Richard Sowalsky Email & Phone Number

Plan and monitor all production activities associated with domestic wine operations and domestic bottling operations of international wines to meet required cost and quality goals. Liaise with various production and finance consulting partners, custom crush and bottling facilities and dry goods vendors to ensure production levels and timing are efficiently and seamlessly achieved. Spearhead new product and packaging development projects from inception through costing and production. Negotiate and secure deals with potential vendors to attain materials of the desired quality level at the optimal price and timing of delivery. Monitor the quality of all wines to bottle and direct corrective actions if and as required. Participate on special project sourcing activities for non-wine areas of the business (whiskey, olive oils). Maintain all records related to company owned wine in bulk through ownership of all related database entry and queries.Scrutinize corporate accounting practices related to product costing and work with internal and external finance partners to develop a cost-based accounting system for finished cased goods.Develop strategic and tactical solutions for current wines in bulk to ensure that any supply issues are addressed with a broad array of potential and workable solutions.Work to implement a collaborative project management solution encompassing bills of material by product, real time inventory monitoring and need for ordering based on new projects added onto the master schedule.

Responsible for monitoring fruit development and quality throughout the growing season, and provide feedback to vineyard owner on quality optimization and date of harvest.Develop all winemaking specifications for Katali Wines, and work with custom crush facility to ensure precise execution of the plan to optimize final wine quality.Assist owner/proprietors in all production-related purchasing decisions.Promote Katali Wines at special events as required.

New York, Ny, Us

Production of two grape-to-bottle wine offerings, including all aspects of winegrowing and bottling dry goods procurement.

New York, Ny, Us

Responsible for all aspects of domestic wine sourcing, including grape purchasing, winemaking procedures, partnering with domestic winemaking consultants and bottling.Responsible for all aspects of international wine sourcing, including vendor partnering, import logistics coordination and bottling.Evaluation of facilities for Alternating Proprietorship partnerships and overseeing all aspect of operations at these facilities as they relate to Blue Apron Wine.Mining of wine sourcing prospects (including monitoring of wine media, participation at domestic and international wine trade shows and research on importers with portfolios of interest), and spearhead the process of vendor onboarding from cold call through sample procurement and evaluation and specifics on potential wines of interest (including pricing, volume, timing of wine readiness and securing of branding and IP use).Developing internal statistical methods for analyzing consumer preference wine scores and using the results to further customize product offerings to the desired wine types for our customer base.In conjunction with ETS Laboratories, developing and implementing a state-of-the-industry wine testing program for human health concerns, wine stability and quality, and identification and prevention of fraudulent wine deliveries.

Responsible for directing the development, redevelopment and annual management of all estate vineyards to insure the fruit meets quality and style standards consistent with the company’s vision and in adherence to the annual budget. Advises on vineyard purchase/sale issues as needed. Oversees Vineyard Management companies and consultants.Oversees the sale of bulk grapes and/or juice/wine in a manner that maximizes profitability and promotes the winery’s reputation of being a high quality grape grower. Develops and manages the style and quality parameters and overall vision for winemaking, which are consistent with company goals and in adherence to the annual budget. Responsible for wine production decision making at all stages, from planting and harvesting through bottling. Monitors grape harvesting, wine production and bottling. Makes recommendations regarding winemaking equipment purchases. Handles relationships with barrel, cork, bottle and other winemaking related suppliers.Responsible for all federal and state government Compliance related to wine production, including all reports and audits. Oversees SO2 gas usage and reporting according to CSFA compliance standards.Acts as a spokesperson for the winery during market visits and interviews with wine writers and others. Acts as spokesperson for and participates in events the winery may be associated with. Makes recommendations as to which events are appropriate for winery involvement.Works with the CWO and Senior Brand Manager to establish and promote winery focus and goals.

Responsible for all aspects of winegrowing for three brands (Bighorn Cellars, Expression Wines and Tetra) spanning two states and 5 appellations, including block selection, vineyard monitoring, determination of date of harvest, all winemaking procedures, blending and bottling.Core member of new brand development group for Expression Wines and Tetra, tasks of which include development of a comprehensive marketing plan, brand messaging, channel focus and product mix.Directly manage offsite barrel facility, and supervise al production activities at two custom crush facilities.Organize formal educational tastings to assess the potential of up-and-coming appellations to realize vineyard investment opportunities.

Spearheaded the effort to transform William Hill Winery brand from “value Napa Valley”proposition into the luxury Estate bottled William Hill Estate brand.Developed all winemaking specifications with an eye towards significant and rapid quality enhancement.Collaborated with the Chief Viticulturalist to determine fruit harvest strategies which would optimize wine quality from 3 distinct Estate vineyard properties.Functioned as the brand champion to sales staff, distributor partners, retailers, restaurateurs, consumers and the media.

Us

Crafted over twenty wines receiving 90 points or higher from the Wine Advocate, and produced the #9 and #12 Wine of the Year in the Wine Spectator for 2007 and 2002, respectively.Had primary winemaking responsibility for approximately 75% of the production through the Oakville facility, including white and red Bordeaux varieties from the Napa Valley through the Reserve and Spotlight tiers.Balanced the sales plan against grape supply to optimize both desired product mix and wine quality.Worked with brand marketing to promote Robert Mondavi wines in top markets and in various media.Key role in marketing brands to sales staff, distributor partners, retailers, restaurateurs, consumers and media.Developed Boomerang, a Cabernet/Syrah blend.

Bs Cum Laude, Neurosciences / Asian Languages And Literature

M.B.A. (Valedictorian), Marketing

M.S. With Honors, Food Science, Enology, Sensory Science

M.D./Ph.D., Pathology, Immunology

Hs Diploma