LuxeSF, formerly the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco, has announced its Rising Wine Stars Award recipients for 2019. The ceremony was held during their Seventh Annual Wineries Boot Camp, at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville. This was in the presence of over 300 wine industry marketing, sales and hospitality influentials, representing more than 100 Napa and Sonoma wineries and wine-related organizations.
LuxeSF believes that performance and success-in-the-making should be recognized. That’s why the Rising Wine Stars awards now in their third year, have been established—to identify and acknowledge the up-and-coming industry performers who epitomize the new generation changing the face of the wine industry in California, specifically Napa and Sonoma.
[Images of event from LuxeSF]
There was no fee or other monetary consideration required for nomination, and the selection process was agnostic with respect to age, length of service, size of winery or organization represented. The selection criteria remained flexible to the extent that the awardees were chosen based on their current reputation and level of success, but equally so for the potential that they exhibit as future industry leaders and innovators.
A 13-person panel of impartial experts knowledgeable about the various sectors of the wine industry was assembled. These experts knew the inner workings of the business and were not the types to be easily swayed by gossip or headline. They made their selections from 97 candidates across six categories, and hours were spent in vigorous discussion, rigorous dissection and unvarnished assessment. In every selection, the majority vote prevailed.
[PHOTO, property of LuxeSF: Ron Rubin receiving his award from last year’s honoree Monica Stevens, of Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, who also has received the Service to the Community award.]
The six awards that were bestowed were:
1. Winery of the Year
2. Winemaker of the Year
3. Wine Marketer of the Year
4. Hospitality & Guest Relations
5. Service to the Community
6. Industry Innovation
“Winery of the Year”
Mike Davis, Davis Estates
Accepting the award: Mike Davis, Co-proprietor Presenting the award: Last year’s honoree of this award, Ed Feuchuk, President, Tank Garage Winery
“Winemaker of the Year”
Julien Fayard
Presenting the Award…2018 Rising Star Winery of the Year honoree, Jason Chang, Proprietor, NINE SUNS
“Marketer of the Year”
John Truchard, JaM Cellars
Presenting the award: Paul Reulbach, Group Publisher, Modern Luxury
“Hospitality and Guest Relations”
Tanner Sneed, David Arthur Vineyards
Presenting the award: Heidi Rickerd-Rizzo, Vice President/Principal, Terra Firma Global Partners
“Community Service Award”
Ron Rubin, Ron Rubin Winery
Presenting the Award: Last year’s honoree, Monica Stevens, Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch
“Industry Innovation Award”
Joe Cirone, LibDib
Presenting the Award: the 2017 Rising Star Marketer of the Year, Adam Ivor, Co-Founder Gliding Eagle
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