Italy, Spain, Austria, New Zealand, Argentina and California.

We also provide sales, marketing and public relations services to every wine brand we represent, so that the wines we believe in find their way onto the tables and into the hearts of American wine lovers.

I have more than 40 years of wine industry experience. After co-founding Robert Mondavi Winery with my father, in 1966, I went on to serve as Vice President of Production responsible for winemaking, Vice President of Sales, President and CEO, and Chairman of the Board. I am pleased to bring that range of understanding to a new endeavor that combines my business experience with one of my highest priorities—working closely with my family to share and promote exceptional wines from around the globe.

Prior to and during my summer breaks from the University of Santa Clara, I held a variety of positions in our family’s company to gain experience in all aspects of vineyard and winery management, hospitality and business operations. The first job I held was under Tony Coltrin our current Director of winemaking, whereby I followed him through the cellars, and learned all that a 12 year old could. I can remember being so small that it was a feat to turn the barrels so that we could wash them. Much later I even started my own business hosting mountain bike tours through the Napa Valley wine country. I graduated in 1994, with a degree in English Literature, and spent time at our Vichon winery where I made my first wines. Following I went to work in sales for Southern Wine & Spirits to learn more about the distributor side of the industry.

I educated myself about international business culture by moving to Panama for a year and when I returned to Napa Valley, I decided to try my hand at importing. In 1996, I established the Napa Cigar Company, a manufacturer and importer of premium cigars from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and the Canary Islands.

I joined the Robert Mondavi Corporation in 2000, as a luxury brands Sales Manager. Soon I became Sales Director, responsible for developing and managing sales of the company’s imported wines from Australia, Chile and Italy in more than 20 states. I went on to serve as Director of Marketing for Robert Mondavi Winery, spearheading the winery’s trade marketing initiatives. My family and I founded Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2004, with the vision of producing and importing the most exciting wines from established and emerging wine regions. I currently focus on the wine making and vineyards with Tony, and the management of the overall business.

I live in Napa with my wife, Lydia—one of the creative forces behind Medusa wines.

I have come to realize there is a lot to do in this business and that it touches many aspects of life, and in that way, wine is a conduit to many new experiences for me.

I now live in Napa with my wife and three children and hope to spend the rest of my life living every day in a place where others come for vacation. I’ve worked as a restaurant and retail wine buyer, distributor sales rep and manager, and in wine supplier jobs managing sales and marketing. I also worked for the Robert Mondavi Corporation. I bring all this experience to Folio Fine Wine Partners, where I’m excited to be part of building something new that can have a big impact on the industry. The best part of working at Folio is the people. They are all very talented and fun to be around. It's a great combination.

Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi of Florence and Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley, California. As the Director of Marketing at Folio Fine Wine Partners, I am proud to be able to lead a group of talented marketing professionals in the development of wines from around the globe. For Luce, I developed the sales and marketing strategies needed to establish the company as an international presence. I have also worked at Procter & Gamble, Guala SpA, and Francesco Cinzano & Cia. To every role I have tried to offer an extensive knowledge of wine and food, a knowledge enhanced with advanced degrees in Agricultural Sciences as well as Food Science and Nutrition.

My father is also in the wine business, so wine and food have always been important to me. It’s rewarding to do business with people who share my priorities.

I was born and raised in Tortona, Italy, and my wonderful family recently moved with me to beautiful Napa Valley.

of one of his closest friends took him under his wing and became his winemaking Mentor, it was this grandfather figure who suggested Tony work a harvest in a Winery so that they could share winemaking not only in the vineyard but in the winery also. He suggested Robert Mondavi Winery, since Tony had grown up around the Mondavi family, and they were doing some of the most cutting-edge and innovative winemaking in the world at that time. That was 1973…. Tony’s interest in winemaking, fueled by the passion and excitement of Michael and Bob Mondavi turned one harvest into over 30 years with Robert Mondavi Winery. What began as dragging hoses and shoveling fermenters in the cellar, turned into Cellarmaster and then to Winemaker. When the company sold, Tony was asked by Michael Mondavi and his son Rob to join them in making the fine wines of Folio.

When asked for his winemaking philosophy Tony replies thoughtfully:
"I have grown over the years to believe that wine most truly is a reflection.... in my younger years I was taught that this reflection was of the soil, climate, and varieties and how they combine to produce such a wonderful marriage of aromas, colors, and tastes that weave so beautifully into the pleasure that is a glass of wine.

I've grown lately to feel that wine is equally a reflection of the people.... of their willingness to allow each wine to become intimate, the care taken along the way, the passion offered up, this relflects in each wine as deeply as the grape. If the grapes are the heart of a wine.... the people are it's soul."

