Cooper's Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk, based in Orland Park, Illinois, has pioneered a unique, multipronged model for creating wine and bringing it to budding consumers. The company sold 750,000 cases of wine last year, quietly climbing into the top 30 wineries in the United States. It operates 34 tasting room/restaurants across the Midwest, Florida, and East Coast, and boasts 375,000 wine club members. It brought in $282 million in revenue in 2018—raking in nearly $10 million in profit. This week, the California-based private equity firm Ares Management purchased a minority stake reportedly valued at north of $700 million.

A remarkable story.