Woman standing in front of a stone wall with window holding glass of wine

Managing Director

Denise Trione

“I love being part of a family business and feeling the pride that comes from guests enjoying themselves at the winery as they taste our wines. I am deeply proud of our family’s commitment to the Sonoma County community.”

More about Denise

Vineyard Manager

Kris Hicks

“We do everything it takes to grow and maintain our commitment to quality fruit.  We find ways to farm efficiently and profitably while leaving the smallest footprint in the vineyard which drives our definition of sustainability.”

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Man standing in front of a vineyard

Winemaker

John Duckett

"Growing up in Sonoma County, the wine industry was always around me, but I never pictured myself making wine.  Looking at it now, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.  Wine is one of those things where you can never truly know everything, and this is precisely why I love being a winemaker.  "

More about John

Our Friendly Faces

Woman holding a wine glass next to a wood sign with numbers on it and trees and grapevines in the background

Sandy Elliott

Wine Club Coordinator

 

As the daughter of a forest ranger, Sandy was born and raised in the wilds of Montana. In 1982 while travelling with a boyfriend working on cooling towers, she found herself in Healdsburg and decided to stay. In 1985 she began a job at Rupert, Gibbon and Spider as Customer Service/International Sales Manager. Her career in marketing and events spanned 35 years in the arts and crafts materials industry and the casino business. Most recently she was the Events and Promotions Manager at River Rock Casino, where she managed both on and off-site events, promotions, and donations. After retiring in 2020, she realized she was not ready for the rocking chair. She reentered the workforce in August of 2022, here at Trione as the Wine Club Coordinator. Sandy had known the team and been a club member for years and her daughter, Maggie worked in the tasting room previously. “Starting work here was like coming home to family.”

Sandy is new to working in the wine industry, but living in Sonoma County, it eventually draws you in. She says her relatives just love coming to visit, though she is not sure if they are coming to see her or for the wine…. hopefully a little of both.

Sandy and her husband of 30 years, Ted live in Geyserville with her 2 dogs, Tucker and Pax and cat Hoodlum. Sandy spends summers in southwestern Montana between her childhood home and a log home her father built in 1990. “Sonoma County is beautiful and we love the community that is Geyserville, but the mountains of Montana are just a part of your soul. As John Muir so eloquently said “the mountains are calling and I must go.”

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Shawn Tumpney

Tasting Room & Retail Sales Supervisor

Shawn grew up in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he still has a family home. He moved to New York City where he made a career in theater, acting and inspiring. He then switched gears and went into retail management at Brooks Brothers. He managed several stores over his 25 years with the company. With his love of entertaining, travel, and wine, he and his partner came out west to make a part time home. In 2020, Shawn said it was time to bid farewell to his beloved city, New York, and come out to California fulltime.

Shawn and his partner Tony love calling Santa Rosa their home. They recently bought over on the coast too, a dream of theirs for many years. In his off time, Shawn is working on house projects like remodeling, painting, and searching for unique decor for their homes. He loves supporting the local community and enjoys dinning out at Sonoma County's eateries so much that when this opportunity to manage sales in Sonoma County for Trione came up, he was thrilled. He enjoys meeting new people and sharing the brand with the community. Shawn can be found doing what he does best; entertaining folks in the tasting room, on the weekends and handles outside sales during the week.

"I have been a wine club member for 12 years, we used to plan our California trips around the Trione wine dinners, I have always loved it here. I am excited to be a part of the team now."

Woman in yellow sweater standing between rows of grapevines

Penny Jones

Hospitality

 

After graduating University of Colorado Reid spent several years in the restaurant business in Colorado, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Reid began his wine career running the on-premise business for several DC wholesalers selling both national and boutique brands. When the opportunity to manage the Northeast for The Jordan Winery arose, a new chapter began. Reid rose to the position of national sales manager overseeing both the U.S. and international business before moving onto other opportunities. In addition to Jordan, Reid has worked for Accolade in the Mid-Atlantic and Boisset in the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic. In 2016, Reid joined Trione managing sales in the Eastern region. He sees it as an honor to represent Trione out in the market. He lives in Centreville, Virginia with his wife Mariann, son Cole, dog Finn and has a married daughter Christy living outside Philadelphia.

In his off time, Reid enjoys spending time with family, sipping wines, cooking and touring cival war sites.

