Lord only knows how he gets the time, but Brian Croser has recently forged strong links between Petaluma Ltd and premium US producer and marketer, Stimson Lane Vineyards & Estates. In a joint venture project, Stimson Lane will purchase 50% of Bridgewater Mill and Smithbrook (which Petaluma has only recently entirely acquired), excluding the Bridgewater Mill cellar door and restaurant facilities. The Bridgewater Mill brand, which could use an injection of vitality, will be pumped up dramatically, sourcing fruit from each of the various Petaluma properties, especially Smithbrook at Pemberton, for export and distribution via Stimson Lane’s US-based sales network. New wines will join the Bridgewater Mill range, including a reserve brand which will incorporate an old vine Barossa shiraz from contracted fruit which will be sold in conjunction with an American shiraz made from Stimson Lane’s vineyards in Pasa Robles. Croser’s relationship with Stimson Lane goes back over twenty years and he respects the pioneering and leadership role the company has played in the Pacific Northwest and especially in Washington State’s wine industry. Stimson Lane’s key wine brands include Domaine Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and Villa Mt Eden and in 1999 it sold 2.7 million cases in the US. It is presently undertaking substantial expansion into several Californian regions, including the Napa Valley, Mendocino and San Luis Obispo. It already has joint venture winemaking operations in the US with leading European makers Piero Antinori and Ernst Loosen. Petaluma Ltd reported a net profit after tax of $3.45 million for the first half of 1999-2000, a 5.8% increase compared to the same time last year.
