(March 17, 2023; Carneros California)—Tatiana Copeland, Chairman and Co-Founder of Bouchaine Vineyards, is pleased to announce that General Manager and Winemaker Chris Kajani has been promoted to President. She will continue her role as Winemaker as well. Kajani has headed the winemaking, sales and hospitality programs at Bouchaine as Winemaker and General Manager since 2015. With this move, Tatiana Copeland transitions from her former role as president to Chairman, while her husband and Bouchaine Co-Founder Gerret Copeland steps into the role of Chairman Emeritus.
“As the new Chairman, I would like to concentrate on marketing and supporting our new direct-to-consumer model to be an even more substantial portion of Bouchaine sales. We have built a fabulous new Hospitality Center, which includes an incredible kitchen and new terrace overlooking the winery gardens where guests can enjoy spectacular views of the Carneros hills and the San Pablo Bay” says Copeland. “We have restructured Bouchaine and have all new department heads in 2023. Chris has done a fabulous job on concentrating on our vineyards and production, especially the replanting of a third of our 100 acres in 2022. As president, she will be the new face of Bouchaine within the wine community. I am thrilled to be able to promote a woman to a greater leadership role in the world of wine. I step up to the chairman role to provide continued guidance. My husband will enjoy tasting the wines with less responsibility, leaving us capable women to lead Bouchaine.”
Since joining Bouchaine in 2015, Kajani has increased focus on sustainable viticulture and elevated the winemaking program. After extensive soil studies, she oversaw the replanting of 35% of the 100-acre estate to heritage Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clones to reflect the myriad of soils and improve fruit quality. To improve sustainability and decrease water use, she worked with hydrologists and engineers to establish natural waterways and also installed Cisco Industrial Asset Vision Sensors on the estate to measure data throughout the growing season. Beyond the vineyard, Kajani led the refurbishment of Bouchaine’s winery facilities installing leading-edge winemaking technology and achieving Napa Green Winery Certification. “As someone who has made wine in Carneros since 2004, I’m honored to have been trusted with the future of this incredible estate and look forward to pushing ourselves further in terms of farming, winemaking, and hospitality,” says Kajani.
Kajani’s promotion comes on the heels of a series of additional promotions from within the Bouchaine team, including Direct-to-Consumer Manager Gabe Ide-Garcia, Wine Club Manager Luis Corro and Event Sales & Marketing Manager Rose Stanton. Director of Operations Erik Goodmanson, National Sales Manager Scott Stowe and Assistant Winemaker Emily Wiemer, continue in their roles at the estate. “Our team is stronger than ever, and I’m thrilled for what our group’s energy and expertise will contribute to Bouchaine’s future,” says Kajani.
About Bouchaine
Bouchaine was founded by Gerret and Tatiana Copeland and is today one of the leading producers of sustainably farmed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Carneros AVA. The estate is comprised of 104 acres, including a dramatic winery and new tasting room and a state-of-the-art kitchen. The vineyards at Bouchaine are greatly influenced by the adjacent San Pablo Bay, where cool breezes and the daily influx of fog allow cool climate varieties to shine. The location’s substantial daily temperature shifts also help develop beautiful acidity in the fruit, resulting in wines with vivid energy and texture. Noted as the first “Fish Friendly Farming” certified vineyard in Napa Valley, the winery is also Napa Green land and winery certified. If one sentence can encapsulate the energy of Bouchaine, it is the winery’s new trademarked slogan, “Wine Makes you Happy™.
For more information about Bouchaine Vineyards, please visit https://bouchaine.com/
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