Two Long-Term Team Members Enjoy New Positions
NAPA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- ZD Wines and the deLeuze family are proud to announce the promotions of Chris Musante as their Tasting Room & Hospitality Director and Kenji Yoshida to Tasting Room Manager. These are critical roles in the guest experiences at the winery, and both have earned their new positions after their exemplar work at ZD Wines.
Chris Musante has been an integral part of our team for the past 10 years and has excelled on many levels in his previous role as Tasting Room Manager. The expansion of these new responsibilities will include, but not limited to, his continuing leadership of the tasting room management and staff, as well as broader efforts in developing and participating in various aspects of our hospitality needs with direct-to-consumer sales programs, staff education, consumer events, hospitality experiences, and more.
Chris became interested in the wine and hospitality after he received his bachelor's degree from Ohio State in Business Administration and moved to Napa. He began working in downtown Napa tasting rooms, and had decided to apply for the Assistant Tasting Room Manager job at ZD Wines in 2013 after having met some of their team members who had great things to say about the wines, culture, and deLeuze family. He worked closely with the deLeuze family to up-level ZD's hospitality experiences. Musante was promoted to Tasting Room Manager in mid-2015 and held that role until his new promotion to Tasting Room & Hospitality Director.
Kenji Yoshida joined the ZD Wines team in 2021 as their Assistant Tasting Room Manager. His recent promotion follows two years of offering premium guest experiences and putting a meaningful touch on the culinary program. Kenji sources local creameries and designs cheese plates, helped create and manage the Rutherford garden, and assists Winery Chef Jill deLeuze Billeci during events.
Kenji's roots go deep in the Napa Valley. Hailing from three generations of grape growers in Rutherford, it wasn't until he had a life-changing taste of Viognier that gave him a longing for a career in the wine business. He began in Napa Valley restaurants before transitioning into luxury hospitality management, which led him to ZD Wines, where he's brought his passion for wine education, culinary experiences and high end hospitality to the team.
"Both Chris and Kenji have shown a deep commitment to providing the first-class hospitality that is essential to the Napa Valley experience. Creating the new position for Chris is an exciting opportunity to expand access to our wines while still helping us maintain our position as a must-visit destination winery. Promoting Kenji to the new head tasting room manager is a natural progression, as his dedication to not just ZD, but to all of our guests, is unparalleled," explains Teresa D'Aurizio, VP of Sales & Marketing.
Founded in 1969, ZD Wines crafts award-winning Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, along with two small-production wines under the "Rosa Lee" label, named after the founding matriarch. ZD is also known for Abacus, a solera-style blend of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Abacus XXIV, which includes 30 vintages of the winery's 100% Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, is now available.
ZD Wines is open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 8383 Silverado Trail in Rutherford. Reservations are required for all tours, and highly recommended for the Vineyard View Tasting. Appointments can be made by calling (800) 487-7757 or emailing [email protected].
About ZD Wines
ZD Wines is owned and operated by the deLeuze family, who is dedicated to producing world-class wines, sustainable winemaking, and giving back to the community. Located in the Rutherford region of the Napa Valley, the winery and hospitality center offer panoramic valley views of premium Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards and the Mayacamas mountain range to the west. The deLeuze family produces wines from their certified organic vineyards in the Rutherford and Carneros regions, as well as organic vineyards in Napa, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Sonoma. With innovative winemaking practices, they produce wines of quality, consistency, and style. ZD Wines celebrates 55 years of winemaking and can be found online at www.zdwines.com and @ZDWines on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Teresa D'Aurizio, ZD Wines, 1 (707) 963-5188, [email protected], www.zdwines.com
Brianna Brockmeyer, ZD Wines, 1 (707) 963-5188, [email protected], www.zdwines.com
SOURCE ZD Wines
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