War Room Cellars Acquires Pacific Rim Riesling

WarRoom Cellars acquired Pacific Rim Riesling. Pacific Rim Winemakers filed for Bankruptcy Act protection in April.

Pacific Rim was founded in 1992 by industry icon Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard. This acquisition reunites the two brands, over three decades later, in the WarRoom portfolio of wines.

WarRoom Cellars acquires legacy wine brands and re-positions them for growth, focusing on what consumers have historically loved most about the brand.

An Audacious Blend

The original Pacific Rim Riesling was an audacious blend of fruit from Washington, California, and Germany. Ever the pioneer, Grahm created the Pacific Rim Wine Co. in 2007, moving the brand and its team to the Columbia Valley in Washington, an unprecedented move that created the United States' only winery devoted exclusively to Riesling.

Musing about the brand today, Grahm said, “I’ve made no secret of my nearly fetishist obsession with Riesling, unquestionably the noblest white cépage of them all…” 

In 2011, Grahm sold the Pacific Rim Wine Co, to Banfi, which wanted to diversify its portfolio beyond Italian imports. Grahm wanted to focus on Bonny Doon Vineyard.

Under new ownership, the brand continued to delight its consumers with consistent accolades, eye-catching labels and creative concepts such as “sweetology,” the craft of balancing sweet wines with bright acidity and freshness. As a founding member of the International Riesling Foundation, Pacific Rim helped create the sweetness taste scale, a simple visual representation on every back label that shows consumers exactly how much sweetness to expect.

A Perfect Fit: WarRook

“We are grateful for the opportunity to build on the brand’s innovations,” explained WarRoom Cellars President Andrew Nelson. “Pacific Rim fits perfectly into our long-term goals as a company, including our work with founders whenever possible. Working with Randall on Bonny Doon wines has continually inspired the WarRoom team to explore new avenues in winemaking. We’re excited to explore the metes and bounds of Pacific Rim!”

Nicole Walsh, a seasoned veteran of Bonny Doon Vineyard, and WarRoom’s Director of Winemaking, will oversee Pacific Rim winemaking and grower relations. She commented, “I’m thrilled about the opportunity to work with Pacific Rim again. It’s a beloved brand I started working with 25 years ago while at Bonny Doon Vineyard.”

Asked about the acquisition, a representative of Pacific Rim&Co. responded, “Pacific Rim has long been a beloved and distinctive brand, and we are thrilled to see it continue its journey with a partner that shares a strong commitment to its future success. We believe this transition positions the brand for continued growth and investment while ensuring that consumers can enjoy Pacific Rim for years to come.”

Fourth in Sales

According to the Nielsen data, in the category of Rieslings retailing for over $9 in the United States, Pacific Rim is fourth in sales.

WarRoom Cellars partners with Total Beverage Solution (TBS) to manage sales and distribution for its portfolio. WarRoom and TBS have a successful partnership, with WarRoom focusing on wine production and brand positioning, and TBS managing sales and distribution.