Roxo Port becomes part of Chateau Margene family of wines
Chateau Margene and Roxo Port Cellars, which shared a Paso Robles tasting room for several years, are together again.
Chateau Margene, established by Michael and Margene Mooney in 1997, has taken ownership of Roxo Port, founded in 2005 by Jeff and Kim Steele. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
“They wanted to see the brand expand but didn’t have the time and attention to put into it,” said Michael Mooney, noting the two families have known each other for a long time.
The Steeles will keep some involvement with the wine club and events, and Jeff Steele will serve as a consulting winemaker on the port-style wines.
“We are confident that the Mooney family, who continually strive for excellence and share our values, is the best choice to bring Roxo Port Cellars to a place above and beyond what we dreamed for our family-owned port winery,” the Steeles wrote in a newsletter.
Roxo Port began pouring its premium port-style wines, which sell for $26 to $75 a bottle, at Chateau Margene’s tasting room on the Embarcadero in Morro Bay last month. Roxo’s last day at 6996 Peachy Canyon Road, the space once shared with Chateau Margene, was Sept. 11, and it will debut at Chateau Margene’s Creston estate tasting room Friday.
With Roxo Port in the fold, Chateau Margene, with a newly replanted 9-acre vineyard, will produce about 4,000 cases a year across several labels, including Chateau Margene, Mooney Family and El Pistolero Wines, with a range of prices up to $170 per bottle.
Limerock Orchards, a walnut farm that produces walnut oil and butter and operates out of the Peachy Canyon property along with Brochelle Vineyards, has received some interest in Roxo’s old space but doesn’t expect anyone to move in until after the first of the year, said Deanne Gonzales, who owns the farm with her husband, Richard.
Sally Buffalo writes about wine, beer and spirits. Reach her at sallybuffalo@gmail.com or on Twitter @sallybuffalo.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 8:34 PM with the headline "Roxo Port becomes part of Chateau Margene family of wines."