Leadership & Staff

2023 Board of Directors Election

There are nine (9) nominees for the three (3) open seats to the Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology (CAVE) Board of Directors; all three positions are for a 3-year term ending December 31, 2025.

You are able to vote for no more than three (3) candidates. Each current CAVE member receives one vote. Ballots with more than three selections or duplicated ballots will be void. All ballots must be received by 5:00pm on December 16th to be counted.

Nominees

Jenne Baldwin-Eaton
Wine Consultant

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Jenne Baldwin-Eaton
In 1994, Baldwin-Eaton was looking for a career in the chemistry field and attended the 3rd Colorado Mountain Winefest to inquire if there were any opportunities. She was hired by Erik Bruner at Plum Creek Cellars to work in the lab. From 1994 to 1999, Baldwin-Eaton learned all aspects of winemaking, lab analysis, grape-growing, and running a winery; then in 1999, she took over as head winemaker. In 2017, Baldwin-Eaton wanted to “Pay it Forward” and pass on the excitement for the Colorado wine industry and education that was passed down from her mentor, Erik Bruner. Bringing what has been learned by the pioneers and teaching the next generation of winemakers came to fruition with the first Associates of Applied Science in Viticulture and Enology program offered in Colorado at Western Colorado Community College in the spring 2017 semester. For six years, Baldwin-Eaton has developed curriculum, taught a variety of classes, and recruited/marketed the program.

In 2022, Baldwin-Eaton semi-retired from academia and is currently administering the newly developed Warren Winiarski/Gerald Ivancie Institute of Viticulture and Enology. She is a wine consultant for a few wineries in the Grand Valley, one of the founding members of the American Wine Society – Western Slope Chapter, and has served on committees for CAVE for the past 15+ years.

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James Blanchard
Blanchard Family Wines

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James Blanchard

James began his wine journey while stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base in the Central Coast of California as a young officer. His professional study of weather, climate, and geography translated well into his passion for wine. As part of his Air Force career, James spent 4 years at the Air Force Academy teaching finance, accounting, and financial investments. During this period, he was involved in angel investment and entrepreneur groups and was involved in several food and beverage start-up companies. His experience in the success and failures of these other business ventures helped lead to the startup of his own winery, Blanchard Family Wines.

Blanchard Family Wines was founded by James, and his brother Mark, in 2009 in Healdsburg, California. James ran finance, marketing, and eCommerce sales for the company until 2018, when he opened their new flagship location in Denver, Colorado. After the opening of this location, and the subsequent location in Fort Collins, Colorado, James transitioned into overall company management. With the opening of the company’s two Colorado locations, Blanchard Family Wines transitioned from a California wine company to an advocate and sales outlet for Colorado wine. The company is not only one of the leading retail outlets for Colorado wine in the state, but also a Front Range center for education and marketing of Colorado wine. From winemaker education panels, Colorado wine dinners, and Colorado-focused wine festivals, Blanchard Family Wines has made it a key focus to spread Colorado wine to the masses.

As CAVE board member, James would lend his 20+ years of military leadership, 15+ years of business ownership, and 4+ years of board experience to help grow the Colorado wine industry. His extensive experience in leadership, management, finance, and non-profit work would provide value to the industry. James is a current advocate for dozens of Colorado wineries, has broad interests in the Colorado wine industry, as well as broad experience.

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James Ferguson
Talon Wine Brands

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James Ferguson

James Ferguson has served on the CAVE Board of Directors in the past and currently serves as General Manager at Talon Winery, one of Colorado’s most prominent wineries. He has been with the company for 9 years and is a great leader on their team. He is highly dedicated, reliable, honest, hardworking, and consistently focuses on solutions. He is a true leader, always in search of higher ground for all parties involved. He makes a habit of trying to see any issue from a neutral, objective point of view to work for the best possible result. He puts himself in the shoes of others and advocates for the entire industry.

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Lee LaNoue
LaNoue DuBois Winery

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Lee LaNoue

Lee is the winemaker and owner of LaNoue DuBois Winery in Montrose, Colorado. He and his family have been growing grapes in the Uncompahgre Valley since 2001 and opened their winery in the spring of 2021. Their fifteen acres of solar-irrigated vineyard sits at 6,003’ elevation and is entirely planted with cold-hardy cultivars. Lee has faced his fair share of challenges along the way, but his degree in Viticulture & Enology from CMU has given him the knowledge and experience to make his vineyard thrive and produce quality wines from the start.

