Viticulture briefs: Fort Bragg wine event raises $752,00

ZD Wines promotes winemakers

Napa-based ZD Wines promoted two of its winemakers to new positions on its team. Winemaker Chris Pisani has been named a senior winemaker, and associate winemaker Brandon deLeuze has been named a winemaker.

Pisani has been a winemaker at ZD since 1996. He has a degree in viticulture and enology from ?UC Davis and leads the production of ZD’s wines.

DeLeuze, a third-generation member of the family that owns ZD, was one of the first graduates from the wine and viticulture program at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He has worked at Pacific Vineyard Co. and at Eberle Winery in Paso Robles. He started working full-time for ZD in 2006.

“Producing world-class wines and farming organically are what we are all about,” Robert deLeuze, CEO and director of winemaking, said in a statement. “Chris and Brandon are exceptionally dedicated to producing the highest-caliber wines. We appreciate their effort in advancing our commitment to quality and are honored to have them on our team.”

Fort Bragg wine event raises $752,000

The 34th annual Winesong event in Fort Bragg raised $752,000 for the Mendocino Coast District Hospital.

The event was sponsored by the Mendocino Coast Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for the rural hospital.

The festival, held Sept. 7-8, featured a grand tasting at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and an auction with more than 100 lots that were offered for bidding.

One winning bid for a 2008 Chateau Palmer, a 6-liter of Grand Cru Margaux, went for $5,700. A 2006 Shafer Hillside Select cabernet sauvignon in a 6-liter format sold for $4,000.

Wine tourism conference, Oct. 23-25 in Santa Rosa

The Wine Marketing and Tourism Conference will be Oct. 23-25 at the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa. It is sponsored by Zephyr Conferences of Red Lodge, Montana.

Keynotes speeches will be given by Michael Thomas, the analytical lead at Google Travel, and Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of C. Mondavi & Family of Napa.

Registration is $475 a person for the conference, though group rates will apply for those with three or more people from the same company.

For more information, visit ?winetourismconference.org

Editor’s note: The story has been updated to reflect the correct amount raised at Winesong.

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