Industry Veterans Bolster Winery Experiences, Wine Club, Experiences and Hospitality
October 6th – (Sonoma County – CALIF.) — Flambeaux Wine has expanded the winery team with the addition of two wine industry professionals that bolster the winery experiences ranging from wine club services, to online interaction, to intimate and personalized in-person wine tastings.
“At Flambeaux, we are a close-knit and committed, family-based winery,” said Flambeaux Vintner and Co-Owner Art Murray, “Adding wine business professionals Sarah Kelley and Mike Mahoney to our team, has moved our business to the next level in so many ways. On the surface however, those that have just discovered or already love our wines, as well as those that belong to our wine club, will experience the ultimate, high-touch service and hospitality.”
Direct to Consumer Sales and Marketing Administrator Sarah Kelley, a Sonoma County native, holds a multi-faced role at Flambeaux, providing customer service as well as wine club, online marketing, e-commerce and order logistics administration. Kelley brings more than two decades of experience having worked for family-owned, retail-focused wineries including DaVero Farms & Winery, Flanagan Wines, Red Car Wine, Passalacqua Winery, J Wine and Dutton-Goldfield. She has studied wine, winery operations, viticulture, winemaking and wine compliance at both Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University and earned a Level One diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Director of Hospitality Mike Mahoney, now in charge of consumer experiences at Flambeaux Wine, also brings more than twenty years of experience to the team, with most of his career spent in world-class hotels and resorts such as The Phoenician, Sanctuary on Camelback, Enchantment Resort, Hilton Sonoma Wine Country and Indian Springs Resort, before transitioning into the wine business managing hospitality programs for Williamson Wines and Dutton Estate Winery. A native of the Midwest, Mahoney was an elite-level athlete in college, who attended both the University of Iowa, and then went on to earn his degree in Hospitality Administration at Northern Arizona University.
Founded by the Murray family, originally from New Orleans, Flambeaux prides itself on making hand-crafted, limited-production wines that capture the essence of the Flambeaux Dry Creek Valley Estate Vineyard, as well as other world-class Sonoma County vineyards. The Flambeaux are the dancing torchbearers of New Orleans Carnival during Mardi Gras, representing tradition, light, dance and joy.
Art and Nicole Murray, co-founded Flambeaux in Healdsburg, California along with his parents Steve and Pattie Murray, and daughters Alys, Elizabeth, Nia and Lila Murray. At Flambeaux, Winemaker Ryan Prichard (who now makes wine at Three Sticks, and has also worked at Williams Selyem, Copain Custom Crush and Medlock Ames) employs the Murray family’s philosophy of allowing the grapes to evolve and naturally grow into what they become. With this minimalist approach, the fruit ends up as the best of itself and results in intriguing and exciting wines.
For more information visit FlambeauxWine.com, call (707) 637-9019 or send an email to info@flambeauxwine.com.
