Movers & Shakers
Napa – The Good Life Wine Collective, a small, family-owned winery in Yountville, named its general manager, Tracy McArdle, head of the company.
Napa – Gamble Family Vineyards named Michael Kasper national sales manager. Kasper, who is based in Miami Beach, Florida, will oversee sales and distribution throughout the United States, except California. The Gamble Family Vineyards own plots in Oakville, Mt. Veeder and Rutherford.
Sonoma – Williams Selyem Winery named Jeff Mangahas director of winemaking. Mangahas, who grew up in Washington State and studied cellular and molecular biology at the University of Washington was on his way to being a medical researcher before he got the wine bug. A graduate of UC Davis’ Enology program, Mangahas was named winemaker in 2016 at the Pinot Noir producer.
Twickenham, England – Treasury Wine Estates appointed Tom King Managing Director of Europe. King, who most recently served led both Global Travel Retail and On Premise channels, has more than a decade of experience in the wine and spirits industry. He succeeds Dan Townsend, who died suddenly last week.
Heard It Through The Grape Vine
Greensboro, N.C. – Pacific Highway Wine & Spirits, owned by Australia’s Oatley family and New Zealand’s Giesen family, has selected The Mark Wine Group to be their sales force to national restaurant chains. Based in Austin, The Mark Wine Group also reps such brands as California’s Bogle and Layer Cake, as well as Burgundy’s Louis Latour, and Spain’s Cune.
Napa – The Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), the organization of winegrowers, négociants and cooperatives in Napa, has chosen Benson Marketing Group, to help it with public relations and marketing campaigns in the U.S.
Napa – France, which is undergoing a political crisis, seems to have developed an existential one as well. They must have run out of artists. Georges Duboeuf Winery is inviting American artists to submit a label design for the 2017 Beaujolais Nouveau. There is a chance to win up to $5,000 in grants as well as have their work selected to be on the million or so bottles produced of the “first wine of the harvest.” More information can be found at www.NouveauLabelContest.com
Paso Robles – The owners of Clos Solène, Guillaume and Solène Fabre, bought the former Pipestone Vineyards, a 28-acre property complete with a winery, a tasting room, and eight acres of organically farmed vineyards planted primarily with Rhone varietals and Cabernet Sauvignon. “Having our own estate will only continue to increase our wine quality,” Guillaume said in a press release.
Published: March 20, 2017