Wine Luminaries

Michael Martini - Third Generation Winemaker - Louis M. Martini Winery
Charles Thomas Curtis - Master of Wine - Veuve Clicquot
Randy Ullom - Winemaster - Kendall Jackson
Bill Nesto - Master of Wine
Manuel Louzada - Director of Enology - Terraza de los Andes and Cheval des Andes
Amanda Cramer - Winemaker - Niner Wine Estates
Bill Grant - Co-Owner - Four Vines Winery
Ellen Flora - Senior Wine Embassador Domaine Chandon Winery
Janell Dusi - Winemaker J.Dusi Wines
Michael Mondavi - Founder & "Coach" - Folio Fine Wine Partners
Philipo diBelardino - VP Banfi Vintners
René Schlatter - VP Merryvale Vineyards and Winery
Jean Trimbach - F.E. Trimbach Wine Estates
Joel Peterson - Winemaker & President Ravenswood Winery
Riccardo Legnaro - VP Italian Brands, Palm Bay Imports
 

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Michael Martini - Third Generation Winemaker - Louis M. Martini Winery

Mike Martini learned the subtle arts of winemaking and grape growing first hand as he grew up at his family’s winery in the Napa Valley.  When school let out, Mike worked alongside his father and grandfather, and his summer jobs as a teenager included helping with wine blending and tending to the vines at the historic Monte Rosso mountaintop vineyard.

Mike joined the Air Force in 1969.  He then entered the University of California at Davis, one of the world’s pre-eminent institutions for the study of winemaking and grape growing.  He graduated from U.C. Davis in 1977 with a degree in fermentation science.  Mike returned to the family winery in St. Helena to work with his father, Louis P. Martini, and was given full responsibility as winemaker, carrying family traditions into the third generation.

Under his father’s tutelage, Mike began to develop his own personal style as a winemaker, bringing balance and texture to his Cabernet Sauvignon blends.  “My father’s wines are silk,” Mike says.  “Mine are velvet.”

In 1981, Mike traveled through France with legendary California winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff, studying artisan winemaking techniques in Burgundy and Bordeaux.  He continues to pursue classic lines in his Cabernet Sauvignon, making age worthy wines with structure, elegance and finesse that express the unique terroir of their vineyards.

Mike is past president of the Napa Valley Vintners’ Association, an organization his grandfather helped establish.  He is also past president of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and the Trellis Alliance at U.C. Davis.

When not making wine, Mike enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and playing guitar in a winemakers’ rock band named “Private Reserve.”

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Charles Thomas Curtis, Master of Wine

Charles Thomas Curtis trained originally as a chef and honed his talents for more than a decade in a variety of cities, including Minneapolis, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C. and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.  He received the Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and apprenticed in Paris at the Crillon Hotel and at the restaurant La Grande Cascade.

Mr. Curtis earned his Diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust of London, and in October 2004 became the 22nd Master of Wine in the United States.  Through the years, he has garnered a number of honors, including the prestigious “Bourse André Crispin” in 2002, presented by the Commanderie de Bordeaux aux Etats-Unis.  He continues his work with the Institute of Masters of Wine, speaking at their annual Education Seminar each year. He is also the organizer of the Institute’s Annual Champagne Tasting, held in 2006 in New York and in San Francisco.

Since entering the wine trade in 1994, Mr. Curtis worked in a variety of capacities prior to his current position as Director of Wine and Spirit Education for Moët Hennessy USA, including stints as a salesperson, sales manager, general sales manager, and supplier representative.  In addition to his wine educator duties, he works as a journalist, author, and consultant.  Mr. Curtis has also worked as a wine judge, and is presently the president of the technical committee for Starwine international wine competition in New York. 

Charles has also appeared as a featured speaker at such wine and food festivals as the Masters of Food and Wine, Taste of Vail, Savor Dallas, the Hamptons Food and Wine Festival, the Kohler Food and Wine Festival, the Pittsburg Wine Festival, the Santé Restaurant Symposium, the American Food and Wine Festival at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, the Foxwoods Food and Wine Festival, the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and others. 

