# The Wine Group Retirement & Savings Plan

The Wine Group Retirement & Savings Plan is a Pension Fund based in Tracy, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Pension Fund
- **Headquarters:** Tracy, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Tracy, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 1983
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** thewinegroup.com

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Wine Group Retirement & Savings Plan was established in 1983 as the employee benefit plan for The Wine Group, the privately held, management-owned wine producer headquartered in California. The Wine Group is the world's second-largest wine supplier by volume, moving over 45 million cases annually across brands including Franzia, Cupcake Vineyards, 7 Deadly, Chloe, and Meiomi. The plan's assets represent the aggregated retirement savings of the company's workforce, drawn from employee deferrals and any company matching contributions. The plan's investment posture is entirely defined-contribution in structure, with no direct investment activity of the type pursued by institutional asset owners. Participant assets are allocated across a menu of mutual funds, collective investment trusts, and potentially a self-directed brokerage window — standard architecture for a corporate 401(k) plan. There is no evidence of separate accounts, direct co-investments, or alternative asset commitments. The Wine Group itself maintains a significant operating footprint across California, New York, and Australia, including over 15,000 vineyard acres, multiple production facilities, and the Imagery Estate Winery contemporary art collection. Total plan assets are estimated at approximately $135 million, based on Altss analysis of Form 5500 filings and comparable plan profiles. The plan is administered internally, with Katie McConville serving as 401(k) Plan Administrator. The company's CEO, John Sutton, leads an executive team that also oversees the broader corporate structure. In 2025, The Wine Group expanded its operating base materially, acquiring several brands, three new facilities, and roughly 6,600 vineyard acres from Constellation Brands — a transaction that may alter the scale of the plan's participant base over time. The plan's structural differentiator is its simplicity: it exists as a captive retirement vehicle with no independent investment team, no external fundraising, and no separate governance board beyond the company's fiduciary apparatus. Its investment profile is purely participant-driven, operating within the regulatory framework of ERISA and the investment menu selected by the plan's named fiduciaries. There is no philanthropic linkage, no co-investment club, and no external asset management activity.

## Sectors

- Consumer Goods

## People

- Katie McConville — 401(k) Plan Administrator
- John Sutton — CEO, The Wine Group

## Questions

### Does the plan invest in private equity, venture capital, or direct deals?

No. The plan is structured as a standard corporate 401(k) offering participant-directed investments in mutual funds and collective investment trusts. It does not pursue alternative investments or direct co-investments in the manner of a large-state pension system or endowment. The investment menu is designed for broad participant accessibility rather than institutional-grade alpha generation.

### Is The Wine Group Retirement & Savings Plan subject to public disclosure requirements?

No. As a private-company defined-contribution plan, it is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act or other public-records laws that apply to public pension funds. The plan files Form 5500 with the Department of Labor, which provides limited summary financial information, but detailed holdings and performance are not publicly available.

### How is the plan related to The Wine Group's operating business?

The plan is a captive employee-benefit vehicle for The Wine Group, a privately held wine producer with brands including Franzia, Cupcake Vineyards, and 7 Deadly Zins. Plan assets are held in trust for participants and are legally separate from the company's operating assets, including its vineyard holdings, wine inventory, and production facilities in Ripon, Tracy, and Glen Ellen, California.

### What is the Arthur and Carlyse Ciocca Charitable Foundation, and is it connected to plan assets?

The Arthur and Carlyse Ciocca Charitable Foundation is a separate philanthropic entity established by The Wine Group's founder, Arthur Ciocca, and his wife, Carlyse Franzia Ciocca. It is entirely distinct from the retirement plan. Plan assets are held in trust exclusively for participant benefits and cannot be used for charitable purposes.

## Related profiles

- [Sherwin-Williams](https://altss.com/profile/sherwin-williams)
- [University of St. Thomas](https://altss.com/profile/university-of-st-thomas)

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Last updated: 2026-07-06T00:39:06.735Z

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