WINE PRINCIPALS
Vice President – French American Vintners
After an extensive career with the General Electric Company, Robert (Bob) Aldridge was recruited by the Kopf family to be the Chief Financial Officer for St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in Sonoma in 2002. After two years, Bob was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, in addition to Chief Financial Officer for both St. Francis Winery & Vineyards and Sequoia Grove Winery in Napa, also owned by the Kopf family.
With an interest in all aspects of the wine industry, Bob became a sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Bob also enrolled in UC Davis and graduated from their two-year viticulture and enology extension program.
Today Bob is the Vice President of French American Vintners West and oversees the financial management and operations of St. Francis Winery in Sonoma, Sequoia Grove Winery in Napa, and Résonance Winery in Oregon. He is also the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Domaine Carneros Winery in Napa.
Bob enjoys the many facets of the wine business, especially tasting wines and comparing blends with the winemakers who craft distinctive wines that are reflective of the beauty and diversity of the sites they are from. the winemakers to craft distinctive wines that are reflective of the beauty and diversity of the sites they are from.
Director of Education – Banfi
Dino Altomare is responsible for leading world-class education at Banfi, and bringing to life not only the beautiful portfolio of wines, but the people and cultures that inspire them. Banfi’s unique education aims to elevate its many tiers of business by providing resources and sales tools and through its commitment to education at all levels, from historic partnerships with hospitality institutions of higher education to its many philanthropic efforts.
Prior to rejoining Banfi in 2021, Dino served as the Export Manager for Nyetimber, England’s premier producer of estate-grown traditional-method sparkling wine, leading strategic sales, marketing, and public relations initiatives; driving commercial growth and managing a national importer and distribution network throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Prior to this, Dino led Moët Hennessy’s awarded wine portfolio as the National Brand Ambassador, responsible for driving distribution strategies while educating key stakeholders and aligning marketing initiatives.
Dino has called upon his Italian roots and early days around family making wine to bring this passion to enthusiasts around the world. He has spent his career and formative years delving into the cultures and many wine regions he’s had the great privilege to represent and explore.
Dino resides in New Jersey with his wife Deanna.
Proprietor/Chief Revenue Officer – Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars
For more than 30 years Tim Duncan’s humble nature and unrelenting focus on the customer experience have been driving forces behind the culture and success of Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars. Today, along with his brother and fellow owner David Duncan, Tim develops business strategy for both wineries and brings his personal passion for building relationships to his role overseeing domestic and international sales.
A son of Ray Duncan, co-founder of Silver Oak, Tim spent his teenage years in Silver Oak’s original dairy barn, dragging hoses and rinsing barrels. With summer jobs behind him, he officially joined Silver Oak in January of 1986 as California Sales Manager, cutting his teeth selling wine to restaurants and retail accounts. “I had a map and a car and just started calling on accounts,” says Tim. “Early on I learned that if you focus on selling wine and miss the needs of people, you’ve missed the point.”
Tim’s keen understanding of the customers and accounts that drive Silver Oak’s business thrust him into strategic roles. In 1999 he worked with his father and winemaker Daniel Baron to start Twomey Cellars, which originally produced merlot from vines at the family’s Soda Canyon Ranch. In 2002 he influenced its movement into Pinot Noir production. Tim has spearheaded the expansion of both wineries into international sales. Along with his brother David, Tim promotes continuous improvement throughout both wineries, a principle that defines the company’s culture.
Tim lives in Sonoma with his wife Roo. Together they have five children, two of whom – Matt and Haley – have joined the team at Silver Oak and Twomey.
Joe Henry Jr. is a second-generation whiskey maker for J. Henry Spirits and a third-generation farmer for Henry Farms. Having grown up working on the family seed farm from a young age, he developed a deep appreciation for high-quality grains, a passion that he carries into his whiskey-making endeavors. Today, Joe serves as the Master Blender at J. Henry, where he plays a pivotal role in ensuring the quality of spirits, managing rickhouses, and spearheading new product development.
Proprietor
Kashy Khaledi is a creative executive in multimedia and advertising, noted for his achievements bridging culture and branding in campaigns for clients such as Intel, Google, Microsoft, Virgin Mobile, Universal Music Group, Viacom, Live Nation, and Mazda, among others. The common thread of Khaledi’s work has been to bring together brilliant personalities from eclectic backgrounds to collaborate on new and exciting cultural experiences, be it in advertising, editorial or now, wines.
Observing a new wave of California winemakers with purist practices in organic and biodynamic farming, contemporaneously with discovering classic, elegant, midcentury wines from the ‘60s and ‘70s for his own cellar, Khaledi began Ashes & Diamonds as a quest to create the modern-day version of those wines.
A native of California, Kashy Khaledi grew up in the South Bay region of Los Angeles, where he met his wife, Laura. The Khaledis enjoy seeing revival movies at the New Beverly Cinema with their daughter, Vivienne—and then fiercely debating them over pizza, juice boxes, and Trousseau.
