Winemaker Jean Claude Berrouet retired from Château Petrus nearly 10 years ago after 44 vintages for the famed unclassified Bordeaux that commands thousands of dollars per bottle. Perhaps Berrouet retired too young, as he has since become a consultant. Among his latest clients is Patricia Ortiz, who has properties in Argentina.
When Ortiz sought to produce wines that were, according to the press release, “more elegant than many of her regional neighbors,” she contracted with Berrouet to create wines for her estates Tapiz and Zolo in 2012. Tapiz released Las Notas de Jean Claude 2012, a mainly Merlot Bordeaux blend of Argentinian-farmed grapes in the hopes that the cognoscenti will recognize the reference and plunk down the SRP $99 for a bottle.
The U.S. importer Vino Del Sol says the wine is available is select markets. The only select market we could find was California. But if you or your clients are name droppers—$99 is a fraction of the $2,185 the 2007 Petrus is selling for in California.
Eastside Distilling Hires Shelly A. Saunders as a Board of Directors Member
Eastside Distilling Inc., a Portland, Oregon, producer of craft spirits, announced the appointment of Shelly A. Saunders to its board of directors. Saunders brings more than 25 years of finance experience to the board, having served as vice president finance/CFO of Campari Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano, and as vice president finance for Campari America/SKYY Spirits. With experience in SEC reporting, Saunders will become an independent member of the board and serve on the audit committee. Eastside is listed on the Pink Sheets and trades under the symbol ESDI.
Shelly Saunders / Photo Courtesy of Eastside Distilling.Saunders has been a consultant for Resources Global Professionals since March 2015.
Saunders received a B.A. in economics from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Tolosa Winery Announces New Winemaker
Tolosa, a privately owned winery in San Luis Obispo, California, named Frederic Delivert as its new winemaker last week. Born and educated in France, Delivert brings extensive experience in Napa Valley to Edna Valley, where Tolosa recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation to elevate its wine, vineyards, production facilities and guest experiences under vintner Robin Baggett.
Delivert arrives just as Tolosa, which specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, releases the 2015 vintage of its reserve 1772 wines, the first vintage since Baggett, who co-founded the winery in 1998, took the reins in 2015. The 1772 Pinot Noir 2015, which has an SRP of $65 a bottle, is a blend of five different clones of Pinot Noir from five separate blocks of Tolosa’s Edna Ranch estate vineyard. The 1772 Chardonnay 2015, with an SRP of $50 a bottle, was fermented and aged in small French oak barrels and underwent partial malolactic conversion.
Delivert will work with Tolosa consulting winemaker Jean Hoefliger, who is also the head winemaker at sister winery Alpha Omega in Napa Valley. The winemakers’ relationship began in 2010 when Clark-Claudon Vineyards became a custom crush client of Alpha Omega. Delivert, who also assisted with Alpha Omega’s production in 2011 and 2012, further cements Tolosa’s commitment to excellence.
Last Updated: May 4, 2023
