| Lynn
C. Fritz, Owner
Lynn Fritz, a visionary in global
logistics and humanitarian relief efforts, and family purchased
Quail Hill Vineyard in 1980 and, in 1990, founded Lynmar Winery
to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reflecting
the character of the Russian River Valley appellation, and
the terroir of Quail Hill Vineyard.
Fritz was the Chairman and CEO of Fritz Companies until May
2001 when it was acquired by UPS. Under his stewardship, Fritz
Companies was transformed from a small domestic documentation
company to a global organization of 10,000 employees in 120
countries. The company achieved Fortune 1000 ranking in 1997.
His enduring contribution was to redefine a fragmented and
limited services industry. After UPS acquired the company
in 2001, Fritz founded Fritz
Institute, a non-profit organization strengthening the
operations of humanitarian relief organizations worldwide
by bringing private sector expertise in logistics and technology.
A native of San Francisco, Fritz serves on the Boards of Directors
of Manugistics Group, Inc., Integres Global Logistics, Georgetown
University, San Francisco's Exploratorium and the University
of California, Davis' Department of Viticulture and Enology,
as well as the Board of Regents of Pepperdine University.
He also serves as a member of the World Economic Forum's Logistics
and Transportation Governors, is a founder and member of WEF's
Disaster Resource Network.
He received his B.A. from Georgetown University and a J.D.
from Lincoln University School of Law. In recognition of his
outstanding leadership and community service, he was honored
with a Doctor of Laws degree by Pepperdine University in 1995
and a Doctor of Laws degree from Drexel University in 2004.
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Keith LaVine, Managing Director
Keith’s comprehensive background in the wine industry is
extensive and impressive, ranging from national distribution, to
sales and marketing – ultimately managing operations for one of
the most prestigious brands in the industry.
With more than twelve years experience at Sonoma-utrer
Vineyards, Keith was most recently Managing Director; previously
he served as Senior Vice President of Sales for Brown Forman
Wine Estates; National Sales Manager of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards;
National Sales Manager of St. Supery Winery. Additionally, he
was a founding partner of Piaceri Wines- a production, sales and
distribution company. Prior, Keith worked in the food and
beverage division for Hilton Hotels, where he developed his
passion for the wine industry.
Over the course of his career he has been responsible for
several important new brand initiatives that have been both
national and international in scope.
HHe is active in the Sonoma County wine community and is a former
Board Member and President of the Sonoma County Vintners
Association. In addition to his professional accomplishments,
Keith has been involved in the non-profit community, serving on
the Board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and supporting the
Sonoma County Council on Aging Meals-On-Wheels program. A
Georgia native, he received a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from Georgia Southern University and resides with
his family in Santa Rosa, CA.
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Bibiana González Rave,
Winemaker
Winemaking is a surprising career choice for a woman native to
the country of Colombia. For Bibiana González Rave, however,
there was no other option. Making wine had always been her dream
while growing up in Medellin, and when it finally came time to
pursue it, she knew the best place to begin was France.
Before speaking a word of French, Bibiana found herself in the
city of Angouleme, near Cognac, working on her first degree,
Technician of Viticulture and Enology. She then went on to
receive a Diploma of Enology from the prestigious University of
Bordeaux.
During her years of study in France, she worked at small and
renowned wineries in Burgundy, Côte-Rôtie, Alsace and Cognac,
followed by Château Haut-Brion where she accomplished, with
honors, her thesis on a berry fertilization phenomenon and its
influence on the quality of age-worthy wines: “The influence of
the millerandage on wines made with Merlot”.
Upon finishing her studies, Bibiana’s passion to learn about
other wine regions took her across the globe chasing the
harvests in France, California and South Africa.
After 14 harvests and a great experience working in California
at wineries such as Peay Vineyards, Au Bon Climat and Qupe, she
decided to establish herself at Lynmar Estate. Bibiana joined
Lynmar Estate's winemaking team in March of 2009 as assistant
winemaker and in October 2009 took the reigns as winemaker.
Bibiana oversees every part of the winemaking process at Lynmar.
She is convinced that uniqueness on a wine start from the vines.
Every single aspect of the winemaking process is taken with a
passionate obsession for perfection. From the vineyard to the
bottling, the winemaking team handcrafts exceptional Pinot Noirs
and Chardonnay; without forgetting our small and prestige
production of Syrah.
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Paul
Hobbs, Consulting Winemaker
A well-known winemaker
and consultant, Paul Hobbs brings local Russian River Valley
winemaking knowledge to Lynmar Winery. Hobbs' own brand and
his Argentina label are both critically acclaimed, and he
has worked with several of California's premier wineries.
After completing his Master of Food Science degree at U.C.
Davis, Hobbs was hired by Robert Mondavi Winery as an enologist,
and later was assigned to the Opus One team as Head Enologist.