Tony, his wife Sandra—an artist and pastry chef—and their son, Sam live in the western hills of the Napa Valley. When asked what inspires him he replies: “ My very artistic mother who always encouraged my imagination, and taught me look for the possibilities and to create. She still inspires me, she’s 82 now and is still teaching elementary school after 52 years. My wife who is the tall,slender, lovely reminder that my life is about balance and the one who let’s me know when I need to find it. The whole Robert Mondavi family for the passion they’ve allowed me, creative license they’ve given me, and trust they have shown me for so many years. The grandfather of my friend who first mentored me in to winemaking. Most of all my son Sam who is 5 now and each day without fail makes me smile with my heart” says Tony.

When not in the vineyards or the cellar, Tony will tell you that he is solar powered and has a passion for the outdoors equal to his passion for winemaking. He spends his time cycling, fly fishing, kayaking, surfing, hunting, running, cross-country skiing, playing baseball, soccer, or playing around with his motorcycles…. all with Sam at his side.

 

path, though one that allowed me to travel the world and still eat and drink in interesting places.  Fast forward several years and I’m making wine at home, decide to move back to my home state of California and try to apply my financial skills to the wine industry (from airlines).  I hit the street, hit the books, learn a lot about the wine industry and voila, a few years later I’m working with an iconic wine family’s wine business.

It’s a fascinating industry…on the one hand farming, originally very basic but getting more technical every day, and on the other hand marketing brands of wonderful wines, lifestyles and competing with thousands of other wineries every day.  So much to do, especially in this small but fast growing company.  Three notable things that excite me about being a part of Folio are that the people are very passionate, experienced and willing to share, there is a ton of opportunity to move the business forward, and the wine, of course.  Just livin’ the dream…

I love to hang out with my kids—Kyle and Sarah. We enjoy having friends over, cooking, reading, playing games, watching movies and going camping. My kids keep me sane!

attending college I spent a summer semester in Napa Valley and did a summer internship at Robert Mondavi Winery.  I had the opportunity to wear a few different hats during my time there; including wine education, retail sales, vineyard work and analyzing the profitability of the paid programs.  After spending the summer in Napa I decided that this is what I really wanted to do, I have always had a passion for food and being in wine country made me realize I had a passion for wine as well.  So after receiving a degree in Small Business Management, back in Georgia where I was born and raised, I moved back to Napa Valley in February of 2006.  Upon moving back out here, I started working at Grigch Hills Cellars; where I enjoyed the first eight months of my career.  I can not say thank you enough to the Grigch and Hills families for the opportunity and experience I had while working there.  I came to work for the Michael Mondavi Family Estate, because of the wonderful group of employees that were here, the fine wines that Folio makes and represents, and also it gave me a chance to work with family.  While working my time-off from Grigch Hills in Folio production, my “cousin in-law”, Rob Mondavi, mentioned that there was a need for a management position in their newly acquired Taste Gallery.  So I applied and was fortunate enough to get the position and made the move to Folio. 

My parents, Mike and Patti, and younger brother, Richard, still live back in Georgia where I get back to see them from time to time.  The things that really get me going in the morning are that I have a great family, a wonderful job in Napa Valley and a great group of co-workers to work with.  In my spare time I enjoy golf, fishing, horse-back riding, bee keeping, gardening and spending time with friends.  Cheers!

 

By way of background, I entered the wine industry after a three year stint at an advertising agency in Santa Barbara and a return to business school to obtain my MBA from Wake Forest University.  Upon graduating, I decided I wanted to market a product that I was passionate about and with wine at the top of my list, I went to work for Paterno Wines International in Chicago.  Several cold winters, but plenty of good pizza later, my wife Lisa and I decided to come back to the California sunshine in Napa Valley, where I joined Folio Fine Wine Partners. 

Besides wine, I have a lot of interest in small company start-ups, and working with the talented new team at Folio has been incredibly stimulating and a natural fit.  I love the challenges that a young company offers, and I’m always trying to think of exciting new ways to grow our brands.  

route sales person for Quality Beverage, where I delivered and sold Clearly Canadian sparkling flavored water (remember that stuff in the teardrop blue bottles?) to grocery & convenience stores off a huge Penske rental truck.  After 6-months of great success, I was approached by one of the wine managers who said to me, “I’ve heard that you’re pretty good at selling that water.  Do you think you can sell wine?”  Wine coolers (Matilda Bay – there’s a throwback!) were the extent of my wine experience at the time, so he pulled a cork on a bottle of Schmitt Sohne Riesling.  A quick smile shot across my face as I savored the sweet liquid, and the rest is history.

