Vinum Capital Management, a private equity firm based in San Anselmo, Calif., has launched Vinum Capital Partners I, a $250 million vineyard buyout fund.

Thomas Thornhill, managing partner of VCM and chairman of the Mendocino Wine Co., said the focus of this fund is to acquire wine properties, increase their size and ultimately sell them to strategic and financial buyers. The fund will acquire mid-size premium and super-premium wine properties producing between 20,000 and 150,000 cases per annum.

“We've built the best team in the wine, agriculture, and real estate industries to do just that," he said.

VCM's investment partners include Justin Faggioli, formerly chief operating officer of Ravenswood, Scott Setrakian, a former director of Golden State Vineyards, and G. Craig Vachon, a financing and mergers and acquisitions expert.

The fund's portfolio management team includes Bill Foster, formerly of Beringer Vineyards, Jonathan Pey, formerly of Robert Mondavi Winery and Fosters Wine Estates, Doug Rogers, formerly from E. & J. Gallo Winery, Southcorp, and Brown-Forman Wines, and Bob Steinhauer, formerly of Beringer.