Lodi, California-based Michael David Winery has appointed Michael Stein as Vice President of National Sales, effective immediately, as the family-owned producer moves to accelerate on-premise and off-premise distribution across the U.S.
Stein brings more than two decades of wine industry sales leadership to the role. His resume includes senior positions at Robert Mondavi, Icon Estates — the former fine-wine subsidiary of Constellation Brands — Terlato Wine Group, and King Estate Winery. At Michael David, he will direct national sales strategy and manage U.S. distributor relationships, reporting to executive leadership.
Channel Priorities
The appointment signals a deliberate push to deepen penetration in both the on-premise foodservice channel — restaurants, hotels, and hospitality accounts — and off-premise retail, where Michael David's portfolio of Freakshow, Earthquake, Inkblot, and Misfits & Mavens competes in the premium and luxury tiers. Stein's track record at multi-brand portfolio houses positions him to manage the complexity of a winery with multiple SKUs competing across distinct price points and dayparts.
"His extensive experience building distributor partnerships, leading successful sales teams, and growing brands across the country makes him a tremendous addition as we continue to build on the momentum of Michael David Winery," said Melissa Phillips Stroud, Vice President of Michael David Winery.
Stein framed the move in generational terms. "I'm honored to be part of the next chapter and look forward to helping grow its iconic brands, build on the family's legacy, and share the Michael David story with even more wine lovers across the country," he said.
Competitive Backdrop
The hire arrives at a complicated moment for the domestic wine category. U.S. wine volume has faced consecutive years of softness as younger consumers shift toward spirits-based cocktails and hard alternatives, putting pressure on wineries to work distributor networks harder and earn placement in competitive on-premise programs. For independent, family-owned producers without the promotional firepower of Constellation or E&J Gallo, a seasoned national sales executive can be a significant lever — both for securing new area development agreements with distributors and for defending shelf and by-the-glass placement against better-capitalized competitors.
Michael David farms more than 900 acres in the Lodi Appellation and has operated as a bonded winery for more than four decades. The sixth generation of the Phillips family, including Melissa Phillips Stroud, now runs day-to-day operations alongside the founding generation. That continuity gives the winery a brand narrative — six generations of Lodi viticulture since 1984 — that can resonate with on-premise sommeliers and buyers increasingly interested in provenance and independent producers.
For foodservice operators curating wine programs, the Stein appointment suggests Michael David intends to compete more aggressively for by-the-glass and bottle-list placements in full-service restaurants and hotel dining. Operators sourcing regional and independent wine brands for their programs can expect increased outreach from Michael David's distributor network as Stein builds out his national sales infrastructure. Coverage of related beverage-alcohol channel moves can be found in our beverage coverage and supplier news sections.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