I worked for both Tarrant Dist and Julius Schepps in North TX before they were purchased and became Republic Bev. Co. in 1996 (now RNDC).  I held various Sales and Management roles with RNDC TX for 10-years, and then I ran a South Central Region Manager position for The Hess Collection Winery.  After 3-years with Hess, I spent 5-years in a Vice President role for RNDC OK where I ran 2 wine and spirits divisions.

In Sept 2011, I accepted my current role with FOLIO as a Southwest Region Business Manager.  I’m based in TX and am also responsible for LA, OK, NE, CO, AZ and NM.  My wife: Emily, 2 girls: Briley and Brooke, and Boo: my Weimaraner, are all happy to be home again in Frisco, TX.  I enjoy nice dinners with my wife, playing with my girls, hunting, fishing, golf and exploring the world of wine.

—much of it at the Robert Mondavi Corporation—I also bring the latest advances in Logistics to my position at Folio Fine Wine Partners. I completed a Cal State University Logistics certification program, building on my BS in Agricultural Economics from UC Davis.

I love discovering a great bottle of wine over a nice meal with friends and family. I also love animals, and often volunteer with dog rescue organizations. I’ve developed dog-related community service projects, such as raising money to provide pet oxygen masks for all the fire departments in our county. I am an accomplished dog trainer and enjoy entering dog agility competitions. This year I qualified for the Agility Nationals.

to really exploit my interest and exposed me to some wines I’d never heard of, thus turning my curiosity into a full blown passion. 

While, I enjoyed the restaurant industry very much I realized I wanted a career that was more “wine centric.”   I went on to work for R&R Marketing, (Charmer Sunbelt) in New Jersey and later RV Distributors/Viavino in multiple markets,  were I was introduced to a plethora of exciting wines from all over the world and learned a tremendous amount about this fascinating business. 

Representing Folio Fine Wine Partners in New Jersey/New York is an incredible opportunity.  I get to work with the most iconic family (The Mondavi’s) of American wines as well as some of the most incredible and passionate people in the industry.

I live in Rockland County New York with my amazing and beautiful wife, Raquel and our always entertaining daughters Jordyn (10) and Rylee (6).  We are blessed to live literally, at the entrance to Harriman State Park where we try to enjoy some hiking, swimming and as much of the outdoors as possible as well all things NY Mets and NY Giants.

every day. At Folio the group has a “can do” attitude and an energy that is contagious. There is never a dull moment.

I grew up in Boston but have now made my home in the beautiful wine country of Northern California. I love sports and animals. I spend many a night cheering for my beloved Boston Red Sox. I enjoy reading and spending time with family and friends over a nice meal and good bottle of wine.

all of on-premise for the company.  During my tenure, I worked with all beverage alcohol, but my passion was always wine.  When I had the opportunity to join the Folio family, I made the move to learn about another facet of the business and be more flexible for my two young children.  Since joining Folio, I have had the pleasure of travelling to Italy twice to visit the beautiful family wineries we represent.  I look forward to the opportunity to meet our Spanish family wine producers someday soon.   What I enjoy most about Folio is that each day I am proud to represent some of the best wine in the world, but more importantly work with some of the best people in the industry.  When I am not out calling on the distributors or on accounts, I enjoy spending time with my children, practicing Bikram yoga, reading and enjoying a glass of wine with family and friends…

selling radio advertising and walked in to a restaurant where a woman was selling wine to the restaurant owner.  At that point I said to myself I am going to do that & I started cold calling distributors in Minneapolis.  Finally, one distributor let me in the door with no experience & I was hooked for life.  I love how wine encompasses history, art, science, geography, agriculture, global cuisine & so much more.   I worked my way up at a few distributors in Minnesota prior to receiving an opportunity of a lifetime, to come out to Northern California & represent Folio, our tremendous portfolio, suppliers, & incredible Folio Family.   I feel extremely fortunate to be part of the Folio family.

while attending Indiana University’s School of Business; I financed my education 100% by working nights and weekends as a server/bartender and running the kitchen at my fraternity, Kappa Sigma.  After graduation in 1986 with a double major in Finance and Marketing, my first job was running the wine department for Marshall Field’s in Chicago.  As a means of becoming more proficient in wine and wine education, I attended Chicago Wine School in the evenings.  After a brief hiatus, I returned to the wine industry in 1994 to become one of the founding members of a specialized wine sales force, Chicago Wine Merchants, within a large distributor, Union Beverage Company.  I worked my way up from Sales Representative, to District Manager, to Wine Manager, and finally to General Manager during my tenure at Chicago Wine Merchants 1994-1999.  I then relocated to Northern California in 1999 and became the Northwest Regional Manager for The Hess Collection Winery.  After several years, I was promoted to Western Divisional Manager overseeing 26 states, and 7 regional sales managers.  In January 2007, I was hired by Grgich Hills Estate as National Sales Director overseeing all aspects of GHE sales in North America.  I joined Folio Fine Wine Partners in December 2009 and oversee all of California’s business.

