Calistoga, Calif., May 28, 2021—Tamber Bey Vineyards, located in Calistoga, Calif., announces the appointment of Michael Ploetz as Brand Ambassador and Estate Director to oversee all customer programs at the company’s 22-acre winery, hospitality, and ranch property. As a member of the senior management team, Ploetz will also be curating elevated experiences and events for the winery’s newly completed Ambassador Club Room.
“Michael brings an extraordinary level of hospitality and management experience to Tamber Bey,” says owner/vintner Barry Waitte. “He will help us elevate and manage our customer experience and high-level relationships with customers, custom-crush clients and the Napa wine community.”
Ploetz discovered the world of fine wine & cuisine while studying abroad on the Spanish island of Mallorca within the Escola d’Hoteleria de les Illes Balears. After receiving a hospitality degree from the University of Wisconsin, he embarked upon a career-long obsession with wine, food, hospitality, and team/brand building within these domains.
Following college, Ploetz joined Four Seasons Hotels, where he spent five years in operations. Additional affiliations have included Auberge Resorts, Peninsula Hotels, and Las Alcobas Napa Valley.
Ploetz has opened, led, and built venues in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco for Chefs José Andrés, Michael Voltaggio, and Chris Cosentino. Most recently, Ploetz oversaw the Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate in St. Helena, California, working with winemakers Michel Rolland, Philipe Melka, and Matthew Sands. Michael also served as director for the parent company, New Frontier Wine Company.
About Tamber Bey Vineyards
Tamber Bey Vineyards is an ultra-premium winery specializing in old-world French varietals. Waitte founded Tamber Bey in 1999 after a career with Apple, AOL, and the technology venture business. Tamber Bey is also a custom crush facility for over twenty Napa and Sonoma wine labels. Located on the Sundance Ranch in Calistoga, a 22-acre equestrian facility, Tamber Bey is a unique winery that is also home to Waitte’s high-performance Arabian horses
