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Margerum Wine Company

Our Team

Doug Margerum

Owner & Director of Winemaking

Robert Daugherty

Winemaker

Corina Crowder

Assistant Winemaker

Lisa Delanty

Tasting Room and Events Manager

Zoe Bennett

DTC Sales Manager

Carolyn Kope

Chef

Brooks Van Wingerden

Director of Sales

Remy Margerum

E-Commerce

Renee Grossini

Distribution Sales Manager

Christina Panameno

Chief Financial Officer

Ben Merz

Co-Owner Coastal Vineyard Care

Juve Buenrostro

Margerum Estate Vineyard Manager

 

Doug Margerum

Owner/Director of Winemaking

 

Doug started his food and wine explorations while traveling with his parents at age 14 in France. His passion for tood and wine was enhanced as he worked in restaurants as a cook and server throughout his high school and college years. Coinciding with his graduation from UCSB in 1981, his family purchased Wine Cask in Santa Barbara - which quickly expanded to include a simple bistro adjacent to the existing wine store. In 1994 Wine Cask became one of 74 restaurants in the world to earn the Wine Spectator Grand Award. Doug sold Wine Cask in 2007 after deciding to devote all of his energies to wine making. MARGERUM WINE COMPANY was established in 2001. Doug's philosophy is to return to wine making in its previous form of production - handcrafted and personal. In addition to Margerum & BARDEN wines, Doug is also the winemaker/consultant for Happy Canyon Vineyards, Rancho Boa Vista, La Encantada Vineyards and Paradise Springs of Santa Barbara.

 

Robert Daugherty

Winemaker

 

Robert's understanding and interest in winemaking developed at an early age while working alongside his Aunt and uncle, Diana and Rick Longoria, owners and winemakers of Longoria Wines, one of Santa Barbara County's legendary wineries. Under their mentorship, he learned the art and appreciation of crafting elegant, handcrafted and food-friendly wines. After graduating college, Robert lived in Europe, where he further honed his passion and appreciation for global wines. Robert then moved to New Zealand for two harvests where he learned larger scale winemaking practices. Upon returning to California, he spent four years with Dierberg / Star Lane on their cellar and viticulture team. Atter working with fruit from the appellations of Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, he then joined Winc as a start-up and helped significantly grow this business to its present size.

 

Corina Crowder

Assistant Winemaker

 

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Lisa Delanty

Tasting Room Manager & Director of Events

 

With an electric passion for food and wine, Lisa is driven by her love of creating special experiencos and long-lasting memories. At any time, you willi see her buzzing around the tasting room, visiting the new hotspots in town, or running the hills of the beautiful Santa Barbara landscape. Originally from San Clemente, California, Lisa was bit by the hospitality bug at a young age and never looked back. Even during her two years living in Qingdao, China, she found excitement in the culture , connecting to the community around her, so much so that she began writing monthly articles for the local food and travel magazine, Redstar. And wherever there is good, Lisa will make sure that there is a perfect wine to pair along with it! Since her move to Santa Barbara in 2019, Lisa has gained experience from the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Events by Rincon, University Club of Santa Barbara, and Hotel Californian. Now as the Margerum Tasting Room Manager, Lisa strives to create a one-of-a-kind destination for all food and wine lovers, near and far!

 

Zoe Bennett

DTC Sales Manager

 

Zoe's passion for wine and viticulture perfectly pairs with her knack for hospitality. Born in San Diego and raised in Ramona amongst a blossoming wine industry, Zoe grew up going to vineyards and hanging out in tasting rooms. She quickly fell in love with the sense of community amongst those working in the industry and those who support it. Months after her 21st birthday, she began working in a small tasting room downtown part time while she finished her studies at UC Santa Barbara. Zoe started at Margerum shortly after graduation and the rest is history. Zoe is honored to be apart of such a strong team and work for a company so influential in food and wine in Santa Barbara County.

 

Carolyn Kope

Chef

 

Transplanted trom Santa Ana, Calitornia, Carolyn has over seventeen years experience in the Food & Beverage and Hospitality Industry. Carolyn is passionate about providing the highest quality products and service to all guests and has a depth of experience having worked at Whole Foods Market, managed coffee shops and her own deli and served at top restaurants in Santa Barbara. With a degree in Small Business Administration from Santa Barbara City College, Carolyn combined successful business tactics to increase Margerum's level of service and hospitality and creates some of the best food and wine pairing experiences in Santa Barbara.

 

Brooks Van Wingerden

Director of Sales

 

Raised in Santa Barbara, Brooks graduated from UCLA where she studied sociology and communications. While there, she worked for Sports Illustrated handling sales and marketing programs as well as market research for promininent advertisers. Upon graduation, Brooks worked at UBS Financial Services where she managed client relations and marketing programs for a high net worth wealth management team. After finishing her Certified Financial Planning degree at UCSB, she realized she wished to follow her passion for wine. Since joining Margerum Wine Company in 2010, she has used her financial background to quantify sales goals, manage the brand nationally for the company, and oversee the daily operations.

 

Remy Margerum

E-Commerce

 

Remy graduated from UCSB with a double major in Physics and Economics. He is currently the Director of Finance at Nomad Goods, he brings his extensive finance and e-commerce expertise to Margerum Wines, contributing to the expansion of our online presence. Remy's experience and education both, academically and practically, are a welcome addition to Margerum, ensuring the smooth operation of our online experience and function.

 

Renee Grossini

Distribution Sales Manager

 

Renee has deep roots in the local wine community. She is the 4th generation of her family to live on their beloved ranch in the heart of Sta. Rita Hills. She started working at a neighboring winery part-time while going to college. She fell in love with the fast pace and variety, and never looked back. As a Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance board member, she represents and promotes the incredible wineries and vineyards of this unique AVA. Renee is honored to continue on this path at Margerum.

 

Christina Panameno

Chief Financial Officer

 

Armed with her degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, Christina landed herself an executive assistant position to the CEO of a prominent investment company located in the heart of San Francisco's financial district. Although she loved the experience that this afforded her, the beautiful central coast, a place where she is deeply rooted, was calling her back home. She set out in search of a career with a company that embodied the perfect ratio of hard work and good living and found a perfect fit with Margerum Wine Company.

 

Ben Merz

Co-Owner Coastal Vineyard Care

 

Ben joined Coastal Vineyard Care Associates after graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Viticulture and Agribusiness. Ben and his dedicated team at Coastal have played a pivotal role in the growth of Margerum Wines. They have been integral in farming Margerum's Estate Vineyard and sourcing grapes from other reputable Santa Barbara County vineyards. Ben's reputation as a respected viticulturist has fostered strong and lasting relationships with vineyard clients, winemakers, and industry professionals alike.

 

Juve Buenrostro

Margerum Estate Vineyard Manager

 

Juve leverages over two decades of experience in vineyard work and management in Santa Ynez Valley. His deep-rooted knowledge of the Margerum Estate vineyard and meticulous attention to detail makes him an invaluable asset to the Margerum Wine Company team. Juve ensures our grapes reach their fullest potential, embodying the unique terroir of Santa Ynez Valley and contributing to the creation of exceptional wines.