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march 2010 / the tasting panel / 67 the distribution agreement with SWS and Jordan Winery in California was mapped out by John and Wayne. "It was a bonding experience." Despite the close and long-lived ties with the founders of SWS, Jordan insists that it is still the responsibility of the winery to ensure that business is in the proper working order. "Distributors have an ever-thicken- ing book of business now. In the old guard, there were lots of distribu- tors who were repping many small brands. The new reality is that winer- ies cannot depend solely on the dis- tributor. We have to bear part of the burden and get our own sales force out on the street. Jordan has five sales managers across the country. "Many small wineries have not been able to adapt to this era of consolida- tion, so they think they are just getting lost in the system; but you can't rely on the wholesaler to help your busi- ness unless you know how to deal with them effectively. Part of that is understanding the organizational structure, when to talk to them and to not go to the well too many times." Jordan's success proves that he has that understanding, with a case production of 95,000 and distribution with Southern in 16 states. "We were able to adapt at a difficult time. In this economy and consolidation climate, family-owned wineries that produce more than 15,000 cases are becoming increasingly rare." An Ambassador's Touch The man who put Southern Wine & Spirits of California on the map is Ted Simpkins, Sr. VP and Manag- ing Director for the state for over 20 years. "Since Ted's arrival in Cali- fornia in the 1980s, his contribution to our company is unmatched," Mel Dick informs us. "He has spent the last ten years living in wine country, and his passion and knowledge of the great wines of Napa and Sonoma are qualifications that make him ideally suited and prepared for an additional role." In addition to his duties at SWS of CA, Simpkins's title has been augmented; as of January, he is also Executive Vice President, Winery Re- lations of California's Wine Districts. "As a sounding board for mid- to-small winery partners, Simpkins is visiting with Southern's Gen- eral Managers and Wine Manag- ers across the country to ensure that all the states are meeting the wineries' expectations," explains Wayne Chaplin. "I will be an ambassador for our smaller wine suppliers," Simpkins says. "I will make sure there is no discon- nect on any level. I also anticipate bringing new, great wines into our portfolio from all the important, emerging and vital growing regions in California." Au Bon Climat In 1982, Jim Clendenen started Au Bon Climat, which has since grown to over 30,000 cases. Located at the celebrated Bien Nacido Vineyards in Santa Barbara County, the winery has cultivated an inter- national reputation for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. "Even when the econ- omy is good, we get lost in the shuffle," says the winemaker, who calls himself an iconoclast and admirer of all things non-corpo- rate. "Well, we've had a very chal- John Jordan, proprietor of Sonoma's Jordan Winery.