When not working, I enjoy cooking, golf, running, reading, and spending time at home with my wife Catherine, experiencing San Francisco.

San Francisco earthquake!  My last property was in Napa, which then led to a move from Hospitality to the Wine Industry.  My first Accounting position in Wine was with Robert Mondavi where I spent 5 years.  I was very happy and excited to be able to join the Folio Fine Wine Partners team as our Accounting Specialist in 2005.  When I’m not working my husband and I love to be outside playing in our flower and vegetable garden.  I enjoy my wonderful life living in Napa!

touring the local wine regions gave me an introduction to a wonderful way of life. What I enjoy most about wine is that it is a global industry and reflects the land, history, food and traditions of where it is produced. 

After my studies, I stayed in Australia for a year working at Winestate Magazine and at various tasting rooms on the weekends.  I moved to Napa in 2003 and have since made Northern California my new home.  I have been fortunate to work in marketing and brand management at Golden State Vintners, Delicato Family Vineyards, Adler Fels and Domaine Chandon.  My position at Folio Fine Wine Partners has been a wonderful opportunity to work with a dynamic and enthusiastic team on a portfolio of distinguished wines from all over the world.

drivers and market dynamics of my territory, which includes Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. I credit my success to a variety of factors—most importantly, an understanding of marketing and brand building, strong partnership development with distributors and accounts, and a focus on results.

I started out working in the restaurant industry, learning about wine and the wine business from my interaction with many influential winemakers. I knew I wanted to work in wine sales, and soon landed a position marketing a full portfolio of wine and liquor products for Redwood Vintners. In 1989, I joined the Robert Mondavi Corporation and ultimately became manager of the Mid-Atlantic district, a position I held for ten years.

I live in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania with my wife, Faith, and four children—Madeline, Gavin, Shaina and Alyssa.

I have been handling wine compliance in a variety of capacities for the past ten years. I am very excited and honored to be handling compliance for Folio Fine Wine Partners! The combination of wine industry knowledge and my first career in the legal field has prepared me for the demanding area of compliance. The ever changing world of compliance offers new and exciting challenges virtually every day.

I am a “born and raised” Napa girl, where I continue to live and raise my three children, Allison, Austin and Emily. Besides my career at Folio, I am also a GM, Chauffer, Maid, Chef, Referee, Fashion Coordinator, and ATM.

Upon my departure from active duty, I turned this interest into my career, starting out with a distributor, Romano Brothers Beverage Company in Chicago, performing multiple sales roles. After learning the business from the distributor side, I joined the Robert Mondavi Corporation in 1998. Within two years, I was promoted to the Illinois Area Manager.  Later, I was awarded the 2002 Robert G. Mondavi Award of Excellence by Robert Mondavi himself. In 2003, I was tasked to become one of the directors of a new division within Robert Mondavi, where I helped to develop new wines from brand concept to final label.

Following the sale of the Robert Mondavi Corporation in January 2005, I left Robert Mondavi to join in business once again with Robert’s eldest son, Michael Mondavi.  Since entering the wine business I have had the opportunity to return several times to all those great wine growing regions I visited in the Air Force and my passion for fine wines has grown.  I have received extensive training and wine education and I enjoy discussing the great wines of the world with wine lovers.  In the wine industry since 1994, I now manage the business in ten Midwestern states for Folio Fine Wine Partners and I am proud to be a founding partner of the organization.

winemaker/director of sales and marketing for Trail Ridge Winery in Colorado. In this capacity, I helped introduce Trail Ridge’s first vintage to the Colorado market. I soon moved over to the distributor side to expand my wine business knowledge, joining a new wine division of National Distributing to help successfully open the on-premise market in Northern Colorado. I also helped launch a boutique distributorship in Colorado, growing sales to 1.5 million in the first year with a portfolio of new brands for this market. This gave me extensive experience in building new brands. During two years with the Robert Mondavi Corporation, I moved from Account Manager to Area Business Manager to Regional Manager, responsible for the second largest global market for the Robert Mondavi Winery brand.

spouse allows you to work in a variety of different industries and I always looked at each move as an opportunity to grow and try something new. 

My first job in California was with Robert Mondavi, and I spent 9 years learning what the wine “business” was all about from the Mondavi family and an incredible team of Public Relations, Marketing  and Creative Services professionals.  When the opportunity arose for me to continue working with the Michael Mondavi family – I jumped at the chance.  Every day since I started with Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2005 has been both challenging and rewarding, no day is the same.

