The Tasting Panel magazine

September 2012

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INDUSTRY GOLF TOURNEY T he name of this tournament shouldn't be confused with the PGA event hosted by Greg Norman. But it's fair to say Norman had a hand in the success of the festivities, though, because the Shark himself designed The Course at Wente Vineyards. For the second time in the history of the event, it was a combined Northern California and Southern California affair. Marc Gutierrez, Wente's Director of Sales for Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, teamed up with Andrea Beard, Director of Sales for Southern California, to put on the show. Beard seemed to speak for lots of people when she talked about what it's like to do business with the extended Wente family. "I'd move mountains for this family," she said when the golf was finished and the party had moved on to Murrieta's Well for music and dinner. "There are corporate values, and there are family values; you still have to perform, but this really feels like family." Still, when any group of competitive people get together, especially on a golf course, it's expected that the contests will be full-bore. "We're here to win!" Carolyn Wente semi- joked as she prepared to blast out of a sand trap that had obviously been put in the wrong place. A few seconds later, she punched her fist in the air as her ball landed a few feet from the cup. Having a reporter and photographer trailing the four- somes around The Course had a different effect on different groups. Some players seemed to rise to the occasion ("Did you get a picture of that shot!?") while others lamented that their games abandoned them when the bright lights were shining their way ("Where were you two holes ago?"). In the end, though, the scores didn't seem to matter very much. True, there was an award ceremony on the second day of the event, but the main point had already been made: The Southern folks were recognized for a job well done. Eric, Carolyn and Karl Wente greeted Southern guests at Murrieta's Well. Jeff Linow, Greg Moss, Michael Pezzulo and John Burton were having a good time at the shootout. 120 / the tasting panel / september 2012

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