[caption id="attachment_102335" align="alignleft" width="208"] Envolve Winery co-founder Mike Benziger (top) and new winery co-owner Kate Benziger were encouraged by the active involvement of their brother, Chris, in Becoming Independent.[/caption]
SONOMA -- Kate Benziger and her brother, Mike, now have controlling shares of Envolve Winery and have revamped the tasting room near Sonoma Plaza for more exclusive experiences, the company announced Tuesday.
Ms. Benziger has been in charge of marketing and the tasting room since early 2012, coming from hospitality then marketing internships at Benziger Family Winery, located near Glen Ellen. Her brother had been a Young's Market sales representative for one year before starting Envolve Winery in early 2008 with grade school friends Ben Flajnik and Danny Fay.
Mr. Fay "maintains an active role" with the company, according to the announcement. The winery produced 3,000 cases this year.
In July, Mr. Flajnik, who had been in charge of production and winemaking, dialed back his involvement to focus on a number of high-technology ventures, including newer startups Fernet Francisco, which plans to distill a San Francisco adaptation of Italian spice-infused spirits, and Seattle-based Gratci.com, which seeks a better way for website visitors to complete forms.
Mr. Flajnik remains an investor in Envolve. He starred in The Batchelor reality television series in 2011.
The look of the Envolve brand is currently being updated to emphasize its sustainability and family-centric approach, encouraging visitors to “Get Envolved” in supporting the community. This focus began with the Benzigers' brother, Chris, became active with Becoming Independent, a service organization helping people with disabilities live meaningful and productive lives.
“We have a strong connection to the community and an equally strong sense of family," Mike Benziger said. "Our new motto ‘Get Envolved,’ is a key component of our winery and how we do business. Giving back and getting involved is central to who we are and something we’re very proud of. It’s not only who we are but it’s also the feeling people will get when they visit us and taste our wines -- it’s a holistic experience.”
Along with the ownership change, Envolve also completed renovations of its tasting room at Sonoma Court Shops. It has a new "reserve" tasting area with seating. A new patio is planned, in response to visitor and guest interest in seated educational tasting. Envolve also plans to add unique wines and varietals to their existing repertoire, offering new and different tasting experiences for plaza visitors.
[caption id="attachment_102334" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Envolve Winery founders (from left) Ben Flajnik, Mike Benziger and Danny Fay[/caption]
