On Monday, Donn Reisen, president of famed zinfandel producer Ridge, was found dead in his car, an apparent suicide victim. Although winemaker Paul Draper represented the face of this favored winery, Reisen worked 32 years in sales and marketing and propelled it to cult status. A quiet yet incredibly passionate man, one of the best things about Reisen was his dedication to spreading the zeal for zinfandel, our most homegrown grape variety. He served as past president of ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) and continued to serve on the board of directors. He told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2004: "America is a melting pot of cultures and Zinfandel, like the European immigrants to the U.S., is part of our American history." More information. He’ll be missed.
Taylor Eason’s homage to Ridge
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 3, 2009.
