Ownership changes for David Berkley Fine Wines

On the eve of its 23th anniversary, David Berkley Fine Wines & Specialty Foods at the Pavilions shopping complex is changing hands.

R&M Gourmet Foods LLC, a joint venture involving Ray Matteson, a longtime customer, and Greg Rhategan, a specialty food and wine purveyor and restaurateur from Florida, are taking over. They will retain the store's name and concept, at least initially, says David Berkley.

The decision to sell was based solely on health issues, Berkley said. He faces a series of surgeries, starting with repairs to a ruptured ligament in his right hand, to be followed by replacement of both knees.

"This has made me an invalid," Berkley says. "It's virtually immobilized me, and taken away my spirit."

For the first time in 18 years, Berkley said he couldn't pursue his fly-fishing passion on the rivers of Montana this spring because he no longer can cast.

But he still can joke, saying the difficulty he faces when trying to use his right hand to pull a cork from a bottle of wine has made him an enthusiastic advocate of screw-cap closures.

Neither the shaky state of the economy nor an ambitious expansion of the neighboring culinary shop Williams-Sonoma factored into the decision by Berkley and his wife, Diania, to sell the store, he said. "This is all about getting fixed," Berkley said.

Since it opened in 1985 in the Pavilions center off Fair Oaks Boulevard, the small, tightly packed store has developed a following for its selection of international wines, its lineup of chocolates, condiments and other specialty foods, its collection of cheeses and other deli items, and its menu of globally inspired dishes.

Long before today's commercial emphasis on locally grown seasonal produce, Berkley was rounding up cherries, peaches, asparagus and the like from growers about Sacramento.

During President Reagan's administration, Berkley became the unpaid and unofficial but active wine adviser to the White House, delighting in selecting California wines with themes appropriate to honor the guest of honor at state dinners, such as Prince Charles of England and French President Francois Mitterrand.

"He was able to show a lot more people about what it is to eat and drink," said fellow Sacramento grocer Darrell Corti. "He has a nice, well-run store. He's been an asset to the industry."

Corti said he was "absolutely flabbergasted" to learn of Berkley's decision, but the two have been close since Berkley worked at Corti Brothers for nearly 12 years before he left to open his own place. Corti said he was aware of Berkley's physical ailments.

"It's been painful to watch him," Corti said.

Neither Matteson nor Rhategan could be reached for comment. Berkley declined to disclose details of the sale.

The store employs about 35, he said, and the sale assures continuity.

"This is all about making sure to carry on. We have such huge concern for our staff. That's been our primary focus, to make sure we got someone parallel with our objectives and the way we feel about our staff," Berkley says.

His plans after his recuperation, which he said could take up to 14 months, are uncertain.

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• Call The Bee's Mike Dunne at (916) 321-1143.