Superb Chardonnay & Pinot Noir Brand Co-Founder Buys Back Eponymous Winery

James Hall—founding partner and winemaker—has repurchased Patz & Hall winery from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. The Washington State based company owned the winery since 2016, and with the sale are signaling a shift of their focus away from movements in California. For how much? We asked, and the sale price was not disclosed.

“ This rare opportunity to reclaim the winery from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the culmination of my life’s work over the past 35 years with Patz & Hall ,” said James Hall, Founder & Winemaker Emeritus. “ Patz & Hall is currently producing some of the finest Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines of my career. I’m excited to contribute to the future success of this remarkable company .”

Patz & Hall is one of California’s leading wineries for vineyard-designated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines are crafted from the finest vineyards in California, farmed by the greatest growers. Since its founding in 1988, Patz & Hall has made some of the New World’s most stirring and sought-after single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs—wines that have become benchmarks for their intensity, elegance, and complexity.

James Hall, along with a select group of wine industry veterans, purchased the winery from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, enabling them to focus back on their core Pacific Northwest leading wineries.

To craft the exceptional single vineyard and limited-production Patz & Hall wines, James Hall has developed close, personal relationships with many of California’s finest growers—people like Larry Hyde, George Martinelli, Charlie Chenoweth and Gary Pisoni and family. This focus has given Patz & Hall unprecedented access to the finest sites, blocks and clones. These relationships are the cornerstones of the winery’s success, allowing Patz & Hall to achieve the highest levels of quality and consistency.

Recently assuming the role of Founder & Winemaker Emeritus, James Hall appointed James McCeney as Senior Winemaker in May 2023, positioning him as his successor to further elevate the quality of the wines. Hall will remain involved in wine education and promotion, managing the winery and nurturing the vital vineyard relationships he has cultivated over the decades.

The sale transaction closed on March 18, 2024. Both Patz & Hall and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates will continue to collaborate closely to distribute Patz & Hall wines through existing networks for the next several months. The future is bright, especially with Hall's excitement towards growing their Chardonnay program.

Visit patzhall.com to learn more and purchase their wines.