The Sonoma Table

When asked what she loves most about the wine world, marketing and hospitality ace Nicole Quandt’s answer was immediate: “I love how collaborative the wine industry is. There is no good kept secret. What benefits you, benefits your neighbor and the industry.”

The down-to-earth response can be credited to Nicole’s 20 years of experience in the wine industry with some of California’s keystone wine families—Gallo, Wente and Trinchero among them. Now Nicole serves as the Senior Director of Hospitality and Sales at the Wine Group at Benziger, long considered to be a progressive beacon of farming in California.

A Napa Valley denizen, Nicole and her husband Andrew raise their daughter Sloan and two cats on a steady diet of community, cooking, travel and a good TV binge every now and then. We caught up with Nicole about life and what inspires her work.

What is your current position and what does it entail?

I’m the Senior Director of Hospitality and Sales at The Wine Group. I manage Direct-to-Consumer businesses for Benziger, Imagery and Concannon wineries, which includes oversight of ninety-plus employees across three tasting rooms, ten wine clubs, direct sales, e-Commerce, special events, and marketing.

Tell us a bit about what got you here

Education

I am a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where I earned a B.S. Business Administration and Minors in Spanish and Economics. The highlight of my college career was the year I spent abroad in Sevilla, Spain taking advantage of traveling throughout Europe!  

E&J Gallo Winery
In my five years at Gallo, I was fortunate to work in the Sales, Hospitality and Marketing departments which provided me with diverse experiences and fortified the foundation for my future endeavors in the wine industry.

Wente

As Director of Fine Wines and Experiential Marketing, I spent seven years representing six wine brands, private labels, and experiential businesses including four tasting rooms: 1) The Restaurant, 2) The Grill, 3) The Course and 4) The Concerts and Events & Weddings at Wente Vineyards.

Trinchero

I led marketing efforts for their Luxury wine portfolio and Direct-to-Consumer businesses before joining The Wine Group in 2017.

What are you thinking about lately?

A lot has changed since I first started, but one of the most inspiring developments has been the advancement of women within the industry. Also, I am proud to have worked for several companies at the forefront of sustainability. They are committed and focused on eco-friendly wine production and the use of natural resources, so they are available for future generations.  

Why did you join LDEI and what do you enjoy most about your involvement?

Becoming a member of LDEI has afforded me the opportunity to further my involvement, outside of my current position, to support, educate, and help advance women in the fields I am passionate about.  I have really enjoyed the wonderful women I’ve met and the connections I’ve made.

How would you like to see Les Dames influence other women in the hospitality industry and provide doorways for those who want to enter it?

Les Dames does a tremendous job of supporting the growth, development, and advancement of women in the hospitality industry through leadership, mentorship, community involvement, fundraising, awards and scholarships. However, making non-members inside and outside of the industry aware of what LDEI does and how it can benefit them increasingly important to reach our goals.

What skill do you possess that you would most like to pass on to other women entering the business?

Flexibility. One of the main things that has driven my career path is that I’ve always made it known that I am open to opportunities that don’t follow the linear path or natural next step. Illuminating this early in my career led me to a newly created position in hospitality at E.&J. Gallo, which was a fantastic steppingstone that afforded me opportunities in Brand Marketing and DtC.  Throughout my career, I’ve never gotten overly hung up on titles but rather what the job would do to round out my set of skills and experiences. So, while that didn’t always translate into promotions, this open-minded approach set me up to be the best candidate for future endeavors, eventual promotions, and a very fruitful career in wine.

In addition to serving on the nominating committee within our chapter, Nicole has been managing The Wine Group sponsorship at LDEI, including the new Scholarships for Impactful Change!

Cheers to you, Nicole!