My job at Folio is not like most Associate Marketing Manager Positions.  I do support brands but I also maintain the websites, coordinate corporate image material, maintain content on our intranet site, support sales requests and provide direct support for our National Accounts and Chain Account managers.  Folio was founded on and maintains the entrepreneurial spirit and we are each encouraged, expected, to expand our knowledge base and try new aspects of this industry we all love. 

Currently, I live in Blythewood, SC with my husband and 2 daughters, Haley & Leah.  I enjoy introducing friends and family to wines from all over the world and making them so jealous that I have the best job in the wine industry, working with the best team of wine professionals here at Folio Fine Wine Partners.

 

of dynamics, it was wine that most intrigued me for its delicate, complex, yet approachable flavor and texture.  After nearly 10 years on the “buyer” side, it was timeto cross over to the supplier side to pursue my love for wine even more.  I joined Constellation Wines U.S. in 2005 as a brand manager and took on a new understanding of wine marketing, including harvest production.  I certainly gained a new perspective of all of the hard work and challenges that go on behind a brand to make it to the retailer and customer.

Working for Folio Fine Wine Partners is an opportunity of a lifetime!  With the Michael Mondavi family leadership and wealth of industry experience by all of its employees, I am excited to be a part of a team that is truly passionate, energetic and dedicated to producing and representing beautifully-styled wines. 

My husband and I reside in the East Bay and we enjoy hiking, tennis, skiing and rooting for the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox (even though I’m a native Californian).  I am also passionate about music and typically never leave home without my iPod.  My other favorite thing is to be creative and love putting together video montages.

 

Born in the south of California and raised in San Diego; I love to swim and body surf in the ocean. In my late teens my father and uncle started showing me fine wines.  So… I moved to France… I worked for Paul Jaboulet Aine in the town of Hermitage. When I finished with my French experience I moved to the beautiful town of Sonoma California, so I could stay with wine production and help raise two beautiful and creative children, Remy and Charlotte.

I love wine and wine production, so working with Folio Winemakers Studio and the Michael Mondavi family of wines is where I want to be.

I joined the Folio Fine Wine Partners Family in 2006 when they purchased the Mahoney Vineyards Tasting Room. I enjoy working for Folio Fine Wine Partners as everyone I work with has a great sense of camaraderie and there is a feeling of “family” with everyone involved at FFWP.  We are all very upbeat and happy to greet visitors and share with them. I truly enjoy being part of the FFWP team.

Aside from my work with Folio, I wear many “hats” and am involved with the Sonoma County Culinary Guild, pouring wine at outside events and many other areas in the wine and food industry along with being an office manager for a law firm.  I truly enjoy being able to educate people about wine and at the same time appreciate learning new things on a regular basis.  The wine business is a business where there is always something new and changing and it is really a pleasure to be involved in the industry.    

I am a fun-loving person who enjoys life and loves to share knowledge and ideas with others.  I have three stepsons and five grandchildren.  My husband and I have a motor home and enjoy taking trips to visit our family in Illinois and spending time on the road seeing new things and visiting fun places.  When I’m not traveling with my husband, I enjoy bike riding (weather permitting in Petaluma), cooking, gardening, scrapbooking, our four kitties and bird, and, of course, sharing wine and food with good friends.

I recently graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship.  Prior to graduating I was fortunate enough to achieve a long anticipated goal in life and spend six months studying abroad at the Universidad del País Vasco in Bilbao, Spain.  As a result of my experience abroad and passion (with the added influence of my father’s enjoyment in wine) I was driven to find a career in the wine industry upon graduation.  A week after graduation I moved to Napa and began as an intern at the Wine Garage in Calistoga where I worked my way into various capacities including retail sales, outside sales and assisting the wine club coordinator.  During that time I also found myself eager to experience yet another side of the wine business while enjoying a seasonal position in the vineyards and winery with Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines as a Harvest Sampler. 

In my spare time I enjoy; wine tasting, camping, hiking, wakeboarding, snowboarding, fishing (not always catching), and of course spending time with family and friends.  Once I find the time and student loans, I hope to begin working towards an MBA with a focus in Wine Business at Sonoma State University.  In the meantime I’ll enjoy the experience of a lifetime here at Folio Fine Wine Partners.

compelling industry.  Growing up with my dad’s personal passion and enjoyment for anything wine, it was hard not to be attracted to the wine industry. 

Wine became even more interesting to me after spending a semester abroad at the University of Padua in Italy.  Being fully immersed in the language and culture, Italian table wines became a regular staple.  When my parents came to visit, we were able to tour the beautiful grounds and taste some amazing wines at places like Villa Sandi and several of the Frescobaldi family estates including Castello di Nipozzano and Castello di Pomino.  With this exposure to delicious food, fabulous wine, and rich culture, there was no question that starting in the wine business with Folio would be educational and inspiring.  Working at the Michael Mondavi Family Estate gives me the opportunity to meet and learn from some truly spectacular people every day!