Later this year, he is also scheduled to appear at the the Palm Springs Food and Wine Festival and the Kohler Food and Wine Festival.  He also appears as a guest lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America, Florida International University, and Stony Brook University, and as a speaker on several cruise lines.

In his free time, he and his family enjoy visiting New York’s many exciting restaurants, attending the Metropolitan Opera, cycling through Central Park and keeping up with the contemporary art scene.

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Randy Ullom, Winemaster

As a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Randy Ullom became interested in wine during a three-year stay in Chile.  He returned to Ohio State University to earn his degree crop in Viticulture and Enology in 1975. After many years in positions such as vineyard manager and winemaker in Ohio and upstate New York, Ullom moved to California’s De Loach Vineyards in Sonoma County. In 1993, Ullom was hired by Jess Jackson to be the winemaker at Camelot Vineyards. In March of 1997, Ullom was handed his most prestigious assignment - Winemaster for Kendall-Jackson Winery. "Sometimes," he says, " I look at all of the vineyards we own, and all of the individual lots of wines that we make, and the thousands of barrels we have sitting in our cellar and I think, You gotta be kidding me. After I've sufficiently recovered from my daily panic attack, I just take off my coat, dig in my heels and take it one barrel at a time."

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Bill Nesto, Master of Wine

In 1993, Bill attained certification as a Master of Wine from the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine.  The title “Master of Wine” is the most highly regarded credential representing a thorough understanding of the international wine business, sciences and arts.  There are some twenty or so Masters of Wine in the United States.  Bill is a founder of the Wine Studies Program at Boston University where he is a Senior Lecturer.  He has also lectured at the Boston Wine Festival, the Tanglewood Wine & Food Classic, the Boston Wine Expo, Johnson & Wales University, Cornell University, the Culinary Institute of America, and the Enoteca Italiana in Siena, Italy.  Bill is a professional wine journalist who specializes in the wines of Tuscany.  He is a contributing Editor to Sante Magazine and a regular contributor to Beverage.  Bill’s articles have also appeared in The Quarterly Review of Wines, Gastronomia, Wine and Spirits, Food Arts and Wine Country International magazines.  In 1999, Bill was made an honorary member of the League of Chianti.  In 1997, the wine producers of France’s Champagne district awarded him the “Confrerie de Saint-Vincent”.  Bill also conducts educational wine tours in Europe and other destinations.  Every September, he conducts a winemaking course in Tuscany.  He has also taught wine professionals in the Provinces of Arezzo and Grosseto in Italy.  He presented these classes in Italian.  He had judged wine competitions both in the United States and Italy, including The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, Vinitaly, Banco d’Assaggio, and La Selezione del Sindaco.  Formerly, Bill was Sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston.  Bill graduated from Harvard College in 1973 with a B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies.

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Manuel Louzada - Director of Enology - Terraza de los Andes and Cheval des Andes

Born into an illustrious Portuguese winemaking family, Manuel Louzada was introduced to the world of wine at a tender age. As a child, Manuel’s grandfather would take him to the family owned winery, Caves Messias, where he played in the cellars, watching the grapes as they were crushed and turned into wine. This childhood pastime later became a passion, and then a profession, when he decided to pursue Agronomic studies at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. It was here that Manuel received his Bachelor of Agronomy and Post-Graduate Degree in Enological Technology, completing his studies in 1994. For Manuel, the aroma of recently harvested grapes and of grape must in fermentation rekindles the excitement and enthusiasm that he experienced when he first encountered the process of winemaking. This passion can be seen in the work he produces today at Bodegas Chandon.

Upon completing his education, he remained at the University Politécnica de Madrid as a researcher. Soon thereafter, he was ready to put his knowledge to work and returned to his native Portugal where he became a Professor of Enology and Winemaking at the local University and, for two years, chief winemaker at Caves Messias. He then went on to become Production Director for Rozès Port.

In 1999 Manuel was offered a Winemaker position at Bodegas Chandon in Argentina. The opportunity to play an active role in the emergence of Argentina as one of the leading New World wine producing countries was, for Manuel, both challenging and exciting, and he did not hesitate to accept this role. In 2002, after only three years with the company, he was promoted to the position of Enology and Vineyards Director, responsible for Still and Sparkling Wine vineyards and production.

