July 15, 2020 – Remi Cohen, a seasoned executive across the realms of management, finance, sales, marketing, viticulture and winemaking joins Domaine Carneros this August as CEO just before harvest kicks off. With 20 years of experience that began in the Carneros region at Saintsbury just after receiving her master’s degree in viticulture, Cohen comes full circle after building a multi-faceted career focused on fine winemaking, superb viticultural know how, managing teams, and directing strategic sales and marketing programs in the luxury wine space. Her most recent position was that of COO at Lede Family Wines, where she built a decade long career earning her many accolades including in 2015, Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 recognition as a tastemaker and influencer in the Napa Valley.
Cohen has long held Domaine Carneros and its management in high regard stating, “I admire the incredible talent, leadership, and vision that luminary Eileen Crane has provided for the winery. I take great pride in the opportunity to continue to develop this foundation of excellence.” After a sparkling 33-year career as founding winemaker and CEO, Crane will hand over the reins in August while overseeing her last harvest and blending the 2020 cuvees following.
Cohen’s education and experience make her a well-rounded executive for the world class winery that has built an enviable Direct to Client sales and hospitality reputation, alongside a robust three tier distribution marketplace with Kobrand Corporation, its national marketing and distribution partner. She received a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology from University of California, Berkeley, and then went on to receive master’s degrees in Viticulture from University of California, Davis and an MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University.
Among her many accomplishments at Lede Family Wines was the fine tuning of winemaking and viticultural practices, taking the winery next level in terms of critical scores. As an advocate of sustainability practices, in perfect line with the sensibility and standards at Domaine Carneros, she presided over the receipt of Napa Green certification for the land and winery. Her management style of open communications, cross team engagement and customized personnel guidance match well with the open book leadership style Crane embraced over the recent decade. When queried about her plans for the winery she shared, “The wine industry is at a pivotal time, with changing consumer demographics. I look forward to using data-driven and team decision-making processes to create innovative, benchmark hospitality programs as well as wine club and consumer engagement tactics to attract and retain a broad membership and consumer base.”
Of the hire, Eileen Crane states, “I have had a long and satisfying career guiding Domaine Carneros to where it is today. My dream from the age of eight was to make delicious sparkling wine. From a little girl in New Jersey through a path of many adventures with twists and turns, eventually I found the career that has been more than a dream come true. And it has been a great pleasure to work with the Taittinger family for 33 years. Remi has all the qualities and more to take us to the next evolutionary step, particularly during a challenging time in the wine business. Her adaptability to the changing demographic and cultural landscape will guide the winery into the future with a steady hand at the helm.”
Crane also underscored the high value that the founding Taittinger family has for female leadership. The Taittinger family’s CEO is Vitalie Taittinger, who was the company’s first female president since its founding. Of Crane’s departure she states, “Eileen Crane will forever be a name associated with the golden age of Carneros. We look forward to Remi Cohen’s vision for the winery as it enters its 34th year in 2021.”
