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Leading with
Quality & Innovation KOV Supreme Knight Scott Scheid and his family have been major contributors to innovation and growth in the wine industry in Monterey County, California for nearly 50 years. In 1972, when the wine region was in its infancy, Scheid’s father Al began growing grapes to sell to other wineries as a financial investment. At the time, the company was called Monterey Farming Corporation, and positioned itself as producers of high quality premium grapes. Seeing opportunity in the untapped wine market, the company purchased additional acreage of unplanted parcels and then, as the California wine industry began its unprecedented growth, produced bulk wine to meet the wineries’ increasing demand for quality juice. As the world of wine continued to expand, the Scheid family saw yet another opportunity: to create a grapes-to-glass business of authentic and elegant wines that could compete on the global stage. Today, while still selling grapes and bulk wine, the company (now called Scheid Family Wines), produces over 700,000 cases annually of estate-grown wines at its state-of-the-art winery near Greenfield, California in the Salinas Valley. The wines are sold under seven brands with distribution in all 50 states and 20 international markets. The company also produces nationally and regionally distributed exclusive brands for specific clients and distributors. Scott joined Scheid Family Wines in 1986 after working as an options trader with E.F. Hutton and Co. in New York City. He served as Vice President and then chief operating officer until 2000 when he became president. During this time, he has overseen the ever-increasing growth of Scheid Family Wines
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and upheld the company’s reputation as a problemsolver for wineries, as well as an innovator in producing high-quality, sustainable wines. Scheid, like his father before him, is a dedicated supporter of the California wine industry. He has served as Vice Chairman of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (cofounded by Al Scheid) and as President of Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association. He is currently a District Director for the California Wine Institute. The Scheid family is actively involved in the Monterey community. The company is the wine sponsor for the Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest running jazz festival in the world, and supports many local charities through donations, leadership, pouring at events and teaching. Scheid’s wife Nancy helped establish the local chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and in 2016 was named the organization’s Woman of the Year. Scheid’s sister Heidi, who joined the family business in 1992 and now serves as executive vice president, won the 2020 Person of the Year Wine Star award by Wine Enthusiast magazine. The award highlights individuals who have made outstanding achievements over the past year in the wine and alcoholic beverage world. The Arbor recently caught up with Scott Scheid at his home in Monterey County. An active supporter of KOV, Scott was eager to share his family’s place in the history of winemaking in Monterey County, as well as his enthusiasm for KOV.
By Nan McCreary continued >>>
The Arbor
