Mark Penna
Mark Penna brings 20 years of varied experience in the Texas wine business to his role as winemaker and vineyard manager for Mandola Estate Winery. Managing all operations includes grape variety selection, vineyard management, and winemaking. The new winery building reflects his technical expertise as well as his concern with making the experience a memorable one for the winery’s guests.
When he graduated in 1990 with a degree in horticulture from Texas A&M, Mark had already been working in vineyards and wineries for four years, often working on the weekends and attending classes during the week in order to amass a wealth of practical experience. Before teaming with Damian and Stan, he held positions in several Texas wineries including Llano Estacado and Cap*Rock in Lubbock and he was winemaker at the state’s largest winery, Cordier Estates, in Fort Stockton.
Damian and Trina Mandola
The Mandolas bring decades of culinary experience to their latest adventure- Mandola Estate Winery. Damian's 31 years of experience started with "Damian's Fine Italian Food"- a restaurant he started as a college senior in 1975. Trina's 18 years began in high school, working for the famous Swinging Door Bar-B-Que in her hometown of Richmond, Texas. Damian's experience took him from his first restaurant to becoming a fixture in the Houston restaurant scene, first with D'Amico's, then Damian's Cucina Italiana, then to the national scene with Carrabba's- a restaurant he founded with nephew Johnny Carrabba. Trina's culinary and event-planning skills were honed at some of Houston's most prestigious restaurants. A love of interacting with her customers also flourished during those years.
And it was at the original Carrabba's that they first met.
Now, living in the Texas Hill Country, Trina and Damian and their two children have carved out a little slice of the Tuscan wine country and brought it to Driftwood. Damian and Trina divide their time between the popular, bustling Mandola's Italian Market in Austin and the Mandola Estate Winery. Put Damian's knowledgeable wine palate and vision for this Italian winery together with Trina's eye for interior and label design and skill in operations and both of their love for all things Italian and you get the Mandola Estate Winery.
Come visit- Damian and Trina want to share it with you.
Drs. Stan and Lisa Duchman
The relationship with the Mandolas began years ago when they became neighbors in Houston. Stan would hail Damian down to try a new champagne or wine and Damian would share food as he was working on his recipes for his cookbooks. Damian and Trina then proposed starting a vineyard and winery in Austin and the Duchmans could not resist. The rest is history and it has been an exciting and fun adventure for all.
Lisa is an Optometrist but has been spending the majority of her time assisting with the business and employee operations. Lisa has a passion for food and has been developing her wine palate as well as her wine knowledge over the past decade. She is planning on formalizing her skills as she is enrolled to take the Sales and Service exam for the wine professional this next year. When her current time commitments lessen, she plans to become more active with the special events aspect of Mandola Estate Winery.
Stan is a busy Cardiologist in Houston. Therefore, his contributions to Mandola Estate Winery have mainly consisted of assisting with the blending of the wines and future project development. Stan has a passion for wine and food and has been tasting and learning about wine for the past sixteen years. Stan plans to learn more of the entire business from the vineyard to the table as time allows. His goal is to shift to more time in the vineyard and wine making aspect of his life and less to Cardiology over the next fifteen to twenty years and then transition in to the daily operations in his retirement from medicine.
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