In 1985 Hobbs joined Sonoma County's historic Simi Winery
as Assistant Winemaker. One of his first tasks was to author
a new Cabernet Sauvignon style for the winery. He was appointed
Vice-President/Winemaker in 1989, giving Hobbs his first opportunity
to direct the winemaking program for a major ultra-premium
California winery. Intrigued by the potential of other "New
World" wines, Hobbs toured the wine-growing regions of Chile
and Argentina in 1988, where he took charge of a new project
making Argentina's first world-class Chardonnay for Nicolás
Catena at Bodega Catena Zapata. In 2000, the Connoisseurs'
Guide to California Wine named him "Winemaker of the Year."
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Jason Saling, Vineyard Manager
Jason has spent the last 16 years getting to the
root of what makes world class wines, world class. After studying
viticulture under local vine legend Richard Thomas and then,
for 7 years, replanting the Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate
under the direction of VP Winemaker Fred Payne and
consulting viticulturist Dr. Phil Freese he was ready to
take his knowledge to finish planting Medlock Ames vineyards
and guide them into organic certification. He then accepted
the opportunity to work with his long time hero, Winemaker
Terry Adams, at Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, after which he
moved to a small west county vineyard management company,
Chenoweth Vineyards, specializing in Pinot Noir. Finally
Jason finds himself in what he calls the ideal combination
of a specialized and focused wine estate producing his
beloved burgundian varietals. Bringing his wealth of
knowledge and experience, he is now faced with the variances
within the Lynmar Estate; a multitude of microclimates and
plethora of soil types, slopes, aspects and exposures and
understands that it is no accident that his mission has
landed him here.
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Kim
Lapides, Advocates Club Director
As the Lynmar Winery
Advocates Club Director, Kim ensures wine club members are
treated to a rich and personalized experience by guaranteeing
that the advocates receive their limited access wine before
they are officially released, coordinates wine club member
events such as the winemaker dinner and pick-up parties, and
hosts private wine club member events, tours and visits to
the tasting room for an afternoon with friends. Kim has held
management and wine club positions at the esteemed Peachy
Canyon Winery and Robert Hall Winery before moving to the
Russian River Valley. She is a graduate of University of California
at Davis and lives in Santa Rosa, California, with her husband.
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Sandra
Simile, Winery Chef
Sandra Simile has worked in the
culinary field for many years doing everything from being
a private chef on sailboats in the Caribbean, to running her
own restaurants in Mystic, Connecticut, to being head chef
at a Relais and Chateau in Northern California. Sandra has
worked in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast region
since 1989 developing food and wine pairing menus with a specific
focus on menus for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sandra graduated
from the University of Connecticut and the New York Restaurant
School with top honors. As Lynmar Winery Chef, Sandra develops
recipes and meals that pair with the winery's latest releases
and directs all food related programs at Lynmar. Sandra lives
in Sebastopol, CA.
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Michael Presley, Head Gardener
Michael Presley serves as head gardener at Lynmar
Winery. Michael brings twenty five years of experience growing
organic gardens in Sonoma County for schools, retreat centers
and production farms. Integrating the practices and techniques
of Permaculture, Biodynamics, and native garden ecologies,
Michael grows organic root crops, leafy greens, heirloom vegetables,
culinary & medicinal & aromatic herbs, specialty fruits
and edible native plants for Lynmars food and wine events.
On seven garden sites within the estate, the diversity of
soils and micro-climates lends itself to producing delicious
and nourishing foods with flavors and aromas unique to our
bio-region, complimenting the specialized terroir found in
our wines. Michael leads tours through the gardens and surroundings,
weaving the science and beauty found in local geology, weather,
fertility, seed saving and gardening with the elements, in
the past, present and future.
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Nolan Gasser, Ph.D., Music Director
Dr. Nolan Gasser
is a critically acclaimed composer, pianist, conductor and
arranger, as well as a published musicologist. He received
his Ph.D. in Musicology in 2001 from Stanford University,
where he is an Adjunct Professor in Medieval and Renaissance
Music History. He is the composer of numerous award-winning
musical works, ranging in style from classical to jazz to
popular, including music for the stage. Dr. Gasser’s
works have been performed in such prestigious venues as the
Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Alice Tully Hall, and La
Salle Pleyel in Paris. As a pianist, Dr. Gasser performs and
records regularly with marquee performers as diverse as Steve
Miller, John Handy, and Carol Channing. He is also Artistic
Director of the Classical Archives (based in Palo Alto), the
largest classical music website on the Internet. He brings
all this experience and enthusiasm to his role as Music Director
of Lynmar Winery. Dr. Gasser lives in the Petaluma, CA with
his wife Lynn, and their two children, Camille and Preston.
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