Franzia family replaces 585 Wine Partners leadership
By Business Journal Staff Report
SONOMA — The Franzia family, which operates Bronco Wine Co., brought in new management for 585 Wine Partners, a Sonoma-based producer of wines.
Bronco Chief Executive Officer Fred Franzia, a significant silent partner in 585 Wine Partners through a family entity called Barrel 10 Quarter Circle, in late February replaced co-founder and President Dan Leese and his wife, Kathy, with Dan Leonard as manager and Jim Carter as head of operations, according to a Bronco spokesman.
Mr. Leonard is vice president of Bronco, and longtime Sonoma resident Mr. Carter is director of exports for the company.
Family-owned Bronco is one of the world’s largest wine companies, importing 50 brands and producing 40 brands, including the Charles Shaw brand, usually called “Two-Buck Chuck” for its $2-a-bottle price.
In 2004 Mr. Leese became head of Foster’s Wine Estates Americas. In December 2005, the Leeses and another Foster’s Americas executive, Doug Walker, and his wife, Becky, acquired the Red Truck brand from Cline Cellars and formed Axiom Wine Group. The company then became 585 Wine Partners.
Mr. Walker remains with the company.
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I have been buying the box Franzia wines and for some reason the company changed the on/off plastic spouts and there is no longer a spout on the bottom to see where to place your glass. For some reason it was changed and you cannot see the the spount under the on/off tap causing my guests and me to spill the wine when turning it off and on.
A suggestion is that you go back to the old turn on/off spicket so a person can see where the wine is going to come out and prevent spilling onto the floor.
One must turn the box upside down when pulling the on/off spout from the box to see where the hole is located to make sure it is in the right spot for turning it on and off to prevent spilling.
Please put the spout that drops down from the spiket back on and not use the smooth spicket where you cannot see where the wine hole is located. This is very frustrating and I’ve heard lots of people complain who buy your product with some saying they’d rather pay a little more of another brand in order to see where the spout is located.
Just FYI. I like your wines, but if you can’t see where the hole is where the wine comes out when you turn it on, then it will be more advantagious for one to go to a brand where you can see where the spout is located and where to place your glass when turning it on and off.
Thank you.
Bill Fogleman
Edmond, OK 73034
by Bill Fogleman