This week, multiple news outlets reported that beverage conglomerate Constellation Brands is plotting to sell off its entire wine portfolio, which includes popular brands like The Prisoner, Kim Crawford, Lingua Franca, and Robert Mondavi Winery. Although none of the companies involved have confirmed the news, the rumor has been floating around for quite some time.
Ever since Modelo Especial — which is owned by Constellation — became the No. 1 best-selling beer in the U.S. back in 2023, the beer’s parent company has been making moves that substantiate the speculation. The conglomerate closed down its San Francisco office last year, and the head of the company’s wine and spirits division, Robert Hanson, stepped down in February 2024, only to become the CEO of the Duckhorn Portfolio a few weeks later.
Constellation Brands now stands as the largest beer import company in the country. Rather than holding on to its domestic wine portfolio, does it make more sense for Constellation to invest all of its time and money into beer, even with the looming threat of potential tariffs on the horizon?
On this episode of the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to the widely reported rumors that Constellation Brands is looking to sell off the entirety of its wine portfolio to focus on beer. They chat about how beer has become the centerpiece of Constellation’s business, whether recently implemented tariffs should be a cause for concern, and what this might mean for the few spirits brands in the portfolio. Tune in for more.
Zach is reading: Before Whiskey Stones, There Were Martini Stones — And They Didn’t Work Either
Adam is reading: VinePair’s Best New Bartender 2025
Joanna is reading: Can Japan Replicate What it Did for Whisky With Wine?
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The article The VinePair Podcast: Does Constellation Want Out of the Wine Biz? appeared first on VinePair.