Over the years, I was the Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer and later on to the Sr. Vice President of Marketing.  I was honored and excited to be asked to join the Folio Fine Wine Partners team in 2005 and continue to work with the best people in the wine industry.  I also have the privilege, for a second time (first at Robert Mondavi Winery) to give my first-hand assistance to David Francke, our Managing Director at Folio.  I also am the Office Manager for our office headquarters in Napa.  I enjoy that I have the opportunity to work in so many aspects of Folio, giving my assistance to many of the departments as needed. 

I live in Napa with my boyfriend, Scott, and my two teenage daughters, Tayler and Kylee.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.  We spend many weekends watching my daughters play competitive volleyball and softball.  We love to travel and also spend a week every summer at Lake Tahoe.  We enjoy participating in anything outdoors.

yourself with it.”  The Mondavi family has created a terrific business model in Folio Fine Wine Partners.  I look forward to learning more about the wine industry and all that goes into the making of a great glass of wine.

Born and raised in Santa Rosa, I grew up in a large, close-knit family.  After graduating from Golden Gate University with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant management, I spent many years in the hospitality industry before joining the San Francisco Giants, where
I spent the last eight years as an Executive Assistant.  I enjoy spending time with my family, sharing good wine over dinner with close friends, traveling (especially to Italy) & jazz music. 

I was lucky enough to grow up in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, another California wine growing region, and  attend college at Sonoma State University( where I majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing) living  in Northern California for four years. A friend of mine found a house on 150 acres (with a small family winery) on the Sonoma Coast. There I lived for two years and loved every minute of it. I decided then, that I was destined to have a career in the business of wine! After college I moved to Arizona and worked for Gallo’s distribution company. That was a great stepping stone in trying to learn the business, but a lot of hard work and fierce competition! After I decided I wanted to permanently transition back to California I began working various positions at Cambria and Byron Wineries in the heart of the Santa Maria Valley. I had the opportunity to work for a great boss, Tracy Rios who is now the Retail Manager for Michael Mondavi Family Estate. It was after a very inspiring phone call that I applied and was honored to receive the position as Wine Club Coordinator with the company. I feel blessed every day and look forward to establishing great relationships, and learning everything I can from this amazing opportunity.

In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, exploring, traveling, sports, spending time with family and friends and of course eating and drinking fabulous wines!!!!

In 1990 I started working with the Mondavi family on the Carneros Ranch, and this is where I learned to cultivate the vine.  I met Tony Coltrin in 1994 and he gave me the opportunity to work at the small winery facility in Carneros.  It was here that I learned most of the winemaking and cellar procedures I know.  It was also the place where I started feeling the big passion that I now have for wine.

My family is the most important thing that I have in my life, together with this job.  With the love I have for this job, plus the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years, I wish to have the opportunity to be able to make my own wine.

I have been in the industry for 15 years now.

I started working for US Concept, a sales and Marketing agency
for Schieffelin and Somerset ( Moet Hennessy and Diageo ) and then worked for few distributors in Florida.

I am very excited about being part of the Foilo Fine Wine Partners team and look forward to a great future.

I live in Miami, Florida and I enjoy the beach, friends, good food and traveling.

I loved it!  And now that my children are older, I am enjoying the opportunity I have to work in the wine industry, here at Folio.  I have to say, wine wins!  The business has so many layers to it.  I love learning everything I can about the industry, and of course, our wines.

In Accounts Payable, I process distributor invoices.  What a great way to get familiar with our brands!  We have a great sales team and I enjoy interacting with them.  I have a hand in the monthly ATI project with Italy (maybe someday I’ll get to go!)  I am also learning a lot about wine compliance and our price posting for distributors.  I am thankful for the opportunity to learn and help in so many ways.  I love being part of a team, and at Folio, we’re more than just a team, we’re family.

Outside of Folio, I teach art part-time at a local elementary school.  My husband and children live here in Napa with me.  What a blessing to live in such an amazingly beautiful valley.  In my spare time, I enjoy playing in art, hiking, mentoring, and hanging out with family and friends.

Robert Mondavi Corporation in their Direct to Consumer department working my way up to managing their wine club and shareholder programs. In 2005, I entered the non-profit realm where I refined my technical skills as the Internet marketing manager for COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts.   After leaving COPIA, I did a brief stint in the wine shipping business. I recently decided to change career directions and broaden my work experience to focus on Human Resources.  I am thrilled to be working with Michael Mondavi and his family again.

