches Vinum Capital Partners I, LP, a Private Equity Fund Exclusively Targeting the

SAN ANSELMO, CA, Apr 28 (MARKET WIRE) --
Vinum Capital Management, LLC ("VCM") in San Anselmo, CA, has announced the
formation of Vinum Capital Partners I, LP ("VCP"), a $250 million control
and buyout private equity fund. VCP will be the leading equity capital fund
focused solely on acquiring and operating mid-size premium and super-premium
wine properties producing between 20,000 and 150,000 cases per annum.

The VCP team, who has exceptionally strong experience in winery
operations,vineyard management, financial management, and M&A transactions,
consists
of:

-- Winery professionals whose experience encompasses brand management,
sales, distribution, and winemaking at over 40 wineries encompassing over
150 brands, including Mondavi, Gallo, Beringer, Ravenswood, and
Schramsberg; and
-- Investment professionals who collectively have bought, sold, managed,
or brokered over $1 billion in winery transactions.

"There is currently very little equity capital available in the middle
market wine industry," said Stephen Kuhn, general manager and Managing Partner
of
VCM. "Our fund objective is to address the growing pent-up demand for equity
capital in this sector of the market," Kuhn added, citing a recent study by
Silicon Valley Bank and Scion Advisors indicating that over half of
California's wineries will change ownership within 10 years.

Thomas Thornhill, Managing Partner of VCM, who is also Chairman of the
Mendocino Wine Company and a former partner at Montgomery Securities, added,
"The
focus of this fund is to acquire wine properties efficiently, grow them
effectively
with expertise and necessary growth capital, and ultimately sell them to
strategic and financial acquirers. We've built the best team in the wine,
agriculture, and real estate industries to do just that."

VCM's Investment Partners include Justin Faggioli, formerly COO of
Ravenswood; Scott Setrakian, formerly Director of Golden State Vineyards; and G.
Craig Vachon, a financing and M&A expert. The fund's portfolio management team
includes Bill Foster, formerly from Beringer; Jonathan Pey, formerly from
Robert Mondavi and Fosters Wine Estates; Doug Rogers, formerly from Gallo,
Southcorp, and Brown-Forman Wines; and Bob Steinhauer, formerly from Beringer
and one
of the leading viticultural experts in the world. Strategic Advisors include
Don Brain with VinREIT and Global Wine Partners; and Tom Hakel, formerly with
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

Vinum Capital Management, LLC, is an equity fund management company.
Currently
focused on its first fund, Vinum Capital Partners I, LP, the company makes
control and buyout investments in wineries, wine properties, and strategically
related businesses in California, Oregon and Washington. For more information,
please
contact Stephen Kuhn at 415-295-4650 or visit www.vinumcapital.com.

Contact:
Stephen Kuhn
Vinum Capital Management, LLC
415-295-4650
Email Contact

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