A great wine begins in your head.” So goes the philosophy of Ernst “Erni” Loosen, owner of the 220-year-old Dr. Loosen wine estate in Germany’s Mosel River valley. To Erni’s mind, a great wine should be true to its roots, vividly expressing its grape variety, geography, soil, and climate. In his 35 years as the estate’s owner, Erni has propelled Dr. Loosen into the upper echelon of world-class producers by adhering to this clear vision—the same vision that guides his diverse winemaking ventures around the globe.
Erni was born into a great tradition of German winemaking. But as a young man, he found the area’s Roman ruins more fascinating than its vineyards and left home to study archaeology. In the midst of his studies, however, his father fell seriously ill and Erni finally agreed to take on the estate. But he insisted that he be allowed to do things on his own terms.
Once committed, Ernst dove into a self-directed exploration of the great wine regions of the world. He discovered that the greatest winemakers all shared a dedication to producing expressive, concentrated wines that boldly proclaim their heritage. Returning home, he immediately set about overhauling the winery’s viticultural and winemaking practices to drastically raise the estate’s overall wine quality.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Erni continues to embark on new projects at home and around the world. These include his Appassionata Estate vineyard and winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the Eroica Riesling collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State, as well as winemaking collaborations with Jim Barry Wines in Australia and Telmo Rodriguez in Spain.
Because of his energy, enthusiasm, deep wine knowledge, and unabashed opinions, Erni is a highly sought-after speaker and panelist for professional wine events all over the world.
Scribe Winery in Sonoma, California, produces vibrant, terroir-driven wines.
The winery–founded in 2007 on a property that pioneered pre-Prohibition Sonoma Valley winemaking–is managed by fourth-generation California farmers and brothers Andrew and Adam Mariani.
Andrew and Adam believe that the best wines are a result of a healthy relationship between man and nature, and that a vineyard managed in harmony with the greater ecosystem results in more site-specific wines that represent a sense of time and place. When vinified with noninterventionist methods, the result is a distinct wine that faithfully reflects what the vineyard naturally expresses.
Proprietor & Winemaker – Ken Wright Cellars
In 1986 Ken Wright moved to McMinnville, Oregon, and started Panther Creek Cellars. His concept of focusing on vineyard-designate bottling began during those years and was cemented as a core philosophy in 1994 when Ken Wright Cellars was founded in historic downtown Carlton. Ken now makes a single vineyard bottling from 13 vineyard sites and is known as a pioneer of Oregon pinot noir.
Ken and his wife Karen continue to invest in their communities of Carlton and Yamhill through countless hours of nonprofit volunteerism. The dynamic duo are also founding members of ¡Salud! Services, a program that provides healthcare for the seasonal vineyard and winery workers. Their philanthropy and commitment to Oregon wine was recognized when they were announced as 2012’s Oregon Wine People of the Year.
Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer – Schramsberg Vineyards
Fred Zammataro joined the Schramsberg Vineyards team as Director of Finance & Administration in 1996, and in 1997 was promoted to Chief Financial Officer. In 2001 Fred became a part owner of Schramsberg Vineyards. Recognized for his leadership skills and dedication to the company, Fred was promoted to Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer in 2008. Fred oversees all finance, administration, and maintenance activities for Schramsberg. Fred frequently travels across the country conducting winemaker dinners and performing marketing and sales visits with key accounts.
In addition to his daily duties at Schramsberg, Fred is an active board member and is serving his third rotation as the President for the Napa based Wine Service Coop. Fred also serves as the Treasurer while sitting on the Board of Trustees for the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville.
Fred earned his accounting degree at California State University, Northridge. While in school he worked for a local CPA firm, and upon graduation took a position at Deloitte & Touche, where he earned his CPA license. After several years in public accounting, Fred transitioned to the finance department at Health Net, and subsequently joined a team which developed a new workers’ compensation division.
Fred’s passion for wine led to a serendipitous meeting with Jack Davies at a wine event, which resulted in obtaining the position that Fred currently holds.
Fred is an avid wine collector and sports enthusiast. Along with his wife Cheryl, he lives within the Napa Valley.
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development – DAOU
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development Maeve Pesquera is passionate about steering initiatives that place people–consumers, associates, and partners–at the center of everything she does.
While Maeve had long been involved in the wine industry, she never considered joining a winery. That all changed with a visit to DAOU Family Estates and a chance encounter with Georges Daou. “There was such a soul and a feeling there,” she said. “It kept pulling and tugging at me long after I left that day.”
Maeve stayed in touch with Georges and Daniel Daou. In time the relationship deepened, ultimately resulting in an opportunity she could not resist—first as DAOU Senior Vice President starting in 2016, and today as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development.
She has pioneered DAOU’s hospitality-first mentality, developed our best-in-class trade experience program, and collaborated on defining DAOU’s guiding principles. Maeve is also on the board of directors of the Paso Robles CAB Collective and the California Wine Institute. She is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and Society of Wine Educators, and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on industry panels.
Prior to joining DAOU, Maeve was the National Director of Wine, Beverage, and Culinary Innovation at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Bar. In 2013 she earned the Breakthrough Innovator Award from Hospitality Technology Magazine for her role in developing Fleming’s WiNEPAD, a groundbreaking digital wine experience for restaurant patrons. A Texas native, Maeve began her love affair with wine and hospitality under the director mentorship of world-renowned restaurateur, Tony Vallone.
