Wineries & Winemaking
Established in 1938, fourth generation family owned and operated Rochioli Vineyards & Winery has promoted Rachael Rochioli to general manager and Ryan Rochioli to assistant winemaker. Starting her career at Rochioli in 2018 as a hospitality associate, Rachael quickly learned the business and was promoted to hospitality manager the following year. Working very closely with winery owners, Tom and Theresa Rochioli, Rachael has elevated Rochioli’s marketing programs, increased retail sales and revamped the company’s human resources processes and procedures. Also a fourth-generation member of the Rochioli family, Ryan has worked alongside winery Owner/Winemaker, Tom Rochioli and cellar master, Terry Bering, since 2021. In that time, he had the opportunity to work across all aspects of the vineyard and wine making process and will now focus specifically on wine production.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest, appointed Robert Carruthers as the new vice president, east region. In this role Carruthers leads the company’s sales organization in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina. Carruthers comes to Ste. Michelle with two-plus decades in the wine industry. Most recently he served as a senior vice president for national/strategic accounts for Foley Family Wines. Previously, he served in leadership roles at Terlato Wines as well as E&J Gallo Winery. Carruthers replaces Derek VanTine who was recently named vice president of customer marketing for Ste. Michelle.
Gil Family Estates appointed Sue Ghest-Kehoe as vice president of brand management. Ghest-Kehoe will help oversee the U.S portfolio that has over 500 90+ scores from various critics including Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate, Wine & Spirits and Decanter. Ghest-Kehoe will be leading marketing efforts in the U.S. to increase distribution. She is responsible for brand messaging and positioning for the full Gil Family portfolio. The estate is a leading wine producer selling high-quality wines in over 40 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Prior to Gil Family Estates, Ghest-Kehoe was with Blue Ventures Wine Marketing for 10 years where she managed new brands and supported sales teams from several winery suppliers from Spain, Portugal, California, France, Italy, and New Zealand.
Fior di Sole promoted Kevin Johnsen to chief financial officer. Johnsen joined Fior di Sole as director of finance in 2022 after holding key positions in finance and planning with Delicato Family Wines, financial consulting with Accenture LLC, and banking experience at State Street Bank. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from San Diego State University. Johnsen’s previous experience leading company-wide planning and reporting, with an emphasis on process improvement, will be instrumental to his success in this role. He brings a unique perspective to Fior di Sole, having previously served in the wine, banking and financial consulting industries.
Distributors, Importers & Wholesalers
Pacific Highway Wines welcomed Andrew Powell as director of sales, Pacific Southwest. Based out of Los Angeles, he is responsible for sales and business development across California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Powell takes over for Allison Lee who has been promoted to the Pacific Highway Wines’ national accounts division. Most recently, Powell was the director for Scheid Vineyards and led growth for central and western states for more than seven years. Prior to that, he was the west director for The Wine Group from 2010 to 2015. Andrew started his wine career with E. & J. Gallo with international management and a sales & market development position in Tokyo, Japan. Back in the U.S. with Gallo, he held a cross-functional project management role, completing the Black Belt, Lean Six Sigma advanced leadership training certification.
Santa Barbara County’s Brave & Maiden Estate promoted Victor Robaglia to winemaker. In his new role, Robaglia will be overseeing daily operations of the winery and estate vineyard, working in conjunction with director of winemaking, Joshua Klapper. Originally from France, Robaglia joined Brave & Maiden during harvest 2019, and his exceptional potential was evident from the beginning.
Bonterra Organic Estates promoted Allison Wetsel to senior vice president of sales. In her new role, Wetsel is responsible for oversight of the company’s commercial division, Viña Concha y Toro USA, which includes all sales operations and strategy for the company. Wetsel joined Bonterra Organic Estates in 2022 as vice president of sales, bringing a two-decade track record of building brands and team culture in the wine and beverage industry. Previously, Wetsel made Ranch Rider Spirits Co. a U.S. top 20 ready-to-drink (RTD) brand as the company’s executive vice president. Before this, she led The Family Coppola as president of sales and wholesale. In her eighteen-year tenure, she developed national accounts and commercial analytics in a culture-forward sales organization.
Hend Letaief, Ph.D. joined ATPGroup as head of technical compliance. Hend brings more than 15 years of experience in the food and beverage industry with a strong background in viticulture and enology, food/beverage product development, compliance, and quality assurance. Hend received her Ph.D. in Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences from the University of Turin in Italy, where she focused on the application of chemical-physical and mechanical tests for the definition of wine grape quality. She also holds an MSc in Viticulture & Enology from L’institut Agro Montpellier in France, where she developed a new method for assessing wine micro-oxygenation through acetaldehyde testing. Hend earned her B.S. in Food Engineering from the Higher Institute of Food Industries of Tunisia, where she developed new acetic acid bacteria strains for producing wine vinegar. Her professional experience includes working as a technical director for Enartis USA where she served as the subject matter expert in wine ingredients and laboratory services, and both director of quality assurance then head of technical compliance/product development at National Beverage Corp. As head of technical compliance, Hend oversees ATPGroup’s technical compliance programs and ensures that the company meets all industry standards and regulations. She also works closely with the company’s clients to provide technical support and ensure that they follow all regulatory requirements.
In Memoriam
Family-owned Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards mourned the loss of its founder, John C. Cushman III. In 1973, Cushman, along with five friends, established Zaca Mesa as the third winery in all of Santa Barbara County. The winery gained prominence in 1978 when it became the first to plant Syrah in Santa Barbara County, and was instrumental in launching the Santa Barbara Rhône movement through an unwavering dedication to Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, and other Rhône varieties. Cushman passed away peacefully at his home on May 4, 2023, at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, four sons, 10 grandchildren, and two brothers.