Click to head sales at Ste Michelle

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 06 January, 2020

Wine entrepreneur Peter Click has joined Washington State winery Ste Michelle Wine Estates as vice president of international sales.

Click came to prominence as the chief executive of the Click Wine Group, which he founded in Seattle in 1987. By the time he sold the business to The Winebow Group, it was importing some 575,000 cases a year with a turnover of $32m.

He replaces Al Portney, who recently retired from Ste Michelle after 25 years.

“Peter has a deep understanding of the international wine trade and a distinguished three-decade track record of growing international wine brands,” said Dan Werth, Ste Michelle’s chief operating officer.

“Peter’s entrepreneurial mindset will help us build on the foundation we’ve established over several decades and take our international business – and American wine in general – to new heights around the world.”

Click said: “I’ve long admired Ste Michelle for its leadership in the American wine industry. It is truly an honor to join such an esteemed company and such a talented group of wine professionals.”

Ste Michelle currently exports to over 100 countries with a 10-strong sales team worldwide.

Founded in 1934, Ste Michelle Wine Estates currently has over 1,500ha of land under vine in Washington State, Oregon and California. It is also the exclusive US importer of Italy’s Marchesi Antinori, Chile’s Haras de Pirque, New Zealand’s Villa Maria and Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.

Jim Mortensen, president and chief executive of Ste Michelle, said: “Growing our international business is a key pillar of our strategic plan. We know our wines – and American wines generally – belong among the best wines of the world, and Peter will help us earn our rightful share of the global wine market.”

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