New Officers and Board Directors Named
June 13, 2025 (Sacramento, CA) — Robin Baggett, managing partner of Alpha Omega Winery in St. Helena and Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo, was elected Wine Institute board chairman for the 2025-26 fiscal year at the organization’s 91st Annual Membership and Board of Directors Meeting in St. Helena, June 8-10, 2025.
Other officers elected were Gretchen Roddick of Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles, first vice chairman; Ben Dollard of Treasury Wine Estates, second vice chairman; Ed Matovcik of Constellation Brands, treasurer; and Christine Wente of Wente Family Estates, secretary. Robert P. Koch is president and CEO of Wine Institute.
Matt Gallo, vice president and general manager of Gallo Vineyards, Inc., headquartered in Modesto, is the outgoing chairman and becomes an ex-officio board member.
“I am eager to capitalize on Wine Institute’s long history of success and continue its dedicated efforts to safeguard and promote California’s wine community,” said Baggett. “At Alpha Omega we have thrived as a result of decades of Wine Institute’s work. I look forward to working with the team to help California’s vintners succeed in an evolving landscape of policy challenges and emerging wine consumers.”
Baggett began his wine career in 1998 as a grape grower, planting more than 750 acres of grapes and establishing Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo. In 2005, Robin and his wife Michelle founded and created Alpha Omega Winery in Rutherford in the Napa Valley. Born and raised in Salinas, Robin attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo on a baseball scholarship. A juris doctorate degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law led to a 40-year career as an attorney and an eight-year stint as general counsel of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
“We are fortunate to have great leaders within California’s wine community,” said Koch. “Robin’s passion and business and legal acumen will provide exceptional stewardship as we launch new initiatives to support Wine Institute’s industry leading advocacy work. Robin and our entire leadership team are committed to ensuring wine’s heritage, community roots, increasing sustainability and economic strength are all part of our message and advocacy.”
Wine Institute’s membership also elected new district and at-large directors and their alternates. District directors and their alternates are elected on a one-winery, one-vote basis in each district.
2025-2026 Directors
AT-LARGE DIRECTORS
| AT-LARGE DIRECTOR | ALTERNATE |
|---|---|
| Ryan Bogle, Bogle Family Wine Collection | Warren Bogle, Bogle Family Wine Collection |
| Caroline Coleman Bailey, GALLO | Maribel Delgado, GALLO |
| Ben Dollard, Treasury Wine Estates | Ben Duemler, Treasury Wine Estates |
| Debra Dommen, Treasury Wine Estates | Jane Froyd, Treasury Wine Estates |
| Jennifer Evans, The Wine Group | Keith Bauman, The Wine Group |
| Emmanuel Garibay, Bonterra Organic Estates | Rodrigo Maturana, Bonterra Organic Estates |
| Robert Hanson, The Duckhorn Portfolio | |
| Amy Hoopes, The Wine Group | Jeannie Bremer, The Wine Group |
| Cheryl Indelicato, Delicato Family Wines | Mark Merrion, Delicato Family Wines |
| Peter Larson, Trinchero Family Estates | Roger Trinchero, Trinchero Family Estates |
| Lawrence T. Lohr, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines | Jeff Humphreys, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines |
| Ed Matovcik, Constellation Brands | Tiffanie De Liberty, Constellation Brands |
| Matt McHargue, Constellation Brands | Sam Glaetzer, Constellation Brands |
| Catherine Sullivan, The Duckhorn Portfolio | |
| Robert Torkelson, Trinchero Family Estates | Anthony Torres, Trinchero Family Estates |
| Matthew Towers, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers | Anuj Girdhar, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers |
| Jolene Yee, Delicato Family Wines | Ken Minami, Delicato Family Wines |
DISTRICT DIRECTORS
| DISTRICT | DIRECTOR |
|---|---|
| Northern: | Kaj Ahlmann, Six Sigma Winery |
| Sonoma: | Julie Pedroncelli St. John, Pedroncelli Winery |
| Steven MacRostie, MacRostie Winery & Vineyards | |
| Katie Wetzel Murphy, Alexander Valley Vineyards | |
| Tobin Ginter, Rodney Strong Vineyards | |
| Alternate: Alan Ramey, Ramey Wine Cellars | |
| Alternate: Jenifer Freebairn, Lassetter Family Winery | |
| Alternate: Christopher Lloyd Strieter, Senses Wines | |
| Napa: | Robin Baggett, Alpha Omega Winery |
| Anthony Truchard, Truchard Vineyards | |
| Hugh Davies, Schramsberg Vineyards | |
| Pam Starr, Crocker & Starr | |
| Alan Viader, VIADER Vineyards and Winery | |
| Alternate: Darioush Khaledi, Darioush | |
| Alternate: Mike Reynolds, HALL Wines | |
| Alternate: Paul Woolls, Progeny Winery | |
| Alternate: Kellie Duckhorn, Baldacci Family Vineyards | |
| Alternate: Karen Fontanella, Fontanella Family Winery | |
| San Francisco Bay: | Christine Wente, Wente Family Estates |
| Alternate: William Cooper, Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards | |
| Monterey Bay: | Scott Scheid, Scheid Vineyards |
| Central Coast: | Maeve Pesquera, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers |
| Barry White, Ancient Peaks Winery | |
| Gretchen Roddick, Hope Family Wines | |
| Matt Locklin, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery | |
| Southern: | Stephen Kahle, Woof’n Rose Winery |
| Alternate: Linda McWilliams, San Pasqual Winery | |
| Sierra: | Joan Kautz, Ironstone Vineyards |
| Northern Interior: | Marissa Lange, LangeTwins Family Vineyards and Winery |
| Alternate: David Phillips, Michael David Winery | |
| Southern Interior: | Kyle Ray, ASV Wines |
About Wine Institute
Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine.
