Three families with local ties — including a longtime winemaker — have purchased Laetitia Vineyard & Winery in Arroyo Grande from Vintage Wine Estates, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July.
The recent purchase was welcome news for Laetitia’s customers and club members, many of whom feared Vintage would simply close the landmark southern San Luis Obispo facility, clearly visible along northbound Highway 101.
Ejnar Knudsen, Jeff Nicholson and winemaker Eric Hickey have stepped up to lead Laetitia, founded in 1982 as Maison Deutz, into the future.
“My father helped shape early Laetitia releases, and I’ve been involved with the winery for more than 30 years. I’m thrilled to build upon this legacy as a Laetitia partner,” said Hickey, general manager and winemaker. “We’ve always been committed to our community, and this return to local ownership reinforces those ties.”
Hickey started his Laetitia journey in 1988, working harvest and in the cellar beside his father, Dave, who was then a production assistant at Maison Deutz.
Eric Hickey joined the Maison Deutz team at 22 years old. He immersed himself in the vintages of rhône, burgundy and bordeaux through a UC Davis extension program in France.
Hickey was promoted to Laetitia’s lead winemaker in 2000. He has since earned a reputation for making elegant estate wines that showcase the character and diversity of the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA with a focus on sparkling wine and pinot noir.
Hickey also expanded Laetitia’s long-standing sustainability programs. He helped the brand become one of the region’s first SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified vineyards in 2008, and he remains committed to resource stewardship and social responsibility.
Joining Hickey in the Laetitia partnership is Knudsen, a partner in several agribusiness companies across the San Joaquin Valley. He brings more than 100 years of family history in agriculture across California.
Knudsen first came to the area as a child to visit his extended family’s dairy farm in Santa Maria in the 1970s. Later while attending Cal Poly, he toured Laetitia in 1988, and it was love at first sight. The seeds of proprietorship were planted.
The Knudsen family has supported the development of the school’s wine and viticulture center and program, and Knudsen serves on the Cal Poly Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
The new owners look forward to continued engagement with the university’s new wine and viticulture center, along with instructors and students.
Nicholson brings extensive operations and logistics experience to his role as a Laetitia partner. He co-founded two food and agricultural distribution companies and is active as a board member on several food and agricultural companies in California.
As part of the new ownership group, Hickey looks forward to supporting Laetitia employees, strengthening community ties and growing the well-established wine club.
Tristan Pitre Named SAMsARA’s Director of Sales and Membership
SAMsARA, known across the Central Coast for its limited-production wines from the Sta. Rita Hills’ AVA, has announced that Tristan Pitre is its new director of sales and membership.
Pitre will direct the winery toward its goal of exceptional wines and elite experiences for guests.
With more than a dozen years of experience in wine management and fine dining, Pitre brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role. As an advanced sommelier certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, Pitre has held key positions as both sommelier and general manager for a number of well-known fine dining establishments across the United States, including the acclaimed Relais & Chateaux restaurant Demi in Minneapolis.
More recently, Pitre served as wine director for Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts in Santa Barbara for four years, overseeing the wine programs for multiple sites, including the Stonehouse Restaurant at San Ysidro Ranch.
“SAMsARA is a small winery where we’re always striving to improve, innovate and learn with every season, and a big part of that includes ensuring we have the best team,” co-owner Joan Szkutak said.
As director of sales and membership, Pitre will oversee multiple facets of winery operations and hospitality, including direct-to-consumer relationships through membership outreach and wine club management, leading tasting experiences in the Los Olivos and Goleta tasting rooms, and increasing community engagement and connections with SAMsARA members across the country.
“I feel fortunate to have worked at San Ysidro Ranch, which allowed me to meet so many incredible people in the Santa Barbara wine community, including (winemaker) Matt (Brady) and the Szkutaks,” Pitre said. “It didn’t take me long to realize that SAMsARA not only produces exceptional wines but also fosters a culture of passion and genuine connection with its community, and I am grateful to now be a part of it all.”
Fig Brew Honored with Two Medals at GABF
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. brought home two medals at the recent Great American Beer Festival competition in Denver, Colo.
Figueroa Mountain Brewing won two silver medals: one for its Agua Santa Imperial, and another for the Magpie Baltic Porter.
This marks its 33rd and 34th festival medal, and gives Figueroa Mountain the longest winning streak in 42 years of the Great American Beer Festival, with 14 consecutive medal-winning years — every year since its opening.
“Winning this year was extra special,” founder Jaime Dietenhofer said. “This was one the one of the most competitive GABF awards ever. To have your beers judged in a blind tasting without the marketing hype or outside influence means so much. We are so grateful to have our beers recognized at this level and are excited about bringing recognition to beer and breweries on the Central Coast.”
“This never gets old, but it gets tougher every year, (so it’s) great to see the Central Coast represent,” head brewer Kevin Ashford said. “Hopefully, more attention is brought to the great breweries right here in our backyard.”
Figueroa Mountain Brewing was founded in 2010 by Jaime and the late Jim Dietenhofer.