I enjoy the wine country lifestyle through entertaining, cooking and visiting this Valley’s many fabulous restaurants. My husband and I enjoy traveling near and far as much as possible. When traveling we try to experience the local lifestyle as much as possible (whether in Hawaii or Istanbul).  We are avid hikers and bike riders and generally just try to enjoy each day as it presents itself.

My life growing up was very interesting.  My parents were extreme opposites.  My father who was reared in the south and my mother was French Canadian.  Even though we were quite a diverse family they made sure that my sister and I were introduced to culture from a very early age.  My first taste of wine was a Cabernet and I learned to drink that as well as coffee from the time I was 4 years old. 

After I graduated from college I started working in education.  I have always been a social person and that part of my personality really lent strength to my career as a high school counselor where I remained for 20 years.  The highlight of my career concluded with a California State Crystal Apple award which I received from the State of California for developing a systemic guidance program that has been introduced statewide.

I started working in the wine industry on weekends because I was intrigued with wine.  From there it took over my life.  It was an easy decision to move away from education and into wine.  The two careers have several parallels.  I have been managing for several years now and when given the opportunity to work for Michael Mondavi, I jumped on it.  My husband and I relocated here and have not looked back.  I love my job, I love the people that I work with and I love where I live. 

I feel blessed in so many ways and from that I am a happy person.  This industry pushes me every day to understand people at new levels and how they work.  I love music, poetry and gardening. I love energy, laughter and sincere people.  I want to thank everyone here for helping make my transition here a great experience.

 

my military service, I moved to London, England where I worked at the Connought Hotel and The Oak Room, both Michellin Star restaurants.
   
I spent some time in Puerto Banus, Spain where I opened three restaurants and in 1997, I applied for and received a management training visa at The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, NJ. The Ryland Inn was the number one restaurant in NJ ten years in a row and was awarded 4 stars by the NY Times.
    
After completing my management training in NJ, I moved to NYC where I worked for some of the most famous chefs and wine directors in the US. My restaurant experience includes Le Cirque 2000, Babbo and Daniel.
    
In 2002, I opened and became the Director of Fiamma Osteria. Fiamma was the first Italian restaurant in the US to receive a Michellin star.
    
After serving 4 years as the Director of Fiamma, my passion for my family and wine culminated in a career change. I worked for two established importers, Clicquot, Inc and Henriot, Inc as the NY Metro Manager before I had the exciting opportunity to work as the NY Metro Manager for Folio.
    
Working for Folio has afforded me the opportunity to work for Michael Mondavi, an icon in California wines and to represent amazing family owned estates.
    
I live in NJ with my wife of nine years, Jessica, our four year old son, (and my partner in crime) Nico and our beautiful 7 month old daughter, Francesca. My passions include, my family, sports of any kind, especially AC Milan, Jets and Mets. I love to travel and to eat great food!

Medical Technologist internship at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills. I won the Med Tech Student of the Year award and went on to work at CSMC for several more years before returning home to the Bay Area.  When the endocrinologist I was working for sold his lab, I stayed home with my two daughters for a few years and then decided to try the wine industry rather than medical.  I thought I could work a few months a year, during harvest, and have the rest of the time for fun.  But no, work was more fun than a barrel of monkeys.  I had never gone into hysterics over a standard curve, but it happened.  I found my niche. 

The winery lab arena sadly lacked the kind of quality control which the medical world took for granted, so I brought my experience to Robert Mondavi Winery and forced everyone to embrace it.  I am proud to have trained dozens of lab techs about wine analysis and quality control, and enjoy seeing so many of them succeed in the industry.

When Tony Coltrin called to see if I wanted to start a lab from nothing and help make wine, I tried to say no, but somehow he, Diane Simpson and Rob Mondavi persuaded me to leave my comfort zone and make the switch.  I’m so glad they did, because I’m learning about all the facets of the wine business.  I can feel my brain getting more convolutions with each new task I undertake.  The Mondavi family is gracious and kind, my coworkers are totally groovy, and the new lab is righteous.  In my spare time I enjoy horses, fishing and long walks on the beach.  It’s a new level of satisfaction.

After receiving a B.S. in Biotechnology and Management from the University of California at Davis, it was time for me to enter into the working world. After a series of interviews with certain “unnamed” biotech companies, I thought that my career path was destined for scientific boredom. But at an agricultural and science career fair, I decided to test different vocational waters, and to use my scientific background for “good.”

I applied to work for Robert Mondavi Winery as a harvest laboratory intern.  Being unfamiliar with the wine industry, it seemed logical to choose a winery based on one simple fact: the recent addition of the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts to the UCD campus. It is a masterpiece of architecture and sound. My boss back then was our own Jeanette Schandelmier, who forced me to embrace “quality control.” I feel so lucky to have learned from such a wonderful mentor. Best part of all, she is now my boss again!