Manuel’s passion for wine, combined with his charisma and fluency in several languages (Spanish, English, French and Portuguese), have led to a worldwide travel schedule, during which he continues to educate wine enthusiasts and consult for other LVMH wineries. His vast experience working in the vineyards, blending, and managing winery operations, combined with his knowledge of both Old and New World winemaking techniques, has given Manuel a unique perspective of the wine industry – a perspective that has enabled him to hone his many talents and apply them to his work at Bodegas Chandon.

Manuel spends his free time with his wife Alicia and boys Manuel and Pedro. He enjoys horseback riding through the natural landscapes of the Andes Mountains, and is training to be a scuba diving instructor.

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Amanda Cramer - Winemaker - Niner Wine Estates

A native of New Hampshire, in 1997 Amanda Cramer left a teaching post in Washington DC to pursue her interests in wine. What some might consider an a-typical move for a high school math teacher was an important turning point for a budding enophile. Amanda’s background in mathematics and chemistry provided solid preparation for the westerly road ahead.

Enrolling at UC Davis, Amanda studied enology and viticulture. She gained hands-on experience as a harvest cellar intern at Far Niente Winery in Oakville while still a student.. After Davis, Amanda spent the next three years working at wineries, in three of the world’s most recognized growing regions. She worked harvests at Chimney Rock and Robert Mondavi Wineries in Napa Valley, California; D’Arenberg Wines in McLaren Vale, South Australia; and Casa Lapostolle in Santa Cruz, Chile.

In 2002, Amanda returned to California to a post as Assistant Winemaker at the esteemed Paradigm Winery in Oakville. Working under the direction of winemaker Heidi Barrett, her responsibilities included production, cellar and lab duties, as well as vineyard sampling for this 5,000 case, ultra-premium winery.

With Barrett’s guidance, Cramer polished her skills on Bordeaux varieties. Inspired by the quality of the region and an opportunity to work with Central Coast winemaking pioneer Chuck Ortman, in 2004 Amanda moved to Paso Robles to assume the role of Winemaker at Niner Wine Estates. As many in the Niner team had previously discovered, the pull of the Central Coast can be magnetic. “Given the opportunity to help build a winery from the ground up in this attractive region that is on the rise, I simply couldn’t pass it up.” Having soaked up the knowledge and expertise of numerous winemakers, today Amanda contributes her own unique style to the Niner wines. She oversees all winemaking operations, and together with Ortman, crafts wines that demonstrate the diversity and elegance of Paso Robles in the glass.

A marathon competitor in her free time, Amanda lives with her husband and son in Paso Robles.

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Bill Grant - Co-Owner - Four Vines Winery

Bill Grant joined Four Vines after reconnecting with his childhood friend Christian Tietje. As a successful entrepreneur and financier he appeared to be just what Four Vines needed to expand the growth of the winery. He joined the partnership in 2004 and the winery grew to 65,000 cases. With his big personality Bill travels across the country turning on new audiences to the Four Vines Incident and proving to be a great compliment to Christian Tietje and Susan Mahler’s already budding success.

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Ellen Flora - Senior Wine Embassador Domaine Chandon Winery

Moving to Sonoma in the early 70’s Ellen was struck by the beauty and abundance of Northern California.  Beginning a country life she immersed herself in gardening, learning about the local fish, game and herbs struggling to become an accomplished chef specializing in this California cuisine and it was in this pursuit that she discovered the fun and power of pairing wine with food.  “A very good friend explained that my dinner would be much more interesting and the food improved if I would also introduce interesting wines as a partner.  This opened up a whole new way of being for me.” 

Studying organic farming on her property in Sonoma led Ellen to pursue an early apprenticeship with the Rudolf Steiner movement which included the Bio Dynamic Farming techniques.  First with an Allan Chadwick team from Santa Cruz and Covelo  Gardens and then traveling to England to work with a study in soils and botanics, this was for her the beginning of understanding this phenomenon of terroir.  In 1976 she started a small Chardonnay wine program featuring select fruit from small, unique vineyards.  Taking classes at U.C. Davis and working hands on in the winery she developed a true love for this new and exciting California wine industry.

