A former Google executive is turning his passion for wine into a growing local business.
Capping a six-year effort of acquiring vineyards and two Healdsburg wineries, David Drummond revealed on Wednesday that he has rolled them into a new venture called Overshine Wine Co.
Last year, Drummond picked up Armida Winery, a three-decade-old producer located just south of Healdsburg. Earlier this year, he purchased Idlewild Wines, which has a vineyard in southern Mendocino County and a downtown tasting room. Terms of those deals weren’t disclosed.
“Too many consumers of diverse backgrounds have felt overlooked by the wine industry, and the wine world would benefit from more participation — at all levels — by people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences,” Drummond said in a statement. “Overshine is committed to making our wines accessible and enjoyable by all and to using our platform to improve diversity in the industry.”
Drummond joins a growing list of Black vintners and high-profile aficionados who are making their mark in the business.
The wine industry in the past two decades has been trying to attract younger, more diverse consumers as the key buyers — white boomers — head toward retirement.
The share of white, non-Hispanic consumers has declined steadily since 2015 and made up 64% of all wine drinkers in 2023, according to BMO’s inaugural industry report. At the same time, the share of other ethnic groups has grown among wine consumers. From 2015 through last year, Hispanic consumers went from 13% of all wine drinkers to 15%; Black consumers, from 10% to 11%; and Asian Americans, to 5%.
Drummond resigned as Google’s chief legal officer in January 2020, just over a year after a New York Times investigation into whether tech companies were protecting executives from allegations of inappropriate relationships.
By the time of his departure, he had already purchased a 550-acre Russian River Valley vineyard property later was renamed Las Cimas.
Armida, known for its edgy wines such as PoiZin Zinfandel sold in coffin-shaped boxes, has been rebranded as Overshine Wines, and it will continue to focus on producing California classic varietal wines from exceptional vineyards.
Idlewild, founded in 2012 by winemaker Sam Bilbro, will carry on as a brand known for wines that combine Italian influences with a Californian touch.
Idlewild founder Sam Bilbro is now managing partner of Overshine Wine Co.
A fourth-generation winemaker and Sonoma County native, Bilbro has been part of a movement to make California wines from lesser-known grape varieties.
In an email to customers, he recounted how he first met Drummond in Idlewild’s tasting room in 2018 then later toured Drummond’s vineyard. Bilbro later guided him in reworking the vineyard with new grape varieties.
In addition to Armida and Idlewild, Overshine is introducing a third label called Comunità. Starting with just 500 cases in the first release, it will showcase Italian varieties grown at Drummond’s Las Cimas Vineyard. The debut offering from Comunità will feature Italian-inspired wines made from grapes commonly associated with the northern Italian regions of Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige.
Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction and real estate. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.