E. & J. Gallo Winery has bought Soledad-based Hahn Family Wines, the winemaking titan announced on Tuesday, June 20.
The acquisition includes the Smith & Hook, Hahn and Hahn SLH brands; it does not include the Hahn vineyards. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“I am pleased to transition our Hahn Family Wines portfolio to the E. & J. Gallo Winery,” Thomas Duhameau, president of Hahn Family Wines, said in a statement. “Not only do we share similar family values, but both organizations are deeply committed to creating a sustainable future. I am confident the Hahn family's Central Coast wine legacy is in the best hands with the Gallo family.”
Hahn Family Wines has been family-owned and operated since 1979, when Nicky and Gaby Hahn purchased the Smith Ranch and Hook Ranch in the Salinas Valley, and converted them into a vineyard. A Swiss immigrant, Nicky Hahn was a fierce advocate for the Santa Lucia Highlands and helped the region campaign for American Viticultural Association recognition, which it was granted in 1991.
Gallo, meanwhile, was founded in Modesto in 1933 by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo. Since then it has grown to become among the largest wine brands in the world and the biggest exporter of California wines. The company has a massive portfolio of brands that runs the gamut from Barefoot Wine to Monterey County’s Talbott Vineyards, which Gallo bought in 2015.