Working for the past 15 years in the Napa Valley Ellen has felt most passionate about bringing together this lifestyle of wine, food and the arts.  Teaching others about the essence of the wine, food and art at hand is bringing all her talents into one arena and Domaine Chandon has provided that golden opportunity.  At Chandon working with both Sparkling, still wine and the etoile restaurant has been a deep pleasure along with witnessing the true sense of collaboration of many talented people that seem drawn to such a winery.  With every project your life becomes more interesting and rich.  Here in California the wines also seem to be better and better – I am in the right place at a great time.

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Janell Dusi - Winemaker J.Dusi Wines

J Dusi Wines brings you “A Family Tradition with a New Perspective.” Janell Dusi is digging up her heritage and roots of her family’s 80 year old Zinfandel vineyard in Paso Robles, California. From this head pruned and dry farmed vineyard, she is creating one fabulous Zinfandel and Zinfandel Port that carries the essence of that distinct “Dusi Fruit.” Janell has been making wine for friends and family to enjoy for the last ten years, beginning with her grandfather, Dante Dusi, teaching her the basic Italian style in his basement. Now she is releasing her first vintage to the public,  J Dusi Wines. One unique character that comes through in Janell’s winemaking is that she personally hand picks during harvest, drives the tractors, crushes the fruit and covers every step of the process with a smile. Good work ethic was instilled in Janell at a young age on the ranch, and the 100 acre vineyard operation is still a family affair. Any given day you can drive onto the vineyard and see four generations working and playing throughout the vineyard.

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Michael Mondavi - Founder & "Coach" - Folio Fine Wine Partners

Michael Mondavi is the Founder & “Coach” of Folio Fine Wine Partners, a company he established in 2004 with his wife, Isabel, and their children, Rob and Dina.  Folio is an importer and producer of quality wines from the world's premiere and emerging wine regions, including Italy, Spain, Austria, New Zealand and California.  Additionally, Folio provides sales, marketing and public relations services to the wine brands it represents.

Michael’s career began in 1966 when he co-founded the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley with his father, Robert Mondavi.  Until 1974, he served as the Vice President of Production responsible for winemaking.  From 1969 to 1978, Michael also served as Vice President of Sales.  He was named Managing Director and CEO of Robert Mondavi in 1990.  Following the Company’s public offering in 1994, Michael was appointed President and CEO and later served as Chairman from 2001 to 2004.

Over the years, Michael has been actively involved in industry affairs and committed to numerous civic activities, he is a member of the California State Chamber of Commerce Board, past Chairman and CEO of the Wine Market Council, past President of the Napa Valley Vintners Association, past Chairman of Wine Institute and past Chairman of Winegrowers of California, and previous Board Member of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA.

In 1998, Michael was named “Industry Executive of the Year” by The Market Watch Leaders, a group of top industry executives.  In 1997, Michael received the “Who’s Who in Food and Wine” award by the James Beard Foundation and, in 1995, he was awarded the “World of Food and Wine” Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Philipo diBelardino - VP Banfi Vintners

Philip diBelardino is often described as a stand-up comedian passing himself off as a wine connoisseur. He’s both. The genial vice president of Banfi Vintners-Fine Wines, who hosts about 40 winemaker dinners every year to promote the offerings of Castello Banfi, claims that humor, usually self-effacing, captures an audience’s attention–and holds it. “While listening for the next quip, joke or bon mot, they absorb a lot of critical information.”

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René Schlatter - VP Merryvale Vineyards and Winery

René Schlatter proudly upholds his family’s integrity and commitment to excellence in his broad role as Executive Vice President of Merryvale Vineyards, a family-owned Napa Valley winery. A native of Switzerland, René has lived in the U.S. since 1987, completing his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and earning a Master’s Degree from Arizona’s Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management.

