Robledo Family Winery opened a satellite tasting room in Lakeport, Lake County, where it farms 85 acres of vineyards. It’s the second site for 20,000-case Sonoma-based Robledo, and brings the Lake County Winery Association to a total of 27 winery members. Other new members are 1,000-case Hawk and Horse Vineyards, which farms 18 Biodynamic and organic-certified acres in Lower Lake, and Quattro Fratelli Cellars, Lakeport.

Schroeter joins Sonoma-Cutrer
Michael “Mick” Schroeter was named winemaking director for 200,000-case Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, Windsor, replacing the recently retired Terry Adams. Previously, he was vice president of winemaking for 225,000-case Geyser Peak Winery.

Bianchi plans sales expansion
Beau Bianchi was promoted to president of sales and marketing at 15,000-case Bianchi Winery, Paso Robles. Most recently vice president of operations, he’ll oversee the introduction of a new group of branded blended wines. Bianchi reports that first-quarter case sales grew by 130% over the same period in 2009.

CalNaturale launches TetraPak wines
California Natural Products, Lathrop, a custom-packer for California premium wines, introduced CalNaturale organically grown California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines in
500ml and 1L TetraPaks, retailing for $6.99 and $12.99 respectively. Heather Pyle is the winemaker.

Putnam named Raymond winemaker
Raymond Vineyards, St. Helena, part of the Boisset Family Estates, appointed Stephanie Putnam director of winemaking. Before joining the 150,000-case facility, she was winemaker at Far Niente.

New team at Pezzi King
Pezzi King Vineyards, Healdsburg, appointed John Calmeyer national sales director and Joanna Donati as wine club and sales administrator. Calmeyer has worked with Allied Domecq, Stag’s Leap and Sebastiani; Donati was previously with Araujo Estate Wines.

Valley Gate to open with new president
Valley Gate Vineyards, Napa, scheduled a grand opening this month under the leadership of its new president, Montgomery Paulsen. Valley Gate is the former Kirkland Ranch Winery; the 57,000-square foot, three-story winery is set among 120 acres of vineyard. Vice president of operations for Rosenblum Cellars from 2006 to 2008, Paulsen most recently was a winemaking and business consultant.

Somerston opened tasting room in June
Somerston Wine Co., American Canyon, opened its tasting room in Yountville on June 1. Somerston’s 1,682-acre ranch, with 280-plus acres of vineyards and a 12,000-square-foot winery in a renovated barn, produces about 1,000 cases per year. Later this year, the new tasting room will house a grocery store featuring Somerston wine and food products.

Grants for Monterey, Sonoma groups
The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association won a $276,384 USDA value-added producer grant, and the Sonoma County Vintners collected $299,638. They were among 13 California organizations to receive the funding in June as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. The grants support marketing/promotion campaigns.

Genesen named top litigator
Tracy Genesen, appellate counsel for the Family Winemakers of California and a leading force in the progress of direct-to-consumer shipping laws, was featured as one of California’s Top 75 Women Litigators in The Daily Journal. She’s a partner in Kirkland & Ellis LLP, San Francisco.

Art Finklestein dies
Arthur Finklestein, co-founder of Whitehall Lane Winery, Judd’s Hill and Judd’s MicroCrush, died May 28 at his Napa Valley home. The Illinois native became an award-winning architect at the University of Southern California, and for many years he was a home winemaker. In 1979, he and his brother Alan purchased a vineyard south of St. Helena, where Art designed and built Whitehall Lane Winery. In 1988 he downsized, building Judd’s Hill in St. Helena, named after his son, now owner and winemaker.