Canadian billionaire entrepreneur Stephan Crétier, founder of the GardaWorld global security empire, has acquired a historic family winery in Napa, Calif., for more than $57 million.
California property and corporate records show that a Crétier-controlled company, SCW Fund Corp. of Delaware, acquired the 100-acre Vine Cliff Winery on a hillside east of the Silverado Trail.
The vineyard is situated in a wine area officially known as the Oakville American Viticultural Area.
The deal, quietly registered in August, included the winery, which can produce up to 48,000 gallons of wine a year, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Malbec and Reisling vintages.
The property also includes 23 acres of planted vineyards, caves, a pond and a residence on a hill.
Crétier did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to him through GardaWorld’s media relations department.
Crétier’s latest winery purchase has generated attention and buzz in the Napa region, generating stories in The Wine Business and The Wine Spectator.
That’s because it is the Canadian businessman’s second deal for a winery in California’s most well-known wine region, one of the most popular in North America.
His personal deal also comes on the heels of a deal that saw the Quebec government pump $300 million into Montreal-based GardaWorld through a private placement deal, made through its Investissements Quebec investment arm.
Crétier and his wife, Stephany Maillery, have also been the very publicly-identified owners of the Roy Estate winery on Soda Canyon Road in Napa county since 2017. That 42-acre estate’s wines sell for $500 a bottle and more, and you have to be on a waiting list.
Vine Cliff is historic and cherished in the Napa region because it was one of Napa’s first wineries, dating back to 1871, and was known as a ghost winery.
Crétier’s corporation acquired the winery from Nell and Charles (Chuck) Sweeney, the founder of the Landmark Hotels chain which the developed the Embassy Suites chain.
The Sweeneys had owned it since 1985 through a trust, a copy of the deed shows.
Crétier has made no public comments to any wine industry news outlet or publicly discussed what his plans might be for the Vine Cliff brand or the new second winery he now owns.
In fact, he went to some lengths to not be identified as its buyer. For this second winery, he tried to keep his name low profile by using a corporate shell.
Yet Crétier does have some California roots. The businessman holds a Master of Business Administration degree from University of California (Pacific).
Crétier founded the Garda company in 1995. He is chairman, president and CEO of Garda World Security Corp., which has grown into a security and armoured car cash transport services provider with 122,000 workers operating in 45 countries around the world.
Crétier and his wife, a former model, have declared that since 2010, they have been residents of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
Crétier also created and operates a charitable foundation which has been a major backer of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
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