Wilson Daniels Taps Veteran Gayle Bartscherer to Drive Global Growth

NEW YORK, NY – April 28, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling a significant push for global expansion and digital innovation, esteemed fine wine importer Wilson Daniels has appointed Gayle Bartscherer as its new Vice President of Business Development. Bartscherer, a widely respected industry veteran with over 25 years of experience, will report directly to President Rocco Lombardo and oversee the company’s domestic and international supplier and portfolio development.

A Strategic Hire for a Shifting Market

Bartscherer’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the fine wine industry. While overall wine consumption volumes have seen a decline in recent years, the market is simultaneously experiencing a robust "premiumization" trend, with consumers gravitating towards higher-quality, higher-priced bottles. This complex landscape, marked by shifting consumer habits and the need for new routes to market, requires seasoned leadership with a deep understanding of both traditional and emerging channels.

Wilson Daniels, which has seen its revenue and case sales grow fivefold in under eight years under Lombardo's leadership, is positioning itself to navigate these currents. The company has built its reputation on a meticulously curated portfolio of family-owned, terroir-driven estates. The appointment of Bartscherer is a clear indication of its intent to not only protect but aggressively expand this legacy.

"It gives me great pleasure to welcome Gayle to the Wilson Daniels family," said Rocco Lombardo, President of Wilson Daniels. "For more than a decade, we have diligently enhanced the breadth of our national portfolio, adding illustrious family partners including Familia Torres, Commanderie de Peyrassol, Bergström Wines, Benanti, GAJA, Domaine Faiveley, Elena Walch, and Chateau Montelena."

Lombardo highlighted Bartscherer’s unique qualifications for the role, stating, "With Gayle's intimate working knowledge of both the domestic and international fine wine markets, brand marketing, and the direct-to-consumer path for fine wine, I look forward to seeing her continue to evolve our go-to-market strategies while complementing our talented executive leadership team."

A Quarter-Century of Industry Influence

Bartscherer’s extensive resume reads like a tour of the modern wine industry’s most influential players. Her career, which began in 2000 after a formative period in accounting at Arthur Andersen, is marked by a steady ascent through key marketing and leadership roles.

Her longest and perhaps most defining tenure was a 14-year span at Jackson Family Wines (JFW) from 2008 to 2022. There, she rose to the position of Senior Vice President, International Sales and Marketing. In this capacity, she was instrumental in managing the international business for a staggering portfolio of over 50 brands across more than 100 global markets, giving her unparalleled insight into the complexities of global fine wine distribution.

Following her leadership at JFW, Bartscherer joined The Duckhorn Portfolio in 2022 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and DTC Officer. She led a team of 120 people, overseeing the company’s highly acclaimed direct-to-consumer program, a critical profit center for modern wineries. Her most recent role as Chief Executive Officer of LiveWine, a DTC marketplace platform, further burnished her credentials as an innovator on the digital frontier of wine sales.

This deep, multi-faceted experience—spanning global brand management, large-scale DTC operations, and nimble tech startups—makes her uniquely suited to guide Wilson Daniels’ next phase of growth.

Modernizing the Path to the Consumer

One of the most significant aspects of Bartscherer’s appointment is the expertise she brings in direct-to-consumer and digital strategy. While the wine industry saw a DTC boom during the pandemic, recent data from 2024 showed a market correction with a notable decline in shipment volumes. However, long-term projections indicate that the e-commerce channel for wine is poised for steady global growth, making digital proficiency a non-negotiable for future success.

Bartscherer's primary responsibilities will explicitly include "e-commerce and digital growth," signaling that Wilson Daniels is keen to integrate more modern sales strategies into its well-established, relationship-driven distribution model. Her experience managing Duckhorn's sophisticated DTC program and leading a tech-focused marketplace like LiveWine will be invaluable in this effort. She is tasked with helping a legacy company, founded in 1978, write its next chapter in an increasingly digital world.

"I'm very excited to be joining such a prestigious organization as Wilson Daniels, and to be part of the culture of this great wine company," Bartscherer stated. "I've spent over 25 years in the industry – largely in fine wine – so it's thrilling to be back representing some of the top family-owned heritage wineries in the world. I look forward to partnering closely with Rocco and the leadership team to define the next chapter in the Wilson Daniels story at this pivotal moment of growth within the company."

Defining the Future of a Storied Portfolio

At its core, Bartscherer's role is about strategic curation and expansion. She will be responsible for identifying future distribution opportunities and managing the evolution of a portfolio that includes some of the world's most revered names, from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti to Schramsberg. Her task involves not just adding new wineries but ensuring the entire portfolio is strategically positioned for maximum impact in a competitive marketplace.

This builds upon the company's proven success in expanding its footprint. In 2015, Wilson Daniels launched a wholesale division, starting in New York and quickly expanding to New Jersey and Connecticut. This venture proved highly successful, achieving its three-year plan in just 18 months and reinforcing the company's strength as a brand builder on the East Coast.

Based in Napa, California, Bartscherer will operate from the heart of the American wine industry, providing a crucial West Coast anchor for the New York-based importer. Her leadership is expected to forge new pathways for the world's finest family-owned wineries, ensuring their stories and their exceptional products continue to reach discerning consumers across the nation and beyond.