Acclaimed Alexander Valley Estate Producer Stuhlmuller Vineyards Partners with Maritime Wine Trading Collective for National Sales and Marketing
Widely recognized as one of Sonoma’s premier family-owned estate wine producers, Stuhlmuller Vineyards has been producing award-winning estate grown Chardonnay, Cabernet and Zinfandel since the mid-1990s and farming their 150 acre Alexander Valley estate vineyard since 1982. Stuhlmuller’s current releases have received a barrage of high scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate including 94, 92, and 91 for top selections. Stuhlmuller’s winemaker, Leo Hansen, was recently named one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Top 10 Rising Star Vintners” and as well as a 2015 “Winemaker to Watch”. The Martime Stuhlmuller partnership is effective immediately.
“Due to the increasingly competitive and complex nature of taking an independent family-owned estate wine brand to market on a national level, it’s of vital importance that we carefully consider ways in which we can fine tune our strategies and operations for optimal performance,” states winery proprietor Fritz Stuhlmuller. “We’ve chosen to partner with Maritime Wine Trading on a national level as they have a proven track record of managing family-owned estates successfully across the USA through their network of well-established fine wine wholesalers.”
Maritime Wine Trading’s CEO Chris Nickolopoulos adds, “What Fritz and his family have accomplished with their brand on their own up to this point is truly impressive and unique in our industry. Maritime is honored to be granted this wonderful opportunity to “carry the flag” for them deeper into major and secondary markets across the USA.”
“Fritz and I have known each other since we were trouble-making young men,” Chris continues. “We were together the night he met his wife-to-be at the legendary Hugo’s Frog Bar in Chicago where I was the distributor for his wines at the time. Those who know our industry understand that it is built upon intimate relationships and experiences, and it is therefore an immense, personal pleasure for me to work directly with Fritz and his family again, and to be part of his continued success.”
About Stuhlmuller Vineyards
Since 1982, Stuhlmuller Vineyards has built a reputation as growers of world-class grapes, selling their coveted fruit to a number of top area wineries. By the mid-‘90s, Fritz Stuhlmuller was so inspired by the complex wines being made from his family’s vineyard that he established a small, artisan winery bearing the Stuhlmuller name. Guided by gifted winemaker, Leo Hansen, Stuhlmuller Vineyards handcrafts small-lot wines that embody a rich, expressive charm and a distinctive sense of place. www.stuhlmullervineyards.com.
About Maritime Wine Trading Collective
Founded in 2009 by Chris Nickolopoulos and Elijah Pfister, the company has a diverse portfolio of wines from Canada, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, South Africa and New Zealand as well as small production, sub-appellation offerings from California and Washington. Maritime is a Bacchus Capital Management portfolio company. For more information, visit www.maritimewine.com
(L-R) Elijah Pfister & Chris Nickolopoulos, Founders
About Bacchus Capital Management
Bacchus Capital Management is an investment firm providing strategic capital and making equity investments in United States wineries and wine businesses.
Current Bacchus portfolio companies are: DeLille Cellars, Madrigal Family Winery, Maritime Wine Trading Collective, Panther Creek Cellars, Sbragia Family Vineyards, Dobbes Family Estate / Wine by Joe.
Prior Bacchus portfolio companies are Andretti Winery, Cameron Hughes Wine, and Qupé.
For more information, visit www.bacchuswinefund.com
