Vintage
Point Launches National Sales, Marketing Teams
September 5, 2006, Sonoma, Calif.
– Sonoma-based Vintage Point – “Partners
in Wine,” the company which offers sales,
marketing and general management services to small,
luxury wineries, today announced that it has completed
hiring a number of veteran sales and marketing managers
and held its first national sales and marketing
meeting. Formed in March 2006 by three experienced
wine industry professionals, David Biggar, Tom Peterson
and Teresa Sullivan, Vintage Point has closed its
initial financing and is entering an exciting new
period of growth and development.
“Vintage Point is up and running with sales
coverage in all regions of the U.S. and a dynamic
new marketing team,” commented Managing Director
David Biggar. “Our focus on the luxury side
of the wine business, be it domestic or international,
is proving very attractive to wineries looking for
assistance with distribution and greater sales presence
throughout the country.”
Vintage Point has added four vice president/zone
managers, including:
Ray Gentilella, VP, Southeast
Zone Manager. Gentilella has been in the wine
industry for 15 years and most recently was general
manager of Opici Wines in Florida. Having worked
in California, the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic and
in Florida, Gentilella began his career at Gallo,
and also served as a Zone VP for Beringer Blass
Wine Estates.
Bob Janis, VP, West Zone Manager.
With 25 years in the wine industry, Janis has held
a number of sales and marketing positions at such
well-known wineries as Beringer Vineyards, Clos
du Val, Hess Collection, Chateau Souverain, St.
Clement and Stags’ Leap Winery. Most recently
Janis was in the Luxury Sales division of Foster’s
Wine Estates.
Gary Jones, VP, Southwest Zone
Manager. Jones has spent 35 years in the wine
industry, primarily with Beringer Vineyards and
its related wineries. Jones was a key player in
the management team that built the Beringer brand
in the 1980’s and 90’s.
John Matthews, VP, Central
Zone Manager. With over 20 years in the wine
industry, Matthews held several sales positions
at Beringer Blass Wine Estates, including Zone VP,
and most recently was with Luna Vineyards as Central
Division Manager.
Vintage Point also announces it has hired the following
region and district sales managers:
Joe Aiello, Mid-South Region
Manager. Most recently with Luna Vineyards,
Aiello has over 20 years experience in luxury wine
sales. Joe has multi-state experience throughout
the southeast, northeast, Ohio and California markets,
holding several positions with Beringer Vineyards.
Laura Belocas, NY/NJ District
Manager. With over 12 years experience in the
wine & spirits industry, Belocas has held positions
in Boston and Manhattan, working for both distributors
and major spirit producers, including Bacardi &
Skyy Vodka. Most recently, she was a region manager
for Strong Brands, a start up in Brooklyn, NY.
Steve Gautier, Southwest Region
Manager. With over 15 years in fine wine sales,
Gautier has national account sales experience and
was most recently with Icon Estates.
Clay Kriss, Pacific Northwest
Region Manager. Kriss was most recently Region
Manager for Foster’s Wine Estates, where he
worked for 18 years. Kriss launched his wine career
at a small distributor in Southern California and
worked with Southern Wine & Spirits in Orange
County.
On the marketing side, Vintage Point has announced
the following appointments:
John Hardesty, Director of
Wines. A trained chef, Hardesty’s 15
years in the industry includes overseeing the opening
of both the CIA at Greystone and Napa’s Dean
& DeLuca. Hardesty also served as director of
sales and marketing for Quintessa and recently as
director of wine for Icon Estates.
Steven Smith, Manager, Direct
Marketing. Also a trained chef, Smith has worked
at Tra Vigne restaurant and Napa’s Bounty
Hunter, and spent four years selling French wine
at retail in Florida.
Cristina White, Associate Brand
Manager. Most recently with Foster’s
Wine Estates, White has 20 years experience working
on luxury brands including Stags’ Leap Winery,
St. Clement and Taz Vineyards.
Patty Moynihan, Operations
Manager. Moynihan has over 20 years of restaurant/
hospitality operations experience including several
years of winery supply chain planning. She will
oversee customer service and operations planning.
“Because luxury wine distribution is best
accomplished by establishing personal and professional
relationships throughout the industry, it was very
important for us to find individuals who had long-term
experience in fine wine and who came to Vintage
Point with relationships already in place,”
commented Tom Peterson, Vintage Point’s Director
of Operations. “We couldn’t be more
pleased with the team we have assembled. The depth
and breadth of experience, the diversity of channel
experience, and each individual’s passion
for wine will be a tremendous asset as we work with
our clients to sustain and grow their businesses.”
Vintage Point serves the business needs of its small
winery customers through a national sales network
designed to help them navigate through the complex
and consolidating U.S. distribution system, increase
or improve sales, and stand out from competitors.
Vintage Point specializes in channel management,
employing luxury wine industry veterans that have
strong, personal relationships with distributors,
master sommeliers, restaurateurs and key retail
accounts. The company also offers marketing and
general management services to its domestic and
import wine clients. The three partners, David Biggar,
Managing Director, Tom Peterson, Director of Operations,
and Teresa Sullivan, Director of Finance emphasize
that “Partners in Wine” signifies not
only their own partnership, but the many partnerships
they have formed with the luxury wine trade.
VINTAGE POINT
564 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 94576.
phone (707) 939-6766,
fax (707) 939-6765 or
email: david.biggar@vintagepoint.com
The company’s website is www.vintagepoint.com
Vintage Point
David Biggar
Managing Director
Phone: 707.939.6766
david.biggar@vintagepoint.com
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