Maeve lives in Paso Robles with her husband, Luis, a veteran chef. They reside in their family homestead, Milagro Ranch, where they grow wine grapes and vegetables while raising chickens, sheep, and five strong young men whom they hope will have the “soul of a lion.”
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development – DAOU
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development Maeve Pesquera is passionate about steering initiatives that place people–consumers, associates, and partners–at the center of everything she does.
While Maeve had long been involved in the wine industry, she never considered joining a winery. That all changed with a visit to DAOU Family Estates and a chance encounter with Georges Daou. “There was such a soul and a feeling there,” she said. “It kept pulling and tugging at me long after I left that day.”
Maeve stayed in touch with Georges and Daniel Daou. In time the relationship deepened, ultimately resulting in an opportunity she could not resist—first as DAOU Senior Vice President starting in 2016, and today as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development.
She has pioneered DAOU’s hospitality-first mentality, developed our best-in-class trade experience program, and collaborated on defining DAOU’s guiding principles. Maeve is also on the board of directors of the Paso Robles CAB Collective and the California Wine Institute. She is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and Society of Wine Educators, and is a frequent speaker and lecturer on industry panels.
Prior to joining DAOU, Maeve was the National Director of Wine, Beverage, and Culinary Innovation at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Bar. In 2013 she earned the Breakthrough Innovator Award from Hospitality Technology Magazine for her role in developing Fleming’s WiNEPAD, a groundbreaking digital wine experience for restaurant patrons. A Texas native, Maeve began her love affair with wine and hospitality under the director mentorship of world-renowned restaurateur, Tony Vallone.
Maeve lives in Paso Robles with her husband, Luis, a veteran chef. They reside in their family homestead, Milagro Ranch, where they grow wine grapes and vegetables while raising chickens, sheep, and five strong young men whom they hope will have the “soul of a lion.”
Director of Distributor Relations and Education – Rombauer Vineyards
With over thirty years of experience in the wine industry, Alan Cannon has a deep background in sales and marketing that includes positions in wineries, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants.
Alan joined Rombauer Vineyards in 1999, working in retail sales before moving to outside sales and eventually to the position of National Sales Manager, a role he held for 15 years. In his current position, Alan travels the United States to educate Rombauer’s distributors about the family-owned winery and impart general wine education. He attends consumer events, such as wine dinners and seminars, as well as distributor trade shows on behalf of the winery.
Prior to joining Rombauer, Alan worked with wineries in sales and marketing, wine wholesalers as a sales representative and sales manager, wine retailers as a store manager and owner, and at a restaurant as a wine steward. He owned two businesses, including a wine brokerage/wholesale operation and a wine retail store, both located in Fresno, California.
Alan has taught wine classes to restaurant and retail store employees as well as distributor personnel for over 30 years, including both basic wine knowledge and sales techniques.
After studying enology at California State University at Fresno, Alan was a lecturer in the enology program there for 15 years. He taught over 1200 students in subjects such as wine evaluation, wine marketing, and winery management. A former member of the Society of Wine Educators, Alan became a Certified Wine Educator in 2000.
Estate Winemaker – Vine Cliff Winery
John Wilson brings a wealth of experience through various winemaking positions in Napa and Sonoma counties. A graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, he has most recently been the Winemaker at Vine Cliff Winery. He has worked with Thomas Rivers Brown and served in winemaking roles at notable wineries including Thomas George Estates, Littorai Wines in Sonoma and, Rivers-Marie Winery and Outpost Wines in Napa.
George Sandeman is a Board Member of Sogrape, a Portuguese family family-owned wine company. George Thomas David Sandeman, born in London in September 1953, grew up in England and Spain. The eldest son of the seventh generation of the Sandeman family, who began making and trading in Porto and Sherry in 1790, George has the traditions and heritage of Porto and Sherry on both sides of his family for generations—his mother was a Valdespino, one of the foremost families in Sherry.
With this upbringing, George became familiar with Portuguese and Spanish wines, and in 1971 began his apprenticeship in the Douro. He worked in Oporto, Portugal, and Jerez, Spain, as well as several different wine companies in England and the United States before joining The House of Sandeman in London in 1977. When Sandeman became part of the Seagram Company in 1980, George joined Seagram Wine Company’s marketing team in New York, working on imported wine brands such as Black Tower and Partager, and Californian wines Sterling Vineyards and The Monterey Vineyard California.
In 1987 George was nominated Vice-President Marketing of Seagram Chateau and Estate Wine Company, with their prestigious portfolio of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne Perrier Jouët. Appointed General Manager for The House of Sandeman in 1990 and Chairman in 1991 following the retirement of his father, George then assumed responsibility for the global strategy of the brand Sandeman.
In 2002, following the acquisition of The House of Sandeman by Sogrape, George joined the company’s Board with responsibility for international sales, as well as for the creation of a new area of institutional representation for Sogrape in the wine forum. In February 2006, George expanded this to a full-time role. George is Chancellor of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto (Port Wine Brotherhood).
