Fine Wine Importer Maritime Wine Trading Collective Celebrates 10 Years
Embarks on a National Tour (May 13th – 31st)
Chris Nickolopoulos founded Maritime Wine Trading Collective in 2009 along with great friends from Graham Beck of South Africa and Jules Taylor Wines from New Zealand. With their help, as well as many others, Maritime’s business has grown from a small handful of family-owned wine producers to a national portfolio marketed in the US, as well as internationally.
Pictured: Maritime founder, Chris Nickolopoulos, r, and co-founder Elijah Pfister
With an eye toward greater market relevance beyond imports, Chris and his co-founder, Elijah Pfister released their first négociant wine from the Russian River Valley in 2010. What followed was a string of successful bottlings and releases, which ultimately resulted in the acquisition of Nine North Wine Company based in Napa. In 2013 Maritime established distribution operations in California. And then opened the doors to the tasting room, Maritime Wine Tasting Studio, in 2015.
Asked for his thoughts on the 10-year milestone, Chris du Toit, President of Graham Beck states, “Our relationship with founder and managing partner at Maritime, Chris Nickolopoulos, which goes back more than 12 years has been enormously rewarding. We are thankful for his personal dedication and wish him and the Maritime team a happy anniversary, and much success going forward.”
Jules Taylor and husband, George Elworthy, of Jules Taylor Wines echo the sentiment, “We look back with pride that we have grown together to arrive at this point via combined effort, acumen and Maritime’s thoughtfully-curated portfolio. All of us at Jules Taylor Wines are excited to see what the next decade of this collaboration and friendship will bring.”
In reflecting on the past ten years with Maritime and 25 years in the industry, Chris observes, “It can be fairly stated that almost everyone in this crazy trade has great wine to sell, but at the end of the day it’s the people who make all the difference, and I am grateful for the longstanding relationships and true friendships that we’ve made over the years. I thank all of our producers and the team at Maritime for a great first decade and hope people come to see us during our celebratory tour: great wines will be tasted, and new friends will be made.”
This month, Chris and Elijah kick off a four-city tour, to showcase their Nine North portfolio. Along with them will be Pieter Ferreira, Pierre de Klerk, and Edwin Olivieri of Graham Beck Wines; Jules Taylor of Jules Taylor Wines and George Elworthy of The Better Half.
May 13th – 17th New York and New Jersey.
May 20th – 24th Chicago.
May 28th – 29th Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston.
May 30th – 31st Austin and San Antonio.
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About Maritime Wine Trading Collective
Founded in 2009, Maritime Wine Trading Collective (maritimewine.com) is a national importer, California distributor, and producer of wines bottled under the Nine North Wine Company moniker which includes popular brands such as Hullabaloo, Chasing Lions, Dirty Pure, Lan-Yap, Ministry of the Vinterior, Parcel 41, Rock & Vine, Seven Sinners, Ten Mile and Twenty Bench. All of these wines are showcased at their consumer tasting room; Maritime Wine Tasting Studio, 222 Columbus Ave, San Francisco. (Maritimetasting.com).
Maritime is a Bacchus Capital Management portfolio company.
About Bacchus Capital Management
Bacchus Capital Management is an investment firm providing strategic capital, 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
About Graham Beck
Graham Beck was founded in 1983 and the family-owned winery has become one of South Africa’s leading and best-loved cellars as well as an internationally recognized sparkling wine producer. The Graham Beck Cap Classique collection of wines include Non-Vintage Brut, Brut Rosé and Bliss Demi Sec; Vintage: Blanc de Blancs, Brut Zero and Brut Rosé, and the iconic Cuvée Clive.
About Jules Taylor Wines
Jules Taylor Wines emerged in 2001 as a little moonlighting project making a mere 400 cases. Five harvests, two children and many awards later, the project had grown some serious legs. Still family-owned and operated by Jules and her husband George, Jules Taylor Wines is firmly rooted in Marlborough.
About The Better Half
When George Elworthy decided to dust off his winemaking hat to create a Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from Marlborough, a friendly rivalry arose. His wife, Jules Taylor, is also a winemaker with her own well-established brand and so The Better Half seemed like the perfect tongue in cheek moniker to attach to his new project.
About Nine North Wine Company
As circumspect négociants, Nine North Wine Company proprietors, Chris Nickolopoulos and Elijah Pfister, have exclusive access to wines from top-notch California wineries and vineyard plots. They blend and finish various lots that they feel overdeliver for the price point and are geared toward every day enjoyment. Nine North includes such brands as Twenty Bench, Rock & Vine, Chasing Lions and Lan-Yap Rosé.
