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12 / the tasting panel / april 2014 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT APPOINTMENTS J ordan Vineyard & Winery has announced the appointment of its new Northeast Regional Sales Director, Ashley Cesario, who brings six years of distributor and supplier sales experience to the position. She will be responsible for Jordan wine sales and promotion initiatives, distributor management and Tastevin digital wine list app sales. Her territory includes New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Bryan Crowley formerly Chief Operating Officer VeeV Spirits, has assumed the role of President & COO, VeeV Spirits. In his new position, Crowley will be responsible for maintaining the remarkable growth of both VeeV and VitaFrute by VeeV, which has grown by nearly 100% in the last six months. "We started by selling VeeV out of the trunks of our cars and today it's a national, multimillion dollar brand," says Courtney Reum, co-founder with his brother Carter. Brooks Painter, Director of Winemaking for V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena and Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, has announced the promotions of winemaking staff at both companies. Associate Winemakers Laura Orozco at V.Sattui and Peter Velleno at Castello di Amorosa were promoted to the position of Winemaker. Orozco and Velleno will have equal responsibilities for winemaking at each winery. THE BEVERAGETRADENETWORK.COM CONNECTION We asked Yuliya about her background and what inspired her to make an American vodka. V odka production goes back gen- erations in my family. My mother is Ukrainian and my father is Russian and both of these families were engaged in vodka-making. I first tried vodka by acci- dent when I was four or five—I thought it was water, sitting in a glass! Being a U.S. citizen and coming from Ukraine, I did immediately think of importing vodka made there, but then it didn't feel right. If a product has a "made in France" tag it doesn't automatically make the product of a superior quality. When you look at the integrity of the product you must seek top quality ingredients. I tried a few American vodkas. Great stuff can be made here, so I thought, why not? Why go elsewhere when we need jobs here. Oregon in particular has fantastic water from the Cascade Mountains, very low in calcium carbonate which is what adds that harshness to the water. So the spirits and brews that come from Oregon are very smooth with a silky finish. For the complete interview, see www.beveragetradenetwork.com. Yuliya Mamontova-Calian. Rum aged up to 5 years in bourbon casks www.selvarey.com SELVA = jungle REY = king The first white and flavored rums crafted with the distinct goal of being fine enough to sip on the rocks. @SelvareyRu Ashley Cesario. Bryan Crowley. Peter Velleno and Laura Orozco. Yuliya Mamontova-Calian, Founder of AnestasiA Vodka Generous Boston Donation P alm Bay International, Santa Rita Wines and Ruby Wines are proud to present The One Fund with a donation of $25,000 as part of the Boston Strong campaign. Following last year's tragic marathon bombing, Santa Rita along with Palm Bay and Ruby partnered to donate $3 per case of Santa Rita wines sold in the Boston area to help support victims and their families. From May 27 to August 31, 2013, for every consumer purchase of a bottle of Santa Rita wines, a donation was made to The One Fund. Thanks to the incredible resilience of Bostonians and our partner retailers, the campaign reached its goal of $25,000. The One Fund was formed by MA Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Menino to support the families of those most affected by the tragic events of last year's Boston Marathon. Lone Star Tribute P ernod Ricard USA has announced the debut of ABSOLUT Texas—the vodka brand's first and only state-inspired flavor—with a bottle designed by internationally renowned San Antonio–based artist Cruz Ortiz as a modern take on classic Texas iconography. The flavor profile of ABSOLUT Texas includes notes of fresh cucumber and a warm spicy character, inspired by the flavors of Southwestern cuisine. SRP $19.99. For more information about this Southwestern staple, visit www.absolut.com/texas. TP0414_001-33.indd 12 3/24/14 5:18 PM