Gayle Bartscherer to leave Jackson family for Duckhorn

Former Jackson Family Wines SVP of marketing, Gayle Bartscherer, is to join The Duckhorn Portfolio executive leadership team next month.

The news was announced today, with Bartscherer named as Duckhorn’s next executive vice president, chief marketing and DTC officer – a role that she is due to assume ‘in the next few weeks’.

Bartscherer brings more than 20 years of wine industry experience to The Duckhorn Portfolio, having previously held leadership positions in business development, winery operations, brand management, marketing, and international marketing and sales.

Most recently, Bartscherer spent the last several years managing a team of 60 as SVP international sales, marketing and business development at Jackson Family Wines (JFW).

During her 14 years with JFW, Bartscherer held several key positions, including brand manager, director of marketing, and vice president of international marketing and business development.

After starting in the accounting industry, Bartscherer began her career in wine at Blue Lifestyle, where she worked alongside author, columnist and television personality Anthony Dias Blue as vice president of business development and events. Bartscherer has also worked at Bon Appetit Magazine and Santa Barbara-based Beckmen Vineyards in marketing and operations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Italian from the University of London.

“Gayle is an exceptional addition to our executive leadership team,” said Alex Ryan, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the Duckhorn.

“She is a strategic, driven, and dynamic executive with a proven track record of identifying and capitalising on opportunities in the marketplace, especially in the DTC channel. A gifted leader and marketing executive with a deep understanding of luxury wine, she will contribute immensely to both our day-to-day operations and our broader strategic planning, while also focusing on continuing to drive growth in our highly successful DTC program. Gayle’s early experience as an accountant at Arthur Andersen, formerly one of the “Big Five” accounting firms, also ensures that she will bring the necessary financial rigour to her role to support our dual mission of growth and continuous qualitative improvement. She will be an invaluable addition to The Duckhorn Portfolio.”

“Like many others, I have been incredibly impressed by what The Duckhorn Portfolio has achieved and what it has come to represent in the luxury wine industry,” said Bartscherer. “Guided by the same pioneering spirit that made Duckhorn Vineyards an icon, The Duckhorn Portfolio is redefining the modern American luxury wine industry while setting new benchmarks for quality and consumer engagement. I am excited to join the team and to help continue the tradition of excellence.”

Ryan also commented on the contributions of outgoing executive vice president, chief marketing and DTC officer Carol Reber. He said, “Over the past 12 years, Carol was integral to transforming The Duckhorn Portfolio into the Company we are today. She has been instrumental to our success in establishing The Duckhorn Portfolio as America’s finest one-stop luxury wine shop. I can think of no higher compliment than to say that Carol has left our company stronger, more dynamic and more poised to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead than ever before. We are deeply grateful to Carol and wish her all the best.”

The Duckhorn Portfolio comprises ten wineries, eight winemaking facilities, seven tasting rooms and more than 900 acres of vineyards spanning 23 properties in the US.

Established in 1976, when vintners Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Vineyards, today the portfolio comprises Decoy, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Canvasback, Calera, Kosta Browne, Greenwing and Postmark.