Mark West Pinot Noir California

Mark West is a California wine brand with a reputation for value-priced Pinot Noir wines. It is owned by the major beverage company Constellation Brands, but was originally founded on an estate in Sonoma County, and still produces several wines from its designated sub-appellations. The brand was established in 1978 and was named for Mark West Creek, which cut through the original Sonoma property. It changed ownership several times in the 1990s, until production stopped and the label became defunct. In the early 2000s the Mark West brand was bought by Derek Benham, alongside several other brands. Benham owns Purple Wine, a company that manages several wine brands, and had previously established the Blackstone Winery label with his brother before selling it to Constellation in 2001. Benham relaunched Mark West with a plan to make affordable Pinot Noir wines, and released the flagship California-designated wine at the $10 price point. He introduced appellation-designated wines at a slightly higher price point. By the end of the 2000s, Mark West was selling 600,000 cases annually and growing. Benham sold the brand to Constellation in 2012. Mark West continues to focus on Pinot Noir, making wines from AVAs including Santa Lucia Highlands, Russian River Valley and Carneros, as well as the Willamette Valley in Oregon. As well as Pinot Noir, the portfolio includes Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio amoungst others. Fruit is sourced from a number of vineyards under long term contracts.