Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16170
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Appointments Greg Ralston is the new VP of Portfolio Development and Strategic Initiatives for Wilson Daniels Ltd. He will also take the lead in implementing key stra- Greg Ralston. tegic initiatives for the company, including identifying and building new business opportunities and revenue streams. Additionally, he will assist the company’s sales and brand management teams. Prior to joining Wilson Daniels, Ralston spent the past 20 years with Napa Valley’s Chateau Montelena, most recently as Managing Director. Kevin Moodie. Kevin Moodie has been appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Offi cer, U.S. for Partida Tequila. “Since we launched Partida six years ago, we have been on course with our sales projections and growth,” says brand founder Gary Shansby. “With Kevin driving the sales team and with me being able to focus more on the marketing and managing the total company, I’m confi dent we’re now ready to take Partida to the next level in terms of our market posi- tion in the ultra-premium tequila category and annual case sales.” Moodie was formerly President of Scottish & Newcastle Importers. He took Newcastle Brown Ale from 300,000 cases in 1991 to over seven million cases by 2008, growing the premium ale brand from an obscure, cult product to the number-one imported ale in the U.S. TGIC Importers, Inc. recently hired Chuck McFall as Sales Representative for CA areas West Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Malibu. Chuck joins TGIC directly from Reliable Churchill, where he was part of the On-Premise Fine Wine team for two years. Prior to that, Chuck was Wine Sales Representative at Deluca Liquor and Wine (Wirtz Beverage), preceded by his time as a sales rep at Pascal Wine Imports. Chuck McFall. Larry Stone, renowned Master Sommelier and former GM of Napa’s Rubicon Estate, joins Evening Land Vineyards as President. Mark Tarlov, CEO and founder of Evening Land Vineyards, says, “We know Larry will take us to new levels in the industry.” Evening Land is a growing producer of estate and regional wines with vineyards in a number of acclaimed terroirs, including the Sonoma Coast and the Sta. Rita Hills in California, the Eola Hills of the Willamette Valley in Oregon and Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. Greg Morthole. Longtime Rodney Strong winemaker Rick Sayre recently boosted his winemaking team by promoting Greg Morthole to winemaker responsible for Strong’s “winery within a winery,” where the winery’s single vineyard and reserve wines are made, and hiring Justin Seidenfeld as associate winemaker. Morthole will also be the winemaker for Davis Bynum, which was purchased by Rodney Strong Wine Estates in 2007 and focuses solely on Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 12 / the tasting panel / september 2010 Two great icons, golf legend Jack Nicklaus (right) and wine producer Tony Terlato (left), cook lunch together at Terlato’s Tangley Oaks company headquarters in Lake Bluff , Illinois, to celebrate the launch of Jack Nicklaus Wines. Nicklaus trades in his driver for a spoon to stir up some help for Terlato, a passionate cook as well as a wine- maker. Produced on the Terlato family’s vineyards in Napa Valley, Nicklaus’s new wines were introduced this year with the 200 vintage. The 200 vintage is scheduled for release in early 2011. Black Bull 40 Year Old P reiss Imports has released Black Bull 40 Year Old (SRP $239.99), a deluxe blended Scotch whisky from the award-winning independent bottler Duncan Taylor & Co. Black Bull 40 Year Old is 90% single malt and 10% single grain, bottled at cask strength, not altered in any way from life in the cask. Only 600 bottles are destined for U.S. market. Nicklaus and Terlato Cook Up a Launch Lunch PHOTO: JIM MANDEVILLE/THE NICKLAUS COMPANIES