Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley picks general manager, national sales manager

Matthew Sharp has been named general manager at Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley.

He steps into the position after five years as Shafer’s commercial director overseeing all aspects of domestic and global sales.

“Bringing Matthew into the business at this level is an exciting moment,” stated Doug Shafer, who took over the business from his father, John Shafer, in 1994. “He steps into the position with an enormous portfolio of industry experience and is poised to move Shafer into a great new chapter.”

Before joining Shafer Vineyards, Sharp had represented top luxury brands including Chateau Lafite Rothschild and had developed global accounts at Pasternak Wine Imports as well as brand management at The Henry Wine Group.

Shafer also announced the hiring of Jake Watson as national sales director.

Watson most recently was Southwest regional manager with Napa’s Folio Fine Wine Partners, with prior experience at The Estates Group, Young's Market Company and American Wine and Spirits, according to Shafer.

Shafer Vineyards is winery located in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District that owns and farms more than 200 acres of vineyards, sources for Shafer’s Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, TD-9, One Point Five, Relentless, and Hillside Select wines.