A Napa Valley luxury real estate brokerage has unveiled a new advisory and brokerage platform focused exclusively on vineyard, winery, and ranch real estate in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and similar wine-producing regions. Engel & Völkers St. Helena recently launched Benchland Wine Advisors amid significant challenges facing the wine industry, such as stagnant demand, excess grape supplies, and increasing operational costs.

The inception of Benchland was driven by the need for expert guidance for sellers and to leverage potential opportunities for qualified buyers interested in premium vineyard and winery properties. The team behind Benchland combines extensive expertise, boasting a combined history of over $1.1 billion in transactions within wine and agricultural real estate.

Currently, Benchland represents more than $400 million in private, off-market listings available exclusively to qualified buyers through a confidential process. The firm’s goal is to offer strategic insights for clients navigating the complex real estate landscape of the wine market. Benchland brings together skills in various areas including appraisal, agronomy, finance, brand strategy, and vineyard management.

Will Densberger, co-founder and a real estate veteran, highlighted the firm’s commitment to collaboration, stating that their combined experience provides an unparalleled service to clients. Densberger has an extensive background, overseeing portfolios worth over $2 billion and closing significant deals like the Robin Williams Vineyard Estate and Kelly Fleming Winery.

His co-founder, Pavi Micheli, has been part of the Napa Valley community since the mid-90s, where she started her own wine brand and built a successful real estate career. The leadership team includes Michael Crain, known for his transactions with prominent wineries, David Carciere, a certified appraiser, and Ashley McMullen, who brings over a decade of real estate experience.

Engel & Völkers started in Germany in 1977 and has expanded to a global network with 300 offices and around 6,000 advisors across the Americas, totaling over 16,000 professionals worldwide. For more information, you can visit Benchland Wine Advisors or Engel & Völkers’ site here.