"Working for the Triones makes you feel like family and not just an employee. The quality of the wines and the people are outstanding which makes every day a joy to go to work."

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Alyson White

General Manager

Alyson White is a seasoned professional in the wine industry, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as the General Manager of Trione Vineyards & Winery. With a passion for wine and a deep understanding of the business, Alyson is dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for wine enthusiasts and promoting the art of winemaking and viticulture.

Alyson has spent her wine career in business leadership roles with Sonoma County wineries large and small, building strong relationships and developing a deep appreciation for the industry. Most recently, she served as the DTC Manager at Gary Farrell Winery, where she successfully implemented innovative marketing strategies, resulting in increased sales and customer engagement.

With her dedication, extensive knowledge, and exceptional leadership skills, Alyson is poised to guide Trione Vineyards & Winery to new heights. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and finds inspiration in exploring Sonoma County's beauty.

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Alec Reshefsky

Cellar Supervisor

Alec moved out west from Washington D.C. where he was born and raised. He came to Sonoma County in the early 2000’s and fell in love with wine (like many do!). In 2011 he worked in Sonoma Valley at various wineries where he learned the ropes in the tasting room and tried his hands at cellar work. Over the course of his time in the industry, Alec has worked a total of seven harvests, four of them being at Trione Winery.

In 2015 Alec was originally hired at Trione to work in hospitality hosting guests at the winery and in the tasting room. After a few years of that side of the business, he realized his passion was more on the production and wine-making side of things. Scot eagerly agreed to hire him to help with harvest. He no sooner had wine stains on his shirt and he was hooked and back in the cellar full-time.

His favorite part of harvest is split between drinking unfermented grape juice and making the yeast starter and watching them go to work (bubbling as the yeast convert sugar into alcohol while creating Co2 and generating heat).

In his spare time Alec plays mandolin for an Americana, folky-style rock band locally. Hear them play currently at the Rio Nido Roadhouse in West County on the weekends. Alec loves animals, going on hikes; enjoying mother nature, learning new things, and being goofy with friends.

“I love working for the Trione’s because they are honest, caring, hard-working people. I feel appreciated by them and they are clearly very passionate about their love of wine and their employees.”

Man standing in front of a stone wall

Michael Sage

National Sales Manager

Michael, aka Sage, joined the Trione Team early 2018. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, as a kid Sage recalls the multiple trips to Missouri wineries and tasting rooms with his parents, growing grapes, and ‘trying’ to make drinkable wine with his dad and grandfather. After college and while in culinary school, at 23 he really got the wine bug as he became a manager, and the wine director of a high-end sports celebrity steakhouse. After many years working in fine dining and Country Clubs, Sage officially entered the wine industry in 2004 as a sales person and then eventually sales manager for A. Bommarito Wines of Missouri.

In his downtime, Sage enjoys spending time with his awesome kids, hiking, mushroom foraging, mountain biking, golf, snowboarding, and driving everyone at the Trione tasting room crazy.

“As a former director of wines for restaurants, country club, and distributors, it just does not get any better than a winery such as Trione Vineyards & Winery. Here is a family and winemaker that understand that quality, vintage to vintage consistency, of a wine comes only one way, from the selection of best clones, blocks, and rows of grapes meticulously grown, harvested, and eloquently finished at the winery. Pinch me.”

Man in front of stone wall holding a glass of white wine setting on top of a wine barrel

Reid Harper

Eastern Sales Manager

After graduating from the University of Colorado Reid spent several years in the restaurant business in Colorado, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Reid began his wine career running the on-premise business for several DC wholesalers selling both national and boutique brands. When the opportunity to manage the Northeast for Jordan Winery arose, a new chapter began. Reid rose to the position of national sales manager overseeing both the U.S. and international business before moving onto other opportunities. In addition to Jordan, Reid has worked for Accolade in the Mid-Atlantic and Boisset in the Southeast/Mid-Atlantic. In 2016, Reid joined Trione managing sales in the Eastern region. He sees it as an honor to represent Trione out in the market. He lives in Centreville, Virginia with his wife Mariann, son Cole, dog Finn and has a married daughter Christy living outside Philadelphia.

In his off time, Reid enjoys spending time with family, sipping wines, cooking and touring civil war sites.

"Working for the Triones makes you feel like family and not just an employee. The quality of the wines and the people are outstanding which makes every day a joy to go to work."