Viticulture briefs: Don Sebastiani & Sons bulks up spirits unit

Don Sebastiani & Sons bulks up spirits unit

Don Sebastiani & Sons, the ?Sonoma-based wine company, is bulking up its spirits brand by hiring Bonnie Wilson as its new division manager.

Wilson will focus on sales and strategy behind the spirits portfolio, especially its premium tequila selections.

“We see a huge opportunity with our spirits portfolio,” said Donny Sebastiani, company president, in a statement. “With her extensive history in the spirits industry along with her creativity and laser-focus on winning, there is no doubt we are going to achieve great things with our brands.”

She has previously worked for The Marketing Arm and FrontBurner Restaurants.

Louis M Martini to reopen tasting rooms next month

The Louis M. Martini Winery in St. Helena will unveil its winery renovation at a March 29 grand reopening.

E&J Gallo Winery, which bought Martini in 2002, has restored the 85-year-old building to make it closer to its original design as the winery came out of Prohibition.

Guests will have a range of choices for tastings, such as the Crown Bar as they enter the main tasting room. There also is the Founder’s Room for customized library tastings and its adjacent Heritage Lounge.

The winery also will offer an exclusive seating at its underground cellar, where wine and food pairings will be offered in the barrel cellar.

During construction, customers have used the winery’s Monte Rosso tasting room, located on the south side of the winery.

Visit louismartini.com for more information.

Wine.com donates $20K?to SSU’s wine program

Wine.com has donated $20,000 to the Wine Industry Scholars Program at Sonoma State University, which offsets tuition and other educational expenses for family members of vineyard and winery workers.

Thirty-eight students at the university are now benefiting from the program, 24 of which were first-time recipients. More than $2.7 million has been donated to the program.

“Business and education go hand in hand. The Wine Business Institute is delivering on a vision that is not only advancing the workforce and the wine industry, but is also moving our economy forward in a thoughtful, inclusive way,” said Michael Osborn, founder and executive vice president of Wine.com, in a statement.

Compiled by Bill Swindell. Submit items to bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com.