Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/1031957
22 WINES&VINES October 2018 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS CALIFORNIA Nickel & Nickel hires new winemaker Nickel & Nickel winery of Oakville hired Joe Harden as its new wine- maker. Harden came to Nickel & Nickel from Robert Mondavi Win- ery where he was the winemaker for Bordeaux varietals and over- saw production for the To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon wines. In his new position, Harden will pro- duce Nickel & Nickel's portfolio of single-vineyard Cabernets. Alma Rosa Winery hires new GM Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards of Lompoc hired Debra Eagle as the company's new general man- ager. Eagle has 24 years of wine industry experience, most recently as senior director of business development at Vintage Wine Es- tates, where she was the general manager of B. R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma Valley and represented the parent company's extensive portfolio in Asia and Europe. Napa Farm Bureau promotes Klobas to CEO The Napa County Farm Bureau promoted Ryan Klobas from pol- icy director to CEO. The group's board of directors voted to ap- prove the promotion Aug. 15. "It is an honor to have the trust and support from our board of direc- tors to further the Farm Bureau's policy goals and community outreach efforts," Klobas said in a statement. Vineyard manager Ulises Valdez dies Ulises Valdez, who came to the United States from Mexico as a teenager to pick grapes and would go on to build a successful vine- yard management company and winery, died Sept. 12 at the age of 49. After working in vineyards for several years, the federal Immigra- tion and Reform and Control Act of 1986 enabled Valdez to obtain legal residency and he used the opportunity to form a vineyard management company. Valdez was able to buy out his partner as his meticulous work earned him clients such as Mark Aubert, Jeff Cohn, Paul Hobbs and Jayson Pahlmeyer. Valdez and Sons Vine- yard Management now oversees more than 1,000 acres of vines. In 2004, Valdez released the first vintage of his eponymous wine and opened a winery in 2010 and a tasting room in Healdsburg in 2013. In May, 2010, Valdez' Rus- sian River "Silver Eagle" Chardon- nay was served to President Felipe Calderon of Mexico at a state din- ner at the White House. Valdez is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. Terravant promotes Padilla Terravant Wine Co. in Buellton promoted Joe Padilla to the newly created role of senior vice president of sales and operations planning. Padilla has more than 25 years of management experience, including seven years at Terravant where he performed various sales and operations functions, most recently as vice president of winery sales and business development. U.S.-based winemakers earn MWs Napa-based Crimson Wine Group's chief winemaking and Regional News Debra Eagle