Erik McLaughlin

Current

• National Sales Director at Willamette Valley Vineyards

Past

• Instructor, Department of Enology & Viticultutre at Walla Walla Community College
• President at Veraison Vin Works
• Proprietor at Veraison Restaurants, LLC

• Partner, Vice President at Wild West Wines & Spirits
• Corporate Wine Buyer at Cost Plus Wold Market
• General Manager/Sommelier at Third Street Grill & Wine Shop

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3 more...

Education

• Dominican University of California
• Linfield College
• Walla Walla CC

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Recommended

13 people have recommended Erik

Connections

138 connections

Industry

Wine and Spirits

Websites

• Willamette Valley Vineyards

Erik McLaughlin’s Summary

Erik McLaughlin is one of the country's leading experts on the Wine and the business of wine. Erik has worked in all tiers of the wine industry and is one of the few wine professionals with the unique expertise and experience to manage projects through all stages of the life cycle.

Erik's career started working as a cellar rat for Oregon wineries while he earned his undergraduate degree. Since then, he has worked in wineries, retail, restaurants, and distribution. Erik has served as Corporate Wine Buyer for one of the largest retailers in the country, Vice President/Partner for the largest wine Brokerage Firm in the mountain west, and owner of an upscale restaurant group and wine store.

Erik's career has come full circle, recently returning to the Willamette Valley as the Director of National Sales for Willamette Valley Vineyards.

Erik McLaughlin’s Specialties:

Wine Sales and Distribution, Brand Management and Development, Winery Management, Vineyard Site Analysis and Development, Packaging and Marketing, Import/Export, Supplier Relations, Product Assortment, Multi-Unit Operations, Multi-State Operations, Alcohol Beverage Law, Education, Speaking Engagements, Wine Writing

Erik McLaughlin’s Experience

• National Sales Director

  Willamette Valley Vineyards

  (Wine and Spirits industry)

  April 2009 — Present (4 months)

  Willamette Valley Vineyard is Oregon's premiere nationally distributed producer of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Dijon Clone Chardonnay, and Riesling.
  
  Founded in 1983, Willamette Valley is also one of the country's leading business in the drive to environmental sustainability. Our vineyards were some of the first LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon Safe certified vineyards in the country (since 1997) and our estate vineyard has been certifiec organic since 2007. Our tractors, delivery vehicles, and several of our employee vehicles are all powered by BioDiesel. We are also spearheading a national cork recycling project with our partners at the Rainforest Alliance and Whole Foods. Willamatte Valley Vineyards is on track to meet its pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2010.

• Instructor, Department of Enology & Viticultutre

  Walla Walla Community College

  (Higher Education industry)

  2008 — 2009 (1 year)

  Develop curriculum and teach classes and seminars for both the wine industry and full time students in the Department of Enology and Viticulture.

• President

  Veraison Vin Works

  (Wine and Spirits industry)

  2001 — 2009 (8 years)

  Veraison consults for local, regional, national, and international clients ranging from vineyards, wineries, property developers, retailers, distributors, importers, exporters, and restaurants. Veraison woks primarily in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
  
  "Veraison" (pronounced veh-ray-zohN) is a French viticultural term for the stage of wine grape berry development which marks the beginning of the ripening and sugar development, when the grapes change from the hard, green state to their softened and coloured form.

• Proprietor

  Veraison Restaurants, LLC

  (Restaurants industry)

  2004 — 2008 (4 years)

  Veraison Restaurants operated upscale, unique restaurants and a wine store in Boise, Idaho. Restaurants included Richard's of Hyde Park, 8th Street Wine Company, Taste, and The Bungalow. Cuisine ranged from Sushi to Locavore to Global Fusion, each with extensive wine programs.
  
  Critical recognition included being named "Boise's Best Sushi", "Best Northwest Restaurant", "Best Wine List", and one of America's top 15 "Most Amazing Wine Experiences" by FOOD & WINE Magazine.
  
  In 2006 the city of Boise awarded Veraison the prestigious "Enviroguard Award" in for environmentally responsible business practices. The Idaho Business Review also gave Erik the award for "Most Accomplished Under 40" in their annual list of "40 under 40" award recipients.
  
  Erik's restaurants were also featured in: FOOD & WINE, United Airline's Hemispheres Magazine, Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, TIME, Wine Country Living, Wine Spectator, Cottage Living, and Patterson's.

