Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/62409
J ANU AR Y NEWS CALIFORNIA Purple Wine Co. appoints sales manager Michael Mestas has been promoted to the role of national sales manager for Purple Wine Co. Mestas will manage all day-to-day sales and distribution for the Graton-based company that produces Mark West Pinot Noir, Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon, Bex Riesling, Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc and Four Vines. Details: purplewine.com. Grgich Hills hires new GM John Corcoran has joined Grgich Hills Estate as general manager. Corcoran will supervise all winery employees while developing and focusing sales and marketing ef- forts. Prior to join- ing Grgich, Corcoran ran his own wine marketing firm based in Sonoma. John Corcoran Signorello names marketing director David Zurowski joined Napa-based Signo- rello Estate as the winery's director of mar- keting and consumer experiences. Zurowski will be leading the marketing, communica- tions and sales support for Signorello Estate as well as the other wines by Ray Signo- rello: Edge, Fuse and Trim. Zurowski also will oversee the entire hospitality team and manage direct-to-consumer activities. De- tails: signorelloestate.com. Wineries bring in estate director Matt Wood has been named the estate di- rector for Domaine Chandon and Newton Vineyard. Based in Napa, Wood will sup- port the direction of the two wineries and oversee all business channels and opera- tions. Most recently, Wood worked as the executive vice president of direct-to-con- sumer marketing at Foley Family Wines. AlainFouquet_Jul06 5/17/06 11:01 AM Page 1 CAWG elects new president Mendocino County winegrape grower Bill Pauli was elected chair of the California Association of Winegrape Growers at the group's November board meeting. Pauli farms approximately 1,100 acres of vines in the Ukiah, Potter and Redwood valleys. Details: dnn.cawg.org/default.aspx. Wine lab closes Think Tank, a wine lab and retail store based in St. Helena, Calif., closed Nov. 11. Originally the business was the idea of Andy Erickson, a consulting winemaker to several Napa wineries, who opened the company in August 2010 and later secured an investment from a French lab firm. Davis legend dies Ralph Kunkee, pro- fessor emeritus of enology at the Uni- versity of Califor- nia, Davis, passed away in November from complications due to cancer. Kun- kee taught at Davis for more than 30 years and was a leader in research on yeast and bacterial activity. He also authored two enology textbooks and published nearly 150 articles. A memorial service is planned for Jan. 7 at UC Davis. Ralph Kunkee Huneeus names sales VP Huneeus Vintners, a family-owned fine wine firm based in Napa Valley, appointed Meghan Watkins as its California division vice president of sales. Watkins moved to www.alainfouquet.com alainfouquet@aol.com Wines & Vines JAnUARY 2012 25