Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 1 0 9 took on more of a leadership role in 2005 when he became the win- ery's executive vice president and national sales manager. In the years that followed, Cohn went on to help build the brand, particularly the three anchors of his family's caber- net sauvignon-based wine portfolio: Silver Label, Olive Hill Estate and Special Selection. Since taking over as president in 2013, Cohn has been on a mis- sion to redefine the estate brand by creating a new series of cabernet sauvignon wines with the help of veteran winemaker Tom Montgom- ery, including the Gold Label series – the winery's first new commercial release in decades. V&WM caught up with Cohn to discuss the estate vineyard, new projects and his vision for the future. Vineyard & Winery Manage- ment [ V&WM ] What brought your family to Sonoma County? Dan Cohn [ DC ] My grandpar- ents originally lived in Chicago. But when my dad's brother, Marty, developed asthma, the doctors told them to move to a drier cli- mate in the early 1950s. That's when they moved to Russian River Valley and purchased an old farm near the Martinelli family property off River Road. During the week they lived in San Francisco, but eventually sold that property to spend all their time on the ranch. Around that time my grandfather bought two goats to mow the lawn. Next thing you know, the family had 127 goats to milk twice a day. Eventually, they had the first Grade-A certified goat dairy in California. My dad loved Sonoma County, too. So after he started work- ing with the Doobie Brothers, he invested in our estate property, planted the original vineyards and, with the consulting help of Chuck Wagner of Caymus (Vineyards), started our family winery. Now my sister, Tasha, and I represent the third generation to take this spirit to the next level. [ V&WM ] What characteristics make your family's Olive Hill Estate Vineyard special?