• Partner, Vice President

  Wild West Wines & Spirits

  (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Wine and Spirits industry)

  2001 — 2004 (3 years)

  The Largest Fine Wine Brokerage Company in the Intermountain West representing over 200 of the Word's Best Wineries.

• Corporate Wine Buyer

  Cost Plus Wold Market

  (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; cpwm; Retail industry)

  1996 — 2001 (5 years)

  Directly responsible for Wine and Beverage department generating over 20% of total company sales. One of the largest Retail Wine programs in the world.

• General Manager/Sommelier

  Third Street Grill & Wine Shop

  (Restaurants industry)

  1995 — 1997 (2 years)

  Collaborated with owner to create all aspects of this new award winning Fine Dining restaurant and Wine Shop in the Oregon Wine Country. Featured in several local, regional, and national publications.

Erik McLaughlin’s Education

• Dominican University of California

  Executive MBA

• Linfield College

  BA, Cum Laude , English and Philosphy (majors), Speech Communication and Art History (minors)

  Activities and Societies:

  •Speech and Debate: Placed #1 in Extemporaneous Speaking and #5 in Debate in the Nation, Placed #1 in Impromptu Speaking in the Western US
  •Student Lieutenant Governor (highest student office, serving all of the Western US), Pi Kappa Delta
  •Student Body Senator (served 4 years)
  •Business Manager for KSLC Radio (student run radio station)
  •Weekly Columnist for Linfield Review (student run newspaper)
  •Editor for Testmarketed Downpour (student literary magazine)

• Walla Walla CC

  Enology and Viticulture , Enology and Viticulture

Additional Information

Erik McLaughlin’s Websites:

• Willamette Valley Vineyards

Erik McLaughlin’s Interests:

Sustainable Development, Organic/Biodyamic Vineyard Management, Vineyard/Winery/Commercial/Residential Integration, Identification and Development of the new wine growing areas

Erik McLaughlin’s Groups:

Member, Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers
Member, American Association of Wine Economists
Chair, Marketing Committee, Idaho Wine Commission
Wine Columnist, Idaho Business Review
Director & Executive Committee Member, Downtown Boise Association (DBA)
Director, Northend Neighborhood Association (NENA)
Director, News Channel 6 and Idaho Statesman's "Vino Idaho" wine competition
Member, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce

•    Shopper Insights & Marketing Professionals
•    The-Green-Group.com
•    Wines & Spirits (Number 1 W&S group on Linked)
•    Linfield College Alumni
•    Wine Business Network
•    Slow Food
•    Retail Industry Professionals Group
•    Rippentrop's Wine, Spirits, Beer & Other Beverage Professionals, #1 Adult Beverage Group
•    Linfield College
•    The Grapery Wine Professional Collective
•    WINE - Wine Industry Networking Executives
•    Wine2.0
•    FISAR - Sommelier
•    Wine Connections
•    Wine Professionals Group
•    Wine Business Intelligence
•    Beverage Business Group
•    The High Powered Food & Beverage Forum - Foodservice & Retail Executive Management Networking
•    Pinot Days
•    Society of Wine Educators
•    Wine and Spirits Job Opportunities
•    Wine Evangelist Group

Erik McLaughlin’s Honors:

City of Boise "Enviroguard" Award for Environmentally Responsible Business
"Most Accomplished under 40", Idaho Business Review
"Alumni Service Award", Linfield College
"Best Northwest Restaurant", Idaho Statesman annual Best of Idaho
Silver "ADDY" Award (first place in Northwest, National finalist), Interior Design and Signage for 8th Street Wine Company, American Advertising Federation (AAF)
Sommelier, International Pinot Noir Celebration
Guest Speaker, Wine Industry Financial Symposium
President's Circle "Oak Leaf Society", Linfield College
Featured Food & Wine Magazine's list of America's top 15 "Most Amazing Wine Experiences"
Profiled in United Airline's Hemispheres Magazine
Featured in Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine
Featured in National Geographic Traveler Magazine
Featured in TIME Magazine
Featured in Wine Country Living Magazine
Featured in Wine Spectator Magazine
Featured in Cottage Living Magazine
Featured in Patterson's Magazine

Erik McLaughlin’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch