Distinguished Napa Valley Wine Company Hires Kate McManus to Help Strengthen Its Portfolio of Brands
Oakville, Calif. May 2, 2022 – Iconic Napa Valley wine producer Far Niente Family of Wineries & Vineyards (FNFWV) today announces that it has hired Kate McManus as its new Vice President of Marketing. Kate joins the luxury wine company’s executive team, bringing a wealth of experience to its portfolio of renowned wine brands.
“Far Niente has been a leader in Napa Valley’s luxury wine market for decades and Kate will help us continue to improve upon our portfolio of brands and achieve our goal of crafting and marketing the highest quality wines possible,” said CEO Steve Spadarotto. “She excels at building brands with a consumer first approach and will bring her expertise and insight to her new role, creating strategies for each brand that will allow them to complement our overall portfolio.”
Kate brings more than 25 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry to FNFWV, including a diverse background in strategic portfolio management, innovation and consumer and trade marketing. She previously served as the Vice President of Marketing at Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners. Prior to that, she worked as Vice President of Marketing at Delicato Family Vineyards and Constellation Brands where she led marketing for national and international wineries. In her new role, McManus will oversee consumer, digital and trade marketing for Far Niente’s diverse portfolio of brands including Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, Bella Union, EnRoute, Dolce and Post & Beam.
“I am honored and excited to be working with such esteemed brands that are so well positioned in the luxury wine space and respected by trade and consumers for their focus on producing high quality wines and providing first in class hospitality,” said Kate, “I feel privileged to be joining Far Niente’s talented and inclusive team that is dedicated to investing in its wines at all levels of production from farming the vineyards to committing to sustainable practices.”
The appointment comes at a time of exciting growth and development at the company as it continues to position itself as a leader in the luxury market. In November, FNFWV bought a new home for its Bella Union wines in Rutherford, along Highway 29. It’s also actively expanding its vineyard holdings, including the acquisition of a 133-acre vineyard in Carneros, with the goal of growing the highest quality grapes to produce outstanding wines from the Napa Valley and Russian River Valley.
About Far Niente Family of Wineries and Vineyards
Far Niente was established in Oakville, CA in 1885 and prospered until the onset of Prohibition in 1919, when the winery ceased operation and the estate was abandoned. Sixty years later, in 1979, the old stone shell of a winery underwent a three-year renovation, which restored the building to its original, 19th century grandeur. During restoration, the name “Far Niente,” which romantically translated means “without a care,” was found carved in stone on the front of the building.
Far Niente helped create the high-end Napa Valley wine market and has served as the benchmark wine estate for more than four decades. Dolce, the only North American winery devoted to a single late-harvest, botrytized Napa Valley wine was introduced in 1989. Nickel & Nickel, launched in 1997, is focused on producing single-vineyard, 100 percent varietal Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. EnRoute, established in 2007 in the Russian River Valley, is dedicated to the appellation’s Pinot Noir. Bella Union, devoted to Napa Valley Cabernet and located along Bella Oaks Lane in Rutherford, introduced its first wine with the 2012 vintage. Most recently, Post & Beam launched in 2020 with classic expressions of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Together, the wineries comprise the Far Niente Family of Wineries & Vineyards.
