Warning: Purely commercial -- but interesting for those who love Bonny Doon.

[Like me.]

Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon


I don't know if you can help me, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to reach out. I have just made some major changes in the organization of Bonny Doon, as you may have heard, having just sold off two of our large brands, Big House and Cardinal Zin, and planning to relocate the other large brand (Pacific Rim) to the Northwest. The net of it is that Bonny Doon operations in California are shrinking from approximately 400,000 to 40,000 caes a year. We are looking to plant two new vineyards (farmed biodynamically, of course) and build a new winery as soon as is feasible. I am searching for a general manager type with a strong business and management background - a brilliant generalist really, who would be interested in living in Santa Cruz. This person has a management background in wine wholesale/retail or perhaps even restauration; the ideal is winery management experience. I realize this is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but please let me know if you have any ideas about who might fit this bill.

It looks like Randall is looking to ease himself into retirement.

I don't blame him -- retirement is wonderful!

Retirement? I doubt it. In fact, I bet he changes his mind before the year is out. He's done it before. Remember the Livermore fiasco?

Or maybe not. I hear he's laying off a bunch of people, and he's told the local press he wants to make fewer wines and "just nail those."

With ol' Randall, who knows?