Through Constellation Brands Ventures’ Focus on Minority Founders initiative and commitment to invest $100 million in African American/Black, Latinx and minority-owned businesses by 2030, Constellation, Victor, N.Y., announced that it has acquired a minority stake in Sapere Aude Sparkling Wine.

“We’re excited to continue our Focus on Minority Founders initiative with an investment in a really unique brand in Sapere Aude,” said Jennifer Evans, vice president for Constellation Ventures, in a statement. “What Pampata and Dave have started to build is a great representation of what we’re trying to achieve with our ventures portfolio and initiatives, which is to work with innovative leaders building brands that are on the forefront of emerging consumer trends and have a true point of differentiation in the marketplace.”  

Sapere Aude, which is Latin for “dare to know,” was founded in 2012 by wife and husband Pampata and David Airaudi. The duo has taken an entrepreneurial approach to building a uniquely Californian sparkling wine that has no residual sugars, low alcohol, fine bubbles, and a refreshing brand identity that seeks to evolve and refine a new definition of elegance for the next generation of legal drinking age wine consumers. 

“Our products are meant to be simple, clean, and honest,” Pampata Airaudi said. “As we’ve built this business, it’s incredibly important to us to remain authentic to who we are, where we come from, and build a brand that resonates with our drinkers’ values. Constellation Brands is the perfect partner to help us grow in that way. They put the consumer first in everything they do and are focused on what consumers are looking for next, not what’s worked in the past. We know we can leverage their investment and expertise to help us keep the momentum going.”

Added David, who’s also the founder and CEO of the record label and management firm 3qtr; “This started out as a side project for us, but has quickly grown into our passion. As we began looking into the category, and with sparkling in particular, there were few brands that really spoke to us as artists. So we set out to build a brand not to conform to today’s wine market, but one built for those shaping its future and to make something we can identify with and call our own.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.