Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/518118
Brandon Lewis starts his day very early. The North Carolina native is on the road again, meeting with distributors, on- premise buyers and boutique wine shop owners. While there is nothing unique about his role as an Area Manager with Don Sebastiani & Sons, there is, however, something very different about his focus these days. Mr. Lewis, CSW is aligned with New House Vintners, and as such, gets an opportunity each day to do what he loves best: show off his vast knowledge of biodynamic farming, discuss food and wine pairings and debate over ratings and reviews. His job has shifted from jumping back and forth between large retail- ers who want to talk coupons, displays and shelf-talkers to a laser-like focus on "vine-to-wine" brands, such as Sivas-Sonoma and Don & Sons Signature Series, whose small production caters to the evolving American palate, those who have more disposable income and an interest in exploring new wines. Most of his days are spent developing personal relationships with white tablecloth restaurants and locally-owned wine shops. Today, Brandon's schedule is packed with appointments, concentrating on boutique wine shops located throughout a region just north of Baltimore, Maryland, where he sits down with owners and buyers to discuss his small-production offerings. Mr. Lewis has fully embraced the new division of labor. "[The split] has been really well received by the distributors, who had initial apprehension about getting called on by two Don & Sons reps, but they all really seem to get it, and the overlap is very small and the feel is very different between the wines." Lewis says the best thing about the two channels is the opportunity to focus on one segment of the market. "Now each represen- tative gets a chance to specialize and understand their brands and present their portfolio with passion." And the shops seem to like it too. As Christina Ebmeier, owner of The Wine Post, put it, "These wines are good wines and they were presented as family wines. As a family-owned store, I like that personal touch. They're bringing back their name and bringing back their knowledge." —Scott Greenberg Brandon Lewis (far right) of New House Vinters explains the merits of small- production Sivas-Sonoma to Christina Ebmeier (second from left), owner of The Wine Post in Glyndon, Maryland, while an employee of The Wine Post (left) and Michael Leggett, an Opici Salesperson (center), look on. PHOTO: KEVIN ALLEN Life in a New House 64 / the tasting panel / june 2015