National sales director added to the winery team
Napa, CA, April 2017 —- Arrow&Branch announces that Brian Wallace is joining the winery as Director of National Sales, according to an announcement by founder/proprietor Steve Contursi. In this role Wallace will be responsible for all national and international wholesale markets. “We are honored to have someone of Brian’s caliber join our team to insure that our wines reach even more wine lovers,” explained proprietor Steve Contursi.
“I am ecstatic to join the team at Arrow&Branch,” Wallace says. “The entire team has such an incredible passion for exceptional wine, and that is reflected in each bottle that is graced with the Arrow&Branch label. I look forward to contributing my expertise to such an esteemed winery, and introducing people to the excellence that is Arrow&Branch wine,” he adds.
Wallace most recently headed Luxury Wine Partners, which specialized in comprehensive sales management for small luxury wineries. Prior to that, he was the Midwest Regional Brand Manager for Vintage Wines, a member of The Winebow Group, based in Schiller Park, Illinois, where he represented a number of upper echelon American wineries, primarily Napa based, as well as some imported wines. He supervised numerous brand launches, conducted wine education seminars and worked effectively with all tiers of distribution, including DTC elements.
Wallace was born and raised in Milwaukee. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history. He holds wine industry certificates and degrees including Certified Specialist of Wine (Society of Wine Educators), Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), Certified Club Manager (Club Managers Association of America) and Cicerone Certification Program (Certified Beer Server).
He serves on the Board of Director for the Oak Society of Pi Kappa Alpha.
His hobbies include spending time with his family and being an enthusiastic NFL fan. He lives with his family in Naperville, Illinois.
Arrow&Branch was founded in 2008 by Steve and Seanne Contursi and creates wines from small hand crafted lots of some of the best Napa Valley vineyards including the Contursis’ estate Cabernet Franc vineyard in Coombsville. The stylistic aim is to be the Napa Valley expression of the greatest wines of Bordeaux, an “American Cheval Blanc.”
The Contursis purchased the 3.5 acre estate vineyard in 2007 and added 1.5 contiguous acres in 2011. Mike Wolf is the vineyard manager and farms the vineyards organically. Jennifer Williams is the winemaker. Tours of the estate vineyard are available by appointment only.
Arrow&Branch’s current releases are 2013 Arrow&Branch Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, 2016 Arrow&Branch Sauvignon Blanc, 2013 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013 Red Wine and 2013 White Label Cabernet Sauvignon.
Arrow&Branch is making wine and welcoming clients at the spectacular new Wheeler Farms Winery located in the heart of St. Helena on Zinfandel Lane. Each tasting will be hosted by the winery’s General Manager, Elizabeth Robertis. Tastings are by appointment only and arrangements must be made in advance (to wine@arrowandbranch.com).
The winery also offers The Arrow&Branch Society, with three tiers of membership and exclusive benefits.
Arrow&Branch was chosen as the name for the Contursis’ winery as a reference to numismatics. Steve Contursi has been a professional numismatist since 1975 and specializes in historically significant, museum quality U.S. coins. Found on the reverse of most United States coinage is an eagle holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons. The Arrow&Branch name pays homage to both U.S. coinage and Americana. The olive branch signifies the United States as a peace-loving nation, while the arrow portrays the country’s ability to defend itself.
One of Arrow&Branch’s unusual distinguishing touches is that each wine’s label includes a favorite quote from Benjamin Franklin including Mind your business,
Diligence is the mother of all good luck and others. “The true connection of Benjamin Franklin to Arrow&Branch is that he designed the first coin with a true Americana motif in 1776, known as the Continental Dollar. It’s on this coin that his famous quote “Mind Your Business” is prominently featured,” explains Contursi. “This is the motto of Arrow&Branch,” he adds.
The conjoined spacing between “Arrow” and “Branch” and the ampersand is a design element of the wines’ labels.
