Medford, Ore., May 10, 2021 — DANCIN Vineyards & Winery (www.dancin.com) has named Cara Patteson the winery’s general manager. She joined DANCIN after serving as general manager and wine director at Quality Italian in Denver.
Patteson will work closely with co-founders and proprietors Dan and Cindy Marca. Her responsibilities include managing the entire tasting room experience, with a focus on wine education and paired culinary offerings made with locally sourced ingredients.
“Cara has a unique depth of experience in management and operations at exceptional restaurants and other hospitality venues across America,” Dan Marca said. “Plus, she has extensive wine knowledge, having recently earned her Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma.”
Patteson has worked in top New York City and Denver establishments, including several locations of Quality Branded Restaurants, as well as Buddakan, and Kingswood. She also ran her own restaurant consulting business for two years.
“I have a particular interest in Italian wine, food and culture,” Patteson said. “At DANCIN I’m looking forward to getting the chance to work closely with the hospitality, winemaking, and culinary teams to help to create a tasting room experience for guests that is both enjoyable and educational.”
Established in 2009, DANCIN is a modern 5,500-s.f. gravity-flow winery, 125-seat tasting room and vineyard located between Medford and historic Jacksonville in Southern Oregon. There are more than 27 acres under cultivation and annual production exceeds 3,500 cases. In addition to Pinot noir and Chardonnay, DANCIN produces Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel and Port-style wines.
Patteson acquired a passion for food and service early on, having spent her childhood in the kitchen learning to cook with her mother. Throughout her teen and young adult years she volunteered to prepare and serve meals to those in need with organizations such as Jr. Civitan, Reach, Project Angel Food, and Harvard Square Meals. She notes: “Food is my love language and cooking for others is how I express it.”
A native of Florida, Patteson attended Babson College and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management with concentrations in finance and art history. It was during a study abroad semester in France where she discovered a love of wine. After college, Patteson began her career in Manhattan where she worked as a sommelier, wine director, general manager and consultant.
