International Wine Associates
About Us
IWA specializes in wine and liquor industry corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, marketing and project development. IWA offers a team of experienced business and financial managers who have completed numerous transactions in the industry and serve companies of all sizes, from small family owned businesses to multinational corporations and U.S. and international banks.
Robert Nicholson is a Principal of IWA and has over thirty years of corporate development and management experience in the wine and liquor industry.
Before establishing IWA in 1990, Robert was Vice President of Christian Brothers in California and held U.S. and international positions with Seagram’s and with Louis Eschenauer in France. Over the years at IWA Robert has managed a number of significant transactions in the industry valued at over $ 950 million and has worked with most of the major multinational companies and a number of banks including Constellation, Brown-Forman, Campari, Fortune Brands, Heublein, Chalone, Fosters, Southcorp, BRL Hardy, Orlando-Wyndham, Masi, Wells Fargo, EBRD, and Banco Banesto. Robert is an active industry commentator at U.S. and international conferences and has long-standing relationships with company owners and senior management throughout the industry.
Robert was educated in England and studied oenology at the University of Bordeaux.
Josh Grace is a Managing Director at IWA and has over twelve years of financial management, valuation, accounting and corporate advisory experience, with a specialization in the wine and liquor industry.
Before joining IWA in 2002 Josh was a Financial Manager at Robert Mondavi Winery. He worked on Napa Valley vineyard acquisitions and on the financial management of Robert Mondavi’s flagship 350,000 case Napa Valley winery. At IWA, Josh has managed a number of projects that have included working with the following companies among others, Constellation, Brown-Forman, Campari, Bonny Doon, Wild Horse, Havens, Davis Bynum, Chateau Potelle, Cline Cellars, and Wells Fargo.
Josh graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California with a BSc degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting.
Sally Nicholson is a Principal of IWA and has twenty five years of international experience in brand development and marketing of luxury goods. Sally held a number of senior management positions with direct report responsibility to Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren and was a Design Consultant in the development of the Dockers Division at Levi Strauss.
Sally specializes in the sale and acquisition of winery and vineyard businesses at IWA and is a licensed real estate broker. Sally has completed transactions valued at over $ 50 million since 2006 that have included a number of prominent transactions in California, including the sale of Chateau Potelle, Havens, Koves-Newlan, San Mateo Ranch in Rutherford, Davis Bynum, Demuth and others.
Sally has broad professional experience in Australasia, Europe and the United States with a comprehensive knowledge
of the winery and vineyard business.
Sally graduated with a BSc degree in Design from University of California, Davis.
Karen Hover is the Office Manager at IWA and brings over 30 years of administrative and management experience in the winery and promotion business.
Before joining IWA, Karen managed her own promotional advertising business. She previously worked with Henry Wine Group as a Marketing Analyst, with Matanzas Creek Winery as Office Manager and was General Manager of an international publishing and printing company in California for 16 years.