North Fork Winemakers Team Up: Lieb Cellars Merges With Premium Wine Group

Two Mattituck North Fork winemakers are teaming up to ensure continued growth.

Lieb Cellars will merge with Premium Wine Group, the wineries announced on Thursday.

Lieb Cellars, established in 1992, and Premium Wine Group, which set up operations in 2000, will combine and recapitalize to ensure continued growth and productivity. The two companies already share space at their Mattituck location on Cox Neck Road.

“We are using the collective, and considerable, talents of our team to continue developing award-winning, estate-produced wines and other products and services," Russell Hearn, director of winemaking and production, said.

Hearn added that the combined companies have received "substantial funding" through their parent company, Southport Lane, a private equity firm focused on growing its portfolio businesses, primarily comprised of complex, highly-regulated organizations.

Southport Lane selected Lieb Cellars and PWG based on their "exceptional offerings, including a rare, East-coast-based 'custom crush' business, which is the production home of many North Fork wineries," Hearn said.

Peter Pace, who has been with the companies for the past 14 months, has been appointed managing director; Pace will be responsible for running the day-to-day business of the combined companies.

“The team’s passion for the business reflects our belief in the strength and quality of these companies," Alexander Burns, chief strategist at Southport Lane, said. "The combination of our expertise, along with Peter’s marketing strengths, gives us an even stronger operation.”

Mark Lieb, who founded Lieb Cellars and co-founded Premium Wine Group, will remain as chairman of the board of the combined company.