Concha y Toro has biggest vineyard plantings worldwide

Chile’s Concha y Toro has become the world's biggest vineyard owner after Treasury Wine Estate’s sale of 111 hectares in California's Alexander Valley along with its Asti Winery assets to E&J Gallo.

In 2014 the group owned 10,781 hectares of vineyards, just over 30ha more than Concha y Toro’s total vineyard holding of 10,750ha – which includes the company’s 9,133ha in Chile, 1,154ha in Argentina and 463ha in the US, where it owns Fetzer and Bonterra.

But this sale reduces Treasury’s vineyard holding down to 10,670ha, 80ha fewer than Concha y Toro’s total.

Thomas Domeyko, the corporate export director, said, “We have become the wine business with the largest number of planted hectares in the world, not just because Treasury has sold vineyards to Gallo, but also because we are investing – we are adding around 200-300 hectares every year through planting and acquiring.”

Concha y Toro is the world’s third biggest wine brand, and sold 14.2m 9litre cases in 2014.

California’s E&J Gallo owns the world’s first and second biggest wines brands: Barefoot and Gallo respectively, but the company now holds around 8,200ha of vineyard, including the 111ha acquisition from Treasury.