Barbara Messer Hired by Kautz Family Vineyards as National Corporate Accounts Manager

SIERRA FOOTHILLS, MURPHYS, Calif., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Kautz Family Vineyards, producers of several wine brands including Ironstone, announces the hiring of Barbara Messer as National Corporate Accounts Manager. Messer will be responsible for developing and coordinating the Kautz Family Vineyards wine portfolio in and through national on-premise operators. Additionally, Messer will be responsible for management of the Kautz portfolio in the states of Texas and Louisiana.

Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing said, "I have been fortunate to observe Barbara's effectiveness over several years. She is the consummate professional and with her extensive expertise and network of professional contacts, I am excited about the opportunities she will develop to advance our brands' position across this critically important segment of the market."

Stephen Kautz, President, stated, "My family and I are committed to providing our distributor partners with world-class wines and the team to support them. Barbara is a critical component for their efforts to secure National Corporate accounts. Adding Barbara to our sales team, along with the recent additions of Richard Conley as COO, Ron Johnson as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Kim Holden as Chain Accounts Manager underscore that commitment."

For more than 20 years, Messer has held critical positions in the wine industry. Just prior to joining Kautz Family Vineyards, Messer served as the Director of National Accounts for Foley Family Wines.

About Kautz Family Vineyards:

For four generations, sustainable farming and viticulture have been our way of life. With over 5,000 acres of vineyards in Lodi and the Sierra Foothills AVAs, the Kautz Family is one of the top 10 winegrape growers and top 10 family-owned and operated wineries in the United States. In addition to the Ironstone Winery and Entertainment Complex, located in the Sierra Foothills historic Gold Rush town of Murphys, the Kautz Family owns and operates the Bear Creek winery facility located in Lodi, California.

The family currently produces and globally markets six wine brands including Ironstone, Ironstone Reserves, Christine Andrew, Sonoma Creek, Dog Tail Vineyards and Leaping Horse Vineyards. The family also produces a variety of brands exclusive to the export market as well as several private label projects.

Many wines from the Kautz Family Vineyards portfolio can be found around the world in restaurants and local stores. For more information about the Kautz Family, and Ironstone, please visit www.ironstonevineyards.com