Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen, promoted winemaker Rodrigo Soto to vice president of winemaking, supervising the certified sustainable Benziger Family wines and vineyard designate program, and managing the certified organic and Biodynamic Signaterra and de Coelo winemaking programs. He has been with Benziger since 2006. Mark Marinozzi was appointed vice president of marketing. Previously, he was general manager at Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines.

Lorimar opens Temecula tasting room
Although its Tuscan-style winery is still under construction in Temecula wine country, Lorimar Winery (1,000 cases per year) opened a tasting room in downtown Temecula. Lawrie Lipton and Mark Manfield are proprietors; Mike Tingley is winemaker.

B. R. Cohn promotes two
B. R. Cohn Winery, Sonoma Valley, promoted Terry Gard to chief operating officer. He had been chief financial officer since 2006, a title he retains. Sherri Hewitt, tasting room manager and hospitality coordinator since 1998, was promoted to general manager.

Harlan buys Diamond Oaks
Bill Harlan bought the former Diamond Oaks Winery, Oakville, from Dinesh Maniar, who recently filed for bankruptcy. The 21-acre property and winery are adjacent to Harlan’s property, where he produces Harlan Estate and Bond wines.

Udsen honored in Paso 
Niels Udsen, owner of Castoro Cellars, was named the 2009 Wine Industry Person of the Year by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Castoro, which also serves as a custom-crush, is one of the region’s oldest wineries.

TTB for “fortified”
The Sweet and Fortified Wine Association (SFWA), St. Helena, announced that it’s been advised by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) that the bureau will lift its post-Prohibition ban on the term “fortified” on labels for wines with added wine spirits. Since 2006, when an international agreement barred U.S. producers from using the word “port” to describe their product, there has been no adequate terminology for labeling and marketing these popular wines.