Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/990824
12 / the tasting panel / june 2018 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Rombauer Vineyards Founder Koerner Rombauer Dies at 83 K oerner Rombauer, Founder of Rombauer Vineyards and a beloved figure in Napa Valley over the past four decades, died May 10. He was 83. Koerner is survived by his wife, Sandy; children, Sheana Rombauer and K.R. Rombauer III; and grand- children, Reagan, Drew, Seth, Lane, and Ransome. Rombauer wines are beloved around the world, partly due to Koerner's outgoing per- sonality and his contagious passion for wine. His habit of including everyone around him in his enjoyment became one of the cornerstones of Rombauer Vineyards. A memorial will be announced at a later date. Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Announces New Appointment and Promotion S outhern Glazer's Wine & Spirits announced in May that it has appointed John Wittig to the new role of Chief Transformation Officer, effec- tive July 1, 2018. Wittig will be responsible for identifying and executing opportunities for prof- itable growth within Southern Glazer's existing business units and in yet-untapped markets and product segments. Wittig most recently held the role of President, East Region, for Southern Glazer's. Gene Sullivan, currently the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits of Florida, will replace Wittig in this role and oversee the company's opera- tions in eight eastern U.S. markets, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. A replacement for the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Florida position will be announced this month. Heineken Taps Birra Moretti to Drive Tabletop Draught "Blade" Innovation H eineken is looking to Italian import Birra Moretti for growth with its innovative new draught beer system, Blade. Birra Moretti will combine with Blade to deliver a premium, international craft draught beer experience and a "taste of home" to consumers in Italian restaurants, pizzerias, and other on-premise accounts that may have considered their beer volume too low to warrant the tra- ditional draught system investment. Birra Moretti and Blade assist smaller-volume accounts in boosting their beer profits through a system that guarantees brewery-fresh draught for 30 days while producing less waste. Birra Moretti and Blade are sold through Heineken USA's Five Points Trading Company. Chicago, Boston, and metro New York are first up in the launch, followed by Baltimore, Albuquerque, and the New England states. Blade fits on a countertop in a 12-by-19-inch area, requires no cleaning, maintenance, or installation, and weighs just 38 pounds. For more information, email Five Points at consumeraffairs@ fivepointstradingcompany.com or order the Blade unit directly at ordertheblade@micromatic.com.