In short, I enjoy the wine industry because it balances the art of winemaking with the exactness of science. It is so fascinating to see the grapes enter the winery, and how with many hands, we can produce an elegant wine. At Folio, I plan to assist our production crew in the making of exceptional wines that measure up to the best Napa has to offer.

   

and coming and I wanted to learn as much as I could about it. After moving away from the Central Coast to go to school in LA my love for wine grew. While most college students were drinking beer I was going to tastings and drinking wine. It wasn’t until after college I realized that I wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps and venture in the wine industry.

I love that I learn something new every day about wine. This is the one thing I think I enjoy the most! Oh, besides enjoying a glass with an amazing meal!

I currently live in Orange County California and I enjoy doing yoga, fishing, cycling and spending time with my family and friends.

I bring extensive wine industry sales experience to Folio, from my first positions at Gallo and Heidelberg Distributors to the Robert Mondavi Corp. After the company was sold in 2004, I moved to Olinger Distributing Company. I was very excited to join the Folio Fine Wine Partners team when an opportunity became available.

I was born in the Bronx, New York, home of the 27-time World Champion New York Yankees. I enjoy spending time with my wonderful family. My wife, Peggy, is a former LPGA Golf professional and current wine enthusiast; my son, Henry and daughter Lucy excel in school and are very passionate about the sports they participate in. Henry loves football and golf. Lucy loves kickball, basketball and golf. Who knows, one day when I retire I may become a full time caddie on two different tours. Let’s hope…

 

Manager. My background in wine sales and marketing has been a tremendous asset in my daily work with accounts and distributors.

I love the passion, romance and mystery of wine; I love that there is never a "wrong choice" or "wrong answer" when it comes to what people like or experience, and sharing wine with others—helping them discover new favorites—is endlessly rewarding.  This ideal is found in everything we do at Folio Fine Wine Partners.

My daughter is my pride and joy, and my favorite things include spending time with her, watching her learn and grow!

to help myself to become a better person and to learn a skill that I could use to earn a living with pride and honor.

In 1999 I had the good fortune to start to work for Sonoma Creek Winery; it was here that I truly began to fulfill one of my main goals in life. This opportunity took me in 2000 to work for Viansa winery, where I had the pleasure and good fortune to meet Derek Irwin who helped and guided me. He was generous with his knowledge of wine making, he taught me the importance and the know how of the bottling line in the wine making process. He also gave me the love for the wine making process that pushed me to learn more and more.

With time, life put in my path another man by the name of Eric Hansen. He also took time to share with me, his knowledge of the wine industry. He was relentless in correcting my mistakes but not once did I feel hurt or humiliated by his correction, as he was gentle but firm with me. Knowledge that Eric gave me, I will have and use for the rest of my life. I hope to be able to continue to work in the wine industry, which I have grown to love.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to move to Folio Winemakers’ Studio, where I continue to learn and improve my skills. This progress would not have happened without Eric Hansen’s belief and trust in me. I need to thank Michael Mondavi and family for giving me their trust, belief and confidence. I also want to thank Tony, Diane and all my co-workers for their support. Thank you all.

I have always believed that the wine business is a lifestyle, and I have never felt like I am going to a nine-to-five job. After college, I began my career with the E&J Gallo Winery in Seattle, then moved to Austria to open up the country for Gallo. I also managed our business in Poland and did some market work in Switzerland. When I returned to Seattle, I took a position with Trinchero Family Estates. In the year 2000 I made a move to the Robert Mondavi Company, where I met many of my Folio colleagues. I’m grateful to the early “boot-camp” wine industry training I received at Gallo followed by the refinement I gained at Trinchero and Robert Mondavi. The experiences gave me self-confidence, a desire to continue to learn, and an innate sense of urgency to improve professionally and to build strong business relationships.

My parents are from Zurich, Switzerland, and both my sisters and I hold dual-citizenships. I was born and raised in Seattle, and these days I have my own family—a wonderful wife and three young sons.

the 1999 harvest at Quivira Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, and I have worked in the industry in one capacity or another ever since. In 2001, I moved to Australia for a vintage at Zilzie Wines in the Murray River Region. Upon returning stateside, I spent several years specializing in and managing Sparkling Wine production at S. Anderson/Cliff Lede Vineyards and quality control at Domaine Chandon. This was followed by a two-year detour of making olive oil in Sonoma. Before joining Folio, I was the Bottling and Packaging Manager at CrushPad in San Francisco.

At Folio Fine Wine Partners, I hope to combine my business savvy and my love of wine with my passion for sustainability and green issues. In addition to my work at Folio, I am currently obtaining a MBA in Sustainable Business at the Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco, where I live with my wife, our dog Huck Finn, and our cat Ferris.