Artisans and Vines was founded in 2009 by two former Country Vintner pioneers, as an import marketing company focusing on European wines from France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Portugal and Italy. More recently the portfolio has grown to include new world wines from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, California, Oregon and New York. The portfolio has been built by passionate professionals with decades of experience who seek terroir-oriented wines from around the world. Old world Champagne producer, Poilvert-Jacques, and new world producer, Zonte’s Footstep from McLaren Vale, Australia, are just a couple of the gems in this forward-looking portfolio. Our foremost goal is to be the best partner to our producers, distributors and ultimately top restaurants and retailers across the USA.
Eric Platt, former US sales director for Pacific Prime Wines became the managing partner in 2016 and assumed the role as president and sales director for Artisans & Vines. Eric has a substantial 25+ year history in the fine wine industry including stints in retail, wholesale and importing. His wholesale experience started with the Milton Kronheim Company in 1987 as a sales representative in the Washington, DC metropolitan market. Subsequent positions include working with Robert “Bobby” Kacher Selections as Midwest and Eastern Regional Manager. Eric consequently developed the territory into the lead US markets for this exclusive French wine portfolio. As Vice President/Director of Sales for Robert Whale Selections, Eric managed the national sales of Australia and New Zealand wines realizing extensive national sales growth during his tenure. Starting in 2008-2011, his career returned to wholesale directing the fine wine and spirits division of Washington Wholesale Liquor Company/Pinnacle House, a division of Charmer-Sunbelt. In his new role with Artisans & Vines, Eric’s primary goal has been to expand the distribution footprint of the company and the focus of the portfolio.
Currently, Artisans & Vines has wholesale distribution in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Montgomery County (MD), Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming
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