THE TEAM

David Akiyoshi

Winery - Winemaker

David, a second generation winemaker who graduated from University of California, Davis, is a 25 year veteran winemaker from Robert Mondavi. As Director of Winemaking at Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, he led a team of enologists in creating and evolving their wine style to improve the quality of Woodbridge wines. He helped pioneer winegrower lot processing for direct wine quality feedback, supported barrel aging of premium wines for enhanced quality, and drove stylistic winemaking for hundreds of different wines. His winemaking philosophy stems directly from Robert Mondavi himself, driving continuous improvements while nurturing a respect for both grape and wine.

Today, his belief in true varietal expression and wine’s natural marriage with food makes him a pivotal member of the LangeTwins team. In addition to making our wine, David is also a restaurateur – School Street Bistro located in Lodi, California.

Along with his wife Trisha, David enjoys his Downtown Lodi restaurant, collecting vintage posters, golfing, and snow-skiing.

THE TEAM

Karen Birmingham

Winery - Winemaker

Karen joined our team before the 2008 Harvest and we couldn’t be happier having her on our team.

Look for a complete bio soon!

THE TEAM

Alfonso Ramirez

Winery - Cellar Master

Moving to the Napa Valley in 1995, Alfonso pursued a career in the wine industry with Beringer Winery as a Winery Specialist and Cellar Team Leader. As Alfonso gained experience, his talents were recognized and he went on to become Cellar Master for several premium Napa wineries. His responsibilities within the cellar, from blend preparation to basic lab analysis, sparked an interest in winemaking and enology and this passion led him outside the winery and into the classroom where he is currently studying enology at Napa Valley College.

With enthusiasm, ambition and dedication, Alfonso is a vital member of our winemaking team.

Alfonso spends his free time fishing and DXing with his ham radio.

THE TEAM

Kelly Brakel

Viticulture Operations

Born in Lodi, Kelly spent his college summers working for Brad and Randy’s father. He joined LangeTwins after graduating from Fresno State University with a degree in Plant Science and an emphasis on viticulture. He has been working for LangeTwins for 30 years managing the vineyard management business alongside Brad and Randy.

As a vital member to our team, he continues to bring updated information from his on-going education and involvement in local winegrowing organizations. Currently, Kelly is an officer on the Lodi District Grape Growers Association Board. We consider Kelly family, have partnered with him in several vineyard development projects, and count on his accomplishments and dedication to continue to enhance future growth.

Away from work, Kelly enjoys snow skiing, golfing, and spending time with his family.

THE TEAM

Kyle Brown

Viticulture Operations

Kyle’s bio will be posted soon!