Wineries and Winemaking

John Albin

Bill Kremer

Lindsay Kampff

Al Ehlow

John Albin was promoted to the position of director of viticulture and winemaking at King Estate in Oregon. Albin joined King Estate in February 2005 as associate winemaker, grower relations. He has been associated with King Estate since its inception, first as a grower and then as crush supervisor before joining the production team full time. Bill Kremer assumes the position of winemaker. Kremer held a number of positions at King Estate since his arrival in 1995, most recently, director of winemaking. Kremer will manage King Estate's white wine program. Lindsay Kampff assumes the position of winemaker and will manage King Estate's red wine program. Kampff joined King Estate's staff in 2004 after tenures at J Vineyards & Winery and Jordan wineries in Sonoma County. Al Ehlow joined King Estate as assistant winemaker. Ehlow was previously with Whitehall Lane, Alderbrook and Merryvale wineries. Additionally, King Estate promoted Doyal Eubank to vice president/chief financial officer for the winery. Eubank, who is also a CPA, has been with King Estate since 2003. Steve Thomson was promoted to the position of executive vice president of King Estate. Thomson, with the winery since 1998, has previously held the positions of regional manager, director of national and international sales, and most recently director of sales and marketing. Thomson will continue to oversee sales and marketing but will also lead strategic planning for the winery.

Jim Concannon, who has served Concannon Vineyard for more than 50 years, received a lifetime achievement award at the California State Fair on July 12. Concannon's contribution to the industry reaches back to the 1960s when he acted in a leadership capacity to provide Cabernet Sauvignon rootstock used in the development of what are now known as Clone 7, 8 and 11. Concannon was first to produce wine labeled as "Petit Sirah" in 1964 from a 1961 vintage, and has been a leader in advocacy for Petit Sirah wine. Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards and Robert Gallo, co-president of Gallo Winery, will also be honored with achievement awards.

Distributors, Importers & Retailers

Diageo appointed Maggie Lapcewich as president, national accounts to lead North America's beer, wine and spirits business with large national on- and off-premise customers. Lapcewich succeeds Tex McCarthy, who decided to pursue opportunities outside the company. Lapcewich has been with Diageo for 15 years, most recently as the GM of Diageo's spirits business in Illinois and Indiana.

Esseco USA, exclusive distributors of Enartis winemaking products in the U.S., announced that Susan Johnson, a 15-year wine industry veteran, has joined the company as national sales manager for Enartis. Prior to joining Esseco USA, Johnson was director of Trade Relations for WineSource.com. She was also Napa/Sonoma Territory Manager for the Wine Appreciation Guild.

Christine Ginett was named Pacific Northwest account manager for M.A. Silva Corks. A graduate of Northern Illinois University and State University of New York, Ginett has more than 10 years of wine industry experience.

Donard Gaynor, the senior vice president and managing director, international of Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., has been appointed as chairman of the board of Maxxium Worldwide, the global distribution company which is jointly owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Remy-Cointreau, The Edrington Group and V&S Absolut Spirits. This is part of its routine, bi-annual rotation of supervisory board members. Gaynor, who was appointed to his current position at Beam Global in September 2003, takes over from the current chairman, Ketil Eriksen, president V&S Absolut Spirits, who has now completed his two-year chairmanship.

Scott Tyree joined the Chicago-based international wine retailer and auction house Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. Tyree, formerly the wine director and sommelier at Tru restaurant in Chicago, will focus on fine wine purchasing, events and marketing. Under Tyree's direction, Tru's 18,000-bottle collection received numerous accolades.

Brian Wurtz was named president of Schwartz-Olcott Imports, LLC in New York City. Schwartz-Olcott, a wine sales and marketing company, recently created and launched new brand, (oops), from Chile that draws its name from the mistaken intermixing of Merlot and Carmenere in that country. Wurtz will be responsible for all wine operations and will be building a national sales organization for all Schwartz-Olcott brands. Wurtz most recently was vice president of sales for Foster's Wine Estates in the U.S. and held senior sales positions at Southcorp/Rosemount, Trinchero Family Estates, Southern Wine & Spirits and E&J Gallo.

Enotria, a U.K.-based wine importer, agency and distribution company, has appointed Mike Bentley as director of sales for the off trade. He is responsible for the development of key focus areas in the Old World as well as the expanding portfolio of New World wines. Bentley joins Enotria from Beringer Blass/Fosters EMEA, where he was responsible for major grocers and specialist customers.

Dan Jago, the category director of beers, wine and spirits for Tesco, has been reappointed to the executive board of the U.K. Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA). Jago was originally appointed to the board in June 2005 when he was joint-managing director of Bibendum Wine Ltd., one of the U.K.'s leading importing and agency companies. He stepped down in February 2006 when he left Bibendum and before he was appointed category director at Tesco.

Simon Gotelee has joined U.K. agency company Mentzendorff & Company Ltd. as commercial manager for fortified wines. Gotelee will be responsible for the following agencies: The Fladgate Partnership (Taylor's, Fonseca, Croft and Delaforce), Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana and Henriques & Henriques. Gotelee has been a brand manager at Paragon Vintners for the last five years where he was responsible for Quinta do Noval Port, Canard Duchene Champagne as well as their French wine agency business. Prior to this he had been a regional sales manager for Paragon and before that had a similar role at Southcorp Europe.

Rick Small

John Bookwalter

Wine Associations

The Washington Wine Commission appointed several commission members and officers. Rick Small, owner of Woodward Canyon, was elected chairman. John Bookwalter of J. Bookwalter Winery was elected vice chairman. Peter Dow of Cavatappi Winery was re-elected as treasurer. Dick Boushey, owner of Boushey Vineyards, was appointed to a three-year term on the commission. Kent Waliser, general manager of Sagemoor Farms, was re-appointed to a three-year term, along with Bookwalter and Dow. Outgoing chairman Jeff Gordon of Gordon Brothers Family Vineyards served as chairman for two years.

Karen Gerrard has been appointed as chief executive of the International Wine Clubs Association (IWCA). The IWCA has also announced that it will now combine with the U.K. Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA). The IWCA will move from its current offices in Watford to the International Wine & Spirit Centre, where the WSTA has its offices. Gerrard will take up her new post in September and will be based at the WSTA office. Barry Sutton, the current chief executive of the IWCA, will retire. Gerrard worked first as marketing manager and then project manager at Berry Bros. & Rudd. She will now continue as a project manager for Berry Bros. on a part time basis. The IWCA is an association of wine clubs and distance selling wine merchants and is the only association representing distance-selling traders across the world. wbm