Pearmund Cellars Friendly Staff

          Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff

Our staff loves to explain why wine, a drink to be savored alone or with food, has been scientifically grown to provide health benefits.

Daily Employees and Frequent Volunteers Answer Your Questions

Pearmund Cellars Winemaker and Managing Partner: Chris Pearmund
: Managing Partner; Winemaker and Speaker

Managing Partner for Pearmund Cellars and Winery at La Grange. Winemaker for several Virginia wineries, receiving many fine wine honors including Virginia Governor's Gold Medals. Speaker for winemaker dinners, advanced winery tours, and detailed vineyard management discussions. Previously, consulted for The Country Vintner distributor, managed wine sales for Total Beverage, and started the first mobile bottling truck for East Coast wineries. His industry leadership positions have included: Chairman of the Board for the Virginia Wine and Food Society, President of the Virginia Vineyards Association, Publisher of "The Grape Press," founding member of the Blue Ridge Wine Way, and nationally certified wine judge/instructor for the American Wine Society
Pearmund Cellars General Manager: George McDonald : General Manager; Special Projects Coordinator; Host and Speaker

General Manager of Pearmund Cellars Winery. Responsibile for overall winery management. Tracks revenues, expenses, and quality levels. Coordinates special projects including barrel ownership programs, facility repairs, etc. Host for group tastings, wine dinners, winery tours, and winery management discussions. Previously, general manager of a large-scale catering and facility management firm.
Pearmund Cellars Tasting Room Manager: Gerald Avery
:  Director of Education and Hospitality; Tastings, Tours, and Wine Dinner Coordinator; Host

Oversees the total experience and integrity of our tasting tours, catered dinners, educational outreach, and corporate involvement. Orchestrates elegant, unusual, and romantic private tastings and wine dinners based on creative talents, gourmet cooking skills, and knowledge of fine wines. Forges stronger, strategic relationships with regional partners in the food and wine industry. Signifigantly enhances our cooperative initiatives with inns, spas, and sporting concerns. 
Pearmund Cellars Vineyard Winery Staff: Sue Raiford :  Tasting Room Manager; Retail Purchasing, Merchandising, Sales, Service; Hostess

Manager of daily tasting-room operations including purchasing, merchandising, and sales of retail wine and wine-related gifts. Primary point of contact for personalized service such as gift certificates, private labeling, custom wine glasses, etc. Hostess for off-site tastings, especially at wine stores and wine festivals. Previously, wine seller for Dominion Wine Cellars, Rappahannock Cellars, and other Virginia wineries. Also, built trellises and planted vines at Chapelle Charlemagne (Virginia vineyard and future winery).
Pearmund Cellars Vineyard Winery Staff: Dickey Rustin :  Wholesale Account Manager

Manager of wholesale purchasing by wine stores, restaurants, inns, and country clubs. Focuses on timely service and support for existing East Coast accounts, but also develops new accounts across the United States. Assists with merchandising, marketing channels, and product promotion. Previously, federal executive whose area of expertise included international programs. Traveled throughout the world for two to three months a year and visited many of the world's wine regions.
Pearmund Cellars Vineyard Winery Staff: DJ Leffin :  Assistant Winemaker and Speaker; Special Projects Coordinator

Assistant in all aspects of winemaking: crushing, pressing, blending, fining, fermenting, bottling, etc. Speaker for wine tastings and winery tours. Coordinator of special projects such as our tasting table production, beehive management, etc. Supports Tasting Room Manager and Vineyard Manager as needed.
Pearmund Cellars Vineyards Winery Staff: George Wilson
: Vineyard Manager; Host and Speaker

Manager of year-round, organic vineyard operations: pruning, planting, fertilizing, spraying, trellising, harvesting, etc. Host and speaker for wine tastings, vineyard tours, and wine dinners.
Pearmund Cellars Vineyard Winery Staff: Lisa Pearmund
:  Advertising and Donations Manager

Business manager. Winery consultant in the areas of advertising and donations management, primarily in evenings and on weekends. 
Pearmund Cellars Winery Staff: Jude Covas
:  Chief Financial Officer

Certified public accountant and accounting firm partner. Winery consultant in the areas of cash flow planning, monthly and yearly budgets, payroll services, and corporate fillings.
Pearmund Cellars Vineyard Winery Staff: Mary Anne Wassenberg
:  Webmaster, Database Manager, Retail Marketing Manager

Product manager with extensive experience in transition planning, technical marketing, requirements analysis, risk analysis, system design, software development, and process improvement. Webmaster for non-profit organizations (e.g., Knights of the Vine - Nation's Capitol Chapter, American Wine Society - Virginia Chapters). Winery consultant in the areas of web development, database design, software integration, and online marketing.

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