25 winners named for Wine Industry + Spirits Awards, WINnovation Awards of 2018

Winners of the sixth annual Wine Industry + Spirits & Beer Awards have been announced.

Special this year will be a Lifetime Achievement Award to Derek Benham, CEO and president of Purple Wine + Sprits. Behnam has a three decades career in wine, and lately, spirits. He started the wine brands Avalon and later Mark West, selling the latter to Constellation Brands.

In 2014, Benham introduced Rayburn, Calista and Flint & Steel as well as broke ground on a distillery at the Graton Winery. Purple Wine + Spirits has been successful and also has made strides in sustainability.

Being honored by the Business Journal with a special award will be Ron Rubin, owner and president for Ron Rubin Winery. In 2017, Rubin began the Trained for Saving Lives program in collaboration with the American Red Cross and Zoll Medical Corporation. Rubin has covered the cost of placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in wineries in the North Bay. To date, 155 units have been provided to qualifying wineries.

Wine Industry Network also announced five of its annual WINnovation Awards.

The Wine Industry + Beer & Spirits Awards and WINnovation Awards will be presented on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Register at nbbj.news/wia18 by Nov. 30.

Wine Industry + Beer & Spirits Awards winners

Individual Category

Lifetime Achievement Award: Derek Benham, owner and CEO, Purple Wines + Spirits, Graton

Special Award: Ron Rubin, owner and president, Ron Rubin Winery, Sebastopol

Winery Owner – Napa: Chris Hall, co-owner, chief operating officer and executive vice president, Long Meadow Ranch, St. Helena

Winery Owner – Sonoma: Mike Sullivan, co-owner, winemaker, Benovia Winery, Santa Rosa

Winemaker – Napa: Linda Trotta, winemaker, Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, American Canyon

Winemaker – Sonoma: Kevin Hall, winemaker, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg

Vineyard Manger: David Bejar, vineyard manager, V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena and Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga

Winery Sales and Marketing Officer: Eric Guerra, chief sales and marketing officer, Vineyard 29, St. Helena

Winery Managing Director: Taylr Behnam Cuneo, managing director, Ram's Gate Winery, Sonoma

Distillery CEO: Adam Spiegel, founder CEO and whiskey maker, Sonoma Distilling Company, Rohnert Park

Brewmaster – Small Brewery: Andy Hooper, brewmaster and director of operations, Seismic Brewing Company, Santa Rosa

Brewmaster – Large Brewery: Jeremy Marshall, brewmaster, Lagunitas Brewery, Santa Rosa

Brewery Owner: Ricardo G. Norgrove, owner, brewmaster and chief operating officer, Bear Republic Brewing Company, Cloverdale

Supplier Category

Spirits - Startup: Sipsong Spirits, Windsor

Wine - Wine Technology: Enartis USA, Windsor

Wine - Labels: Paragon Label Company and Out the Bottle, Petaluma

Wine - Environmental Stewardship: Truett-Hurst, Healdsburg

Wine - Fintech: Vinasset dba Fortera (Strength in Numbers), Mill Valley

Vineyard Technology: VineView (Scientific Aerial Imaging Inc.), St. Helena

Wine Technology: Winesecrets, Sebastopol

WINnovation Awards winners

Presented by the Wine Industry Network

BevStrat (Brian Rosen, president)

DIAM Bouchage, partnered with G3 Enterprises (Francois Margot, director of Sales, DIAM North America)

Emetry (Paul Mabray, CEO)

Prosurix (Steve Glamuzina, CEO)

VA Filtration USA (Bryan Tudhope, president)