Working with the Trade: Building Stronger Relationships for Winery Success
June 22 @ 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Strong relationships with retailers, restaurants, distributors, and buyers are essential for getting your wines in front of consumers.
In this session, we’re bringing in expert voices from both the on-premise and off-premise trade to share real-world insights on what buyers are looking for, how to engage with them effectively, and how to build partnerships that last. Featured speaker Chris Struck brings firsthand experience as a Beverage Director at acclaimed New York City restaurants and a deep understanding of how purchasing decisions are made. Joining him is Christy Frank, founder of Frankly Wines and Copake Wine Works and a 25-year veteran of every tier of the wine trade, bringing a wealth of knowledge from the off-premise and independent retail perspective.
You’ll leave with actionable strategies you can put to work right away.
Speakers:
Chris Struck
Chris Struck has worked in the food & beverage industry for over twenty years and holds undergraduate degrees in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University, and an Executive MBA in Food Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University.
He has gained industry certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, Society of Wine Educators, Court of Master Sommeliers, and Deutsche Wein und Sommelierschule in Koblenz, Germany.
NYC restaurant experience has included Racines NY, Union Square Cafe, and ilili, where he served as Beverage Director. He currently represents a portfolio of iconic spirit and wine producers in the New York Metro market.
In addition to working as a sommelier and consultant, Struck has taught beverage and marketing classes as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Hospitality Management Department at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) College of Technology since 2018.
Christy Frank
Based in New York, Christy Frank is a freelance writer, a wine educator, and a leader of the independent wine retail scene. With 25 years’ experience in the wine and spirits industry, she has held positions in all tiers of the US wine trade from large, global drinks firms such as Moët Hennessy USA, to small, boutique distributors to on- and off-trade retail. Her original shop, Frankly Wines, sold in 2017, was often touted as one of the top small wine shops in the country. She is the founder of Copake Wine Works in the Hudson Valley/Berkshires region and writes for various industry publications, focusing on the commercial aspects of selling wine within this convoluted system. A 2024 Fellow for the Wine Writers’ Symposium in Napa Valley, her writing has appeared on Sevenfifty Daily, Wine Review Online, JancisRobinson.com, and her blog, Bending Elbows. She holds a WSET Diploma and an Advanced Certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers, provides subject matter expert review for genre fiction writers, is a blind tasting coach, and a regular educator at the International Wine Center.