He is seeking a term on the CAVE Board because he believes in the Colorado Wine Industry as a whole and appreciates all the excellent work done by the people before him to put Colorado wine on the map. He would like to do his part to continue elevating Colorado wine recognition, both regionally and nationally. He would also like to ensure that rural wineries have a voice on the board, as their business models are different from wineries in areas with higher traffic from wine tourism.

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Sarah McCall
Grand Valley Grapes & Grains Adventures

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Sarah McCall

Ever since the first time Sarah McCall tried wine from Colorado, she has been passionate about Colorado wine! She is the owner of Grand Valley Grapes and Grains Adventures, a tour company focused on providing education and promotion of Colorado’s wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Sarah has been a member of CAVE’s Education and Marketing Committees for the past year, and previously served as an Executive Director for a non-profit organization in Grand Junction. She also served as Events Coordinator for the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association Mile High Chapter’s Board of Directors.

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James Melling
Carboy Winery

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James Melling

James is the managing partner and operator of Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estates. James has an extensive background in construction and project management including but not limited to the planning, budgeting, contracting, and management of the capital improvement projects team in the San Francisco Bay Area portfolio for Equity Residential.

James has been a tremendous asset and has led the expansion of Carboy Winery to the Grand Valley. James has overseen all aspects of the business in Palisade. His ability to learn quickly and gather vital knowledge of viticulture and vineyard management as well as his background in amateur winemaking has become invaluable to Carboy’s long-term success. James would be a tremendous asset to the CAVE Board of Directors.

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Bob Roukema
Amateur Winemaker

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Bob Roukema

Bob is an amateur winemaker and vineyard owner. He moved to the Grand Valley in 2018 after a 24-year career with the Air Force and another 12 years teaching. He has attended several colleges and universities including the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley where he grew up. He is currently enrolled in the Viticulture & Enology Program at the Western Colorado Community College. He has a strong interest in education and feels that he could contribute to the other committees of CAVE.

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Kevin Webber
Carboy Winery

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Kevin Webber

Kevin founded Carboy Winery with Owner Craig Jones and Head Winemaker Tyzok Wharton in 2015. Though a Colorado native, Kevin‘s 25+ years of experience in the restaurant industry led him down a path of great knowledge and appreciation for wine becoming a sommelier in 2011. Kevin has been involved in all aspects of Carboy Winery since its inception including brand and systems development, wine operations, front-of-house operations, and sales and market strategy, and eventually becoming CEO. Kevin currently serves on the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board & CAVE Board of Directors.

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Melanie Wick
Whitewater Hill Vineyards

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Melanie Wick

Melanie is the co-owner of Whitewater Hill Vineyards in Grand Junction. She and her family have been growing grapes in the Grand Valley for over 10 years, and she fulfilled her dream of owning a winery when she purchased Whitewater Hill Vineyards earlier this year. Memories of installing the original vineyard with her family, growing together with the wine community here in the valley, and embracing what it means to be part of the Colorado wine industry have been a true joy.

With a background in chemistry and years of home winemaking, Melanie has taken to the cellar with a passion. Melanie welcomes the opportunity to promote and advocate for the Colorado wine industry. Owning over 10,000 peach trees, she is also able to bridge the divide between grape and fruit growers. This diversity of perspectives and love for the industry is merged with the stability and generosity that comes from a lifetime of pursuing her passions. Bringing a sense of brand and identity to Whitewater Hill Vineyards, including increasing the winery’s online presence, would be a wonderful asset to CAVE’s marketing presence. Finding a balance between marketing and viability, taking this burden off the wineries as we continue to grow this industry, is a key issue that Melanie intends to address. Allowing the makers to thrive, supporting the talent in the state, and continuing to think of the Colorado wine industry in terms of regional and national standards will allow us to continue to thrive in a developing world.

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CAST YOUR VOTE

CAVE Board of Directors

Term Ending December 31, 2022
Dave Aschwanden – Chill Switch Wines (Vice President)
Logan Schlutz- Boulder Valley Vineyards
Kevin Webber – Carboy Winery

Term Ending December 31, 2023
Laura Black – Mesa Park Vineyards
Charles Talbott – Talbott Hard Ciders
Phil Patton – Peachfork Orchards

Term Ending December 31, 2024
Juliann Adams – Vines 79 (Treasurer)
Bret Neal – Stoney Mesa Winery
Scot Smith – Handshake Acres (President)

CAVE STAFF

Cassidee Shull
Executive Director
Email Cassidee

Melinda Tredway
Program Director & Volunteer Coordinator
Email Melinda

Bookkeeper
Email Bookkeeper

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2023 Board of Directors Election

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