The Tasting Panel magazine

April 2011

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AWARDS And The Winners Are . . . TOP PERFORMING DISTRIBUTORS AND IMPORTERS ARE HONORED AT THE THIRD ANNUAL WENTE FAMILY ESTATES LEGACY AWARDS by Thomas Wilmer / photos by Peter Griffith “F amily” is intrinsic in every aspect of Wente Family Estates’ worldwide success. Founded in 1883 by German immigrant Carl Heinrich Wente, five generations later the com- pany produces 500,000 cases annually and remains America’s oldest continu- ously-operating family-owned winery. To honor the winery’s extended family of distributors and importers, Wente cre- ated the aptly titled Legacy Awards. The third annual celebration and announce- ment of the winners was held on February 28 at the Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore Valley. Drawing award-winning distributors from across the country, Canada, Belgium and Aruba, the Legacy Awards honor top distributors and importers who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in distribution and portfolio growth. “In the past year we experienced an incredible growth of more than twenty percent—and much of the credit goes to our distributors’ attention and focus,” said Carolyn Wente. “Of our 90 distribu- tors in the United States, the nine in this room tonight represent 44 percent of the incremental growth of our brands over the past twelve months. The Legacy Award is a coming together of a group of people who have worked so very hard to make us what we are today. Too often people do not take the time to recognize achievements, so when great friends come together to be awarded for their incredible accomplishments, it’s very satisfying. It’s all about relationships.” TIER ONE AWARDS Distributors Selling the Highest Quantity Glazer’s Distributors of Texas Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida Southern Wine & Spirits of New York TIER TWO AWARDS Lauber Selections of New Jersey Paustis Wine Company of Minnesota Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado TIER THREE AWARDS g.housen of Vermont Glazer’s Distributing in Iowa Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona WENTE FAMILY ESTATES’ INTERNATIONAL IMPORTERS Most Successful Growth of Wente Family Estates’ Wine Portfolio Arion Wine Company, Aruba Churchill Cellars, Toronto, Ontario Canada Global Wineries, Belgium SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD Outstanding Portfolio Performance for Wente Family Estates Tryon Distributing, Charlotte, NC Jeffrey Floyd (Wente Family Estates Southwest Regional Manager), Scot Richardson (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas), Amy Hoopes (WFE EVP Global Sales/CMO), Blair Casey (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas), Larry DiPietro (WFE VP Sales Western Region) and Michael Wilber (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas). 100 / the tasting panel / april 201 1

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