5/17 - Lee Hodo, Mitch Cosentino,

Mitch Cosentino - Cosentino Winery

The history of Cosentino Winery began when Mitch Cosentino started making his first wines in the corner of a Wine Distribution warehouse in 1980, in Modesto, California. By 1981, his first vintage was released under the labels of “The Cosentino Wine Company”and “Crystal Valley Cellars”. The first several wines produced and released by Cosentino in the early 1980s were made from small lots of grapes that Mitch acquired from some of the leading growers of California’s North Coast counties such as Napa, Sonoma,Mendocino, Lake, and Sacramento Counties.  Cosentino rapidly gained recognition for his innovative winemaking abilities and uniquely crafted wines. Mitch was a pioneer in introducing new varietals into the California wine market and a leader in creating new wine blends that would eventually become commonplace in the industry.

Russian River Valley Winegrowers - Lee Hodo

Lee Hodo:  Marketing Manager of the Russian River Valley Winegrowers. RRVW is a marketing and educational trade association of Wine grape growers and wineries in the Russian River Valley in the Sonoma County wine country.  Just an hour north of San Francisco, Lee has the privilege to work with the most talented farmers and winemakers in the United States. Lee is a veteran in marketing and promotion of wineries and destination brands.  Born in Sacramento California, she fell in love with the wine country immediately after graduating from college when she moved to Sonoma County in 1975.  It was here she began a career that has spanned three decades during which time she became especially noted for her “outside the box” promotions and no-nonsense approach to wine speak.  This approach has served her well, generating millions of media “hits” over the years, largely due to her ability to understand the language of both the uninitiated consumer and the often besieged media. Russian River Valley Winegrowers upcoming event Sonoma County Singles Night - Click For Details!