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Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. Now Employs 11 Master Sommeliers, Most in U.S. With 7 Certified Wine Educators & 7 Master Mixologists – Southern Strengthens Its Historic Commitment to Professional Excellence in Beverage Education and Service

“On behalf of our entire team, I am proud to congratulate Brett and Brian. Their professional dedication to learning and service, alongside our other 9 Master Sommeliers, are reflective of our Company’s longstanding commitment to education and service. We are continually implementing programs to elevate the level of professional excellence in the wine and spirits business. Besides our 11 Master Sommeliers (MS) at Southern, we also employ seven Certified Wine Educators and seven award-winning mixologists. This latter group works under the direction of Francesco LaFranconi, the Company’s Director of Mixology,” Mr. Dick said.

“There is no other company that possesses a higher number of accomplished, expert wine, spirits and in-house educational professionals in the wine and spirits distribution business. We are very proud of our Company’s strong commitment and we know that Mel, President of our Wine Division, and Francesco, our Director of Mixology, as well as our entire team of Master Sommeliers, Certified Wine Educators and Master Mixologists also share this service and education-oriented drive, not only with our thousands of customers we proudly serve, but also via their work with our own employees,” Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., said.

According to the American Chapter of the London, England-based Court of Master Sommeliers, there are a total of 85 U.S. Master Sommeliers, (including two deceased), who have earned this professional distinction, which is widely regarded as one of the most distinguished certifications in the wine business and requires, via a three-level series of exams, mastery of all aspects of wine knowledge, appreciation and service.

Of the 83 Master Sommeliers in the United States today, Mr. Dick said that about 12 percent are now employed by Southern Wine & Spirits of America, a vital sign of the importance the Company attaches to maintaining and delivering the highest standards of wine service and wine education in the beverage and hospitality industries across the U.S.

“Since its founding in 1968, Southern Wine & Spirits of America has always put a premium on delivering the highest standards of service and has invested countless hours and substantial sums in educating both its employees and our thousands of customers across the country. Now, with our latest Master Sommelier appointment, we are proud to employ 11 Master Sommeliers across key markets in the United States,” Mr. Dick said.

Here are the 11 Master Sommeliers now working for Southern Wine & Spirits of America:

Serafin Alvarado, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois;
Jay Fletcher, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado;
Ira Harmon, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada;
Eric Hemer, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida;
Jay James, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada;
Brian Koziol, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado;
Doug Krenik, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado;
Ron Mumford, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada;
Reggie Narito, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Northern California;
Roberto Viernes, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Hawaii; and
Brett Zimmerman, MS, Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida.

In addition to these 11 Master Sommeliers, Mr. Dick said that there is a significant number of Master Candidates – that is, Southern Wine & Spirits team members who have passed the Advanced Sommelier Exam.

According to The Court of Master Sommeliers’s website, the professional group “was established to encourage improved standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels and restaurants. Education was then, and remains today, the Court's charter.” The group’s website also reports, “The first successful Master Sommelier examination was held in the United Kingdom in 1969. By April 1977, the Court of Master Sommeliers was established as the premier international examining body. It took the Court ten years to perfect its qualifications, which are recognized internationally.”

There are three increasingly challenging stages to attain the top qualifications of Master Sommelier. First, the student must take the Court’s Introductory Sommelier Course, after which a candidate must pass the Certified Sommelier Exam. Next, the “Certified Sommelier” must take and pass the Advanced Sommelier Course. Finally, the “Advanced Sommelier” must engage in further study and then take and pass the Master Sommelier Diploma Exam.

About Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.:
Since its founding in 1968, Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc. (Southern) is the leading nationally-recognized wine and spirits distributor in the United States. Known for its historic commitment to delivering the highest standards of customer service, creative marketing programs and partnerships, the Company is also known for its industry-leading, professional and well-trained sales, operational and support staff as well as its ongoing investments in and contributions to hospitality and beverage education for its staff, its customers and many national educational institutions. In addition, Southern is justly respected for its deeply-held belief in the importance of giving back as a socially-responsible corporate citizen, including generous contributions to national, state and local charitable organizations.

Today, Southern operates in 27 states, including its original Florida market, where its corporate headquarters is located in Miami. Over the past 38 years, pursuing a determined strategy to expand through internal growth as well as through the acquisition of established wholesalers, Southern Wine and Spirits of America expanded its geographic footprint to include California in 1969, Nevada in 1976, Arizona in 1992, South Carolina in 1993, Pennsylvania in 1995, Hawaii in 1996, Kentucky in 1998, New Mexico in 2000, Colorