South African winemaker returns to winemaking role at Stonestreet Estate in Alexander Valley

Graham Weerts is returning to the position of winemaker at Stonestreet Estate Vineyards in the Alexander Valley where he did the job from 2004 through 2014.

Proprietor Christopher Jackson noted that Weerts continued to oversee vineyard and winemaking operations for Jackson Family Wines’ Sonoma County wineries from 2015 to 2019 and also helped launch a new project with the family in his native South Africa.

That new winery, Capensis, focuses on high-elevation chardonnay in South Africa’s Western Cape.

“It feels full-circle to welcome Graham back to Stonestreet and to share the same confidence and trust in Graham that my father first placed in him in 2004,” Jackson wrote announcing the appointment.

Sarah Quider promoted at Foley Family Wines

Sarah Quider was promoted to vice president of winemaking at Foley Family Wines, boosting her profile after the company acquired Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery last year and where she had garnered acclaim as executive winemaker.

In her new role, Quider oversees winemaking for the company’s entire Sonoma County portfolio that includes Chalk Hill, Lancaster and Sebastiani labels.

Quider began her winemaking career at Ferrari-Carano in 1995 as a harvest intern. She worked four years as enologist at Jordan Vineyard and Winery while also completing a degree in viticulture and enology at UC Davis. She returned to Ferrari-Carano in 2003 as assistant winemaker and quickly progressed through the ranks before being appointed executive winemaker in 2014.

Sonoma-Cutrer celebrates 40th anniversary with special bottling

Sonoma-Cutrer is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a special chardonnay made by all of its winemakers who have worked at the Windsor winery since it opened.

The winery has had only three directors of winemaking in its history: Bill Bonetti (1981-1990), Terry Adams (1991-2010) and Mick Schroeter (2010-present). They teamed with chardonnay winemaker Cara Morrison to produce the wine that will be available in May.

The winery has been owned for more than 20 years by Brown-Forman Corp., the Kentucky-based producer of Jack Daniel’s whiskey.

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