Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/918844
30 WINES&VINES January 2018 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS American Vintners in addition to his current roles as COO and chief financial officer of St. Francis Winery. The moves also reflect French American Vintners' strategy to regroup manage- ment of its western operations. The company is owned by the Kopf family that owns several French wineries as well as Sequoia Grove Win- ery in Napa Valley, Résonance Vineyards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and, through a joint partnership with the Taittinger family, Domaine Carneros in Napa County. The Kopfs also own the importing, sales and marketing company Kobrand Corp. Winery releases THC-infused wine Rebel Coast Winery in Sonoma unveiled a dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc wine that has been infused with psychoactive THC com- pounds derived from cannabis. The winery launched the new product in conjunction with the legalization of recreational cannabis in California. The wine delivers 4 milligrams of THC per glass, providing effects in less than 15 minutes, according to the winery. Grapes for the wine are sourced from Sonoma County and undergo traditional winemaking before the wine is dealcoholized and then infused at a rate that delivers 16 milligrams of THC per bottle. The wine will retail for $59.99 and be distributed to 500 dispensaries through Green Reef Distribut- ing. The company has plans to release a rosé and sparkling wine as well as a line of canna- bidiol-infused products that have medicinal benefits but no intoxicating effects. Rhonda Carano now senior executive of Ferrari-Carano Rhonda Carano, who co-founded Ferrari- Carano Vineyards and Winery with her hus- band, Don Carano, has taken the position of senior executive officer and manager of the wine company. Don Carano died Oct. 3. Rhonda Carano has more than 40 years of ex- perience in business management, marketing, advertising and creative design at Eldorado Resorts Inc., Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, Lazy Creek Vineyards, Seasons of the Vineyard Tasting Bar and Boutique, Vintners Inn and John Ash & Co. restaurant. The wine company also announced it is hiring consulting winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. Pinot pioneer Bynum dies Davis Bynum, who started producing Pinot Noir wine in 1965, died Dec. 3 at the age of 92. Bynum moved production of his wine to property on Westside Road near Healdsburg, Calif., in 1973 and is credited with helping to build the Russian River Valley into a premier source of Pinot Noir grapes. Bynum's Rochioli Vineyards Pinot was one of the valley's first vineyard-designate wines. Bynum retired in 2007 and sold his brand to the Klein family, who also own Rodney Strong Vineyards. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Bynum, a son, daughter and four grandchildren. Laslett to head Santa Barbara Vintners The Santa Barbara Vintners (SBV) hired Alison Laslett as its new CEO. Laslett has 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and will lead the SBV in strategic planning, events promotion and community outreach, as directed by the group's nine-person board of directors. Prior to joining SBV, Laslett ran Represent Consulting, which offered leadership-coaching services to companies, nonprofits, boards, high-potential employees and executives. Laslett replaces Morgen McLaughlin, who left Santa Barbara to 707.942.5467 | 855.707.5467 | JimsSupply.com • Grape Stakes • Wire • Grow Tubes • Fencing • T-Posts • Anchors Your Premier Manufacturer of Trellising Materials We Deliver! Visit our online store and see our complete vineyard supply line. Our stakes can be manufactured to your exact specifications! • End Posts • Bird Netting • Wood Stakes • Vine Protection • Cross Arms • Tying Materials Visit us at Visit us at Alison Laslett