BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, and Scheid Family Wines of Monterey, California, have forged a new partnership to create Mo zaik, a premier collection of fine wines, made exclusively for Benchmark. Beginning in May, the new vintages will be available at all¬ ¬¬Benchmark properties in the United States, including those in the company’s Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection. Scheid Family Wines is one of California’s largest producers of wine and a leader in the development of Monterey’s thriving wine industry.

Benchmark’s Vice President Food & Beverage Patrick Berwald and his team have been deeply involved in the creation of the Mo zaik brand including its name, which derives from the phonetic spelling of Benchmark’s stylish Mosaic travel and lifestyle journal. “We are tremendously proud to partner with Scheid Family Wines to bring our guests a truly special product that is 100 percent estate grown and sustainably farmed and can meet the demands of individual customers, and our meeting and event clients.” Mr. Berwald said. He notes that Scheid Family Wines was chosen for its nationally distributed portfolio of brands such as Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, and Ryder Estate and for their expertise in creating a range of wines for private clients.

“Scheid Family Wines first planted vineyards in Monterey County in early 1972,” said Heidi M. Scheid, Executive Vice President of Scheid Family Wines. “As winegrape growers at heart, we are extremely focused on sustainably farming our land for quality and being fully-integrated from grapes to glass. We are excited about the opportunity to produce Mo zaik and bring our estate grown wines to the clientele of Benchmark.” Ms. Scheid continued with, “Our traditions of family, sustainability, outstanding value and world-class wines are a natural fit with Benchmark’s goal of excellence in global hospitality.”

The wines include two exceptional reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and two whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. They will be available by the glass and bottle at all of Benchmark’s domestic properties.

These fine wines are a rich mosaic of flavors, textures, aromas and experiences. They reflect the richness and distinctive grapes grown along the coastal region of Monterey County, California, that spans the area from the Carmel Valley to Salinas. 

Benchmark’s new signature Mo zaik wines:

• Mo zaik Sauvignon Blanc - Fresh and vibrant, with juicy stone fruit, grapefruit tones and citrus flavors with a crisp, clean finish.
• Mo zaik Pinot Noir – Graceful and balanced, with red cherry, plum and pomegranate with hints of toast and spice.
• Mo zaik Chardonnay - Smooth and balanced, with pineapple, white peach and citrus flavors with subtle oak and a nuance of vanilla.
• Mo zaik Cabernet Sauvignon - Rich and complex, displaying blackberry, cassis and mocha flavors backed by soft, silky tannins.

Mo zaik pays homage to Benchmark’s award-winning and stylish lifestyle Mosaic travel journal and to the company’s culture, each established byBenchmark’s Founder Burt Cabañas. He titled Mosaic after a shimmering Greek mosaic of shining pieces in many colors, representing Benchmark’s global view and unity of purpose, symbolic of the company’s vision, innovation and commitment to excellence.

The Monterey Wine Country

The Scheid family stands in the vanguard of the development of the Monterey wine industry, from its early beginnings in the 1960s. Today, Monterey Wine Country comprises over 40,000 acres and is one of the largest premium wine grape growing regions in California. From the steep slopes of Carmel Valley to the rolling hills of Salinas Valley, the region is renowned for its ideal climate and rich soil that have created the remarkable grapes that produce highly distinctive Chardonnays and Cabernets. The region is famed for its Pinot Noirs and vintners have successfully created multiple clones. 

“Monterey has a longer growing season thanks to the cooling air from Monterey Bay. The grapes are on the vine longer and develop a more intensive flavor,” notes Patrick Berwald. “These are wines of remarkable taste, character and balance.”

The wines will be available in May. Prior to the launch, Benchmark’s Food & Beverage department will be conducting intensive training for team members at each property to ensure staff will be well-versed in the flavor profiles of the wines and food pairing recommendations. The staff will also be supported by a microsite.

About Scheid Family Wines

Scheid Family Wines has farmed wine grapes in Monterey County, California, since 1972. With 4,000 acres of sustainably-certified vineyards located along a 70-mile spread of the Salinas Valley and a state-of-the-art winery, Scheid Family Wines is fully-integrated to bring high quality estate-grown wines to the marketplace. The Scheid Family Wines nationally-distributed portfolio includes Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, VDR, Stokes’ Ghost, GIFFT, Ranch 32 and Ryder Estate. In addition, Scheid Family Wines produces over 20 regionally distributed brands for specific clients or distributors. www.scheidfamilywines.com

About BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company.

BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, is a leader in the development, management, and marketing of independent, soft branded, and experiential hard branded resorts, hotels, and conference centers.  In addition to the company’s award-winning full service Benchmark Resorts & Hotels, its lifestyle and luxury Gemstone Collection, and its industry-leading Benchmark Conference Center division, etc.venues is a leading provider of contemporary city centre venues for meetings, signature events, and conferences. BENCHMARK’s combined portfolio features more than 80 unique projects across three continents. The company is passionately committed to delivering personal, inspiring, and memory-making experiences, driving total revenue and profitability, and cultivating an award winning, “Be The Difference” culture for all its employees.  BENCHMARK, is based in The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, with offices in London, England; Miami, Florida; Park City, Utah; Scottsdale, Arizona; New Brunswick, New Jersey; Seattle, Washington; and Tokyo, Japan.www.benchmarkglobalhospitality.com To become a fan on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/BenchmarkResortsandHotels, www.facebook.com/GemstoneHotelCollection. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BenchmarkHotels, www.twitter.com/GemstoneHotels , on Instagram at www.instagram.com/benchmarkresortsandhotels, www.instagram.com/gemstonehotels, and on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/benchmarkhotels/gemstone-hotels. At LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/benchmark-a-global-hospitality-company/