As a winery principal, René has held progressively more responsible positions at Merryvale since 1995.  With his father, Jack W. Schlatter, and winery President Peter K. Huwiler, he has made significant contributions in Merryvale’s sales management, marketing, finance and grape grower relations. In 2005, René and his family acquired a second estate vineyard with 50 acres planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah followed in 2006 by the construction of a second winery in the Napa Valley’s Carneros region. This state-of-the-art facility, called Starmont after the Merryvale wines of the same label, is extremely energy efficient using solar power almost exclusively and recycling 100% of winery process water.

René and his family are very committed to protecting and preserving the Napa Valley for future generations using sustainable practices that should see both estate vineyards Napa Green Farm Certified by the end of 2007. In addition, both René and his wife Laurence are actively involved in the community of St. Helena, where they live with their two young daughters, Jenna and Jade.

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Jean Trimbach - F.E. Trimbach Wine Estates

Born in 1960, Jean Trimbach twelth generation is the son of Bernard Trimbach brother of Hubert Trimbach, eleventh generation.

Bernard’s other son Pierre took over the vinemaking in 1985 following his father.

Educated in Colmar, Jean attended college in Strasbourg where he studied accounting and business for three years. Following university, Jean completed his year of military service with the Mountain Artellier based near Grenoble in the French Alps in 1983.

During 1984, Jean Trimbach spent nine months in the United States perfecting his English and studying all aspects of the U.S. wine business, first working for six months with his importer, Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company in New York, then a three month stint in California working the crush at Gundlach-Bundschu in Sonoma and at Sterling Vineyards in Napa. On his return to France, Jean also spent three months at Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux.

Jean Trimbach finally joined the Trimbach company in 1985 and since that date he has been involved in the export business travelling extensively throughout the world.

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Joel Peterson - Winemaker & President Ravenswood Winery

Joel Peterson grew up on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay during the Dark Ages when California wine was judged by the type of jug it was bottled in. However, Joel's farsighted father Walter bucked the status quo by starting the San Francisco Wine Sampling Club, which studied fine wines from all over the world. Walter allowed his son to join the group's twice-weekly tastings when Joel was nine years old, carefully measuring the wine in the boy's glass — then his spittoon — to make sure everything was expectorated.

By the time he was a teenager, Joel thus had a working knowledge of European vineyards and vintages, along with a collection of headstrong opinions about what made good wine. After graduating from Oregon State University, he followed in the professional footsteps of his parents (both of whom were chemists), going to work as a laboratory scientist. On the side, he made money through wine writing and consulting, gaining a local reputation as a gifted taster (and tasteless punster).

Eventually it dawned on Joel that he had the background (not to mention the prejudices) to be an actual winemaker. Hence, he apprenticed with Joseph Swan — one of California's outstanding craftsmen of fine Zinfandel — to learn the art of traditional winemaking as practiced in Bordeaux and Burgundy. In 1976 Joel founded Ravenswood in partnership with fellow wine lover Reed Foster (a Harvard MBA gone astray) and over the next half-dozen years, their fledgling operation moved from the rear corner of one willing winery to another. When Ravenswood finally turned a profit after a dozen years of operation, they settled on the northern edge of Sonoma, where the winery's tasting room is located.

Joel is now acknowledged as a leader in California wine — an articulate spokesman and stylistic trendsetter who helped make Zinfandel the runaway phenomenon that it is today. If there were a California Winemaking Hall of Fame, he'd be a shoo-in for early induction — not just as a home-run hitter but as one of the most popular players in the majors. (It's said that even as a Little Leaguer he could handle the spitter with aplomb.)

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Riccardo Legnaro - VP Italian Brands, Palm Bay Imports
Riccardo Legnaro was born in Padua, Italy. He attended the School of Technical Design in Padua.

From 1975-1982, he worked in the hotel industry in various capacities, including the Royal Bath Hotel in Bornemouth, England and the Park Hotel in Frankfurt, Germany.
 
Riccardo was wine steward on board the QE II for 3 years. He also worked at Windows on the World in New York City for 5 years. 
 
He was the NY and North Eastern manager of the Italian Portfolio for Diageo for 10 years.
 
He has been VP of Italian Brands Palm Bay Imports for the past 9 years.   

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