NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – July 25, 2019 – Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners is excited to announce the appointment of wine industry veteran Kate McManus to the newly created position of vice president of marketing. In this role, McManus will be responsible for oversight of marketing, direct-to-consumer sales and hospitality for both Markham Vineyards and TEXTBOOK wines, both of which were acquired this year by Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners. McManus will also work closely with the in-house marketing teams at both Argyle Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and MacRostie Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma County, and will serve on the Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners executive team.
McManus comes to Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners as an industry leader in brand strategy, innovation and team building, having held key positions at such companies as Kobrand, Allied Domecq Wines, Rosenblum Winery and Constellation. Prior to joining Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners, McManus was the vice president of marketing and PR for Delicato Family Vineyards.
“Kate is among the best in the business, and we are thrilled to have her lead our marketing team,” said Steve Myers, managing director of Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners. “Not only is she a skilled leader with a proven ability to drive innovation and develop brand strategy, she also has a track record of building teams that have been pivotal to the success of several blue chip wineries. Just as important, Kate shares our values. We believe that earning the trust of our customers is central to our mission. We also believe in fostering a culture of diversity and inclusivity, while helping to build sustainable communities in the places where we grow and make our wines. I have known Kate for 15 years, and I know that she shares these values.”
While at Delicato, McManus was the co-chair of the Delicato Women’s Leadership Initiative, which focused on empowering current and future women leaders. She holds a degree in marketing and communication from the State University of NY, and advanced certificates from NYU Stern School of Business, and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
ABOUT DISTINGUISHED VINEYARDS & WINE PARTNERS
Formed in 2008, Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners is a dynamic mid-size wine company that includes a collection of iconic wineries from some of the world’s most prestigious wine regions. Recognized as benchmarks for their appellations, the Distinguished Vineyards portfolio includes the highly acclaimed Argyle Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, MacRostie Winery and Vineyards in Sonoma County, Markham Vineyards and TEXTBOOK in Napa Valley, as well as Wither Hills in New Zealand. Dedicated to excellence, social equity and sustainability, Distinguished Vineyards includes more than 1,000 acres of sustainably certified estate vineyards. Wither Hills holds Sustainable Winegrowing NZ accreditation, and its estate vineyards are certified organic by BioGro NZ, Argyle in Oregon is LIVE Certified, MacRostie is Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing, and Markham Vineyards is certified both Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming. For more information, visit www.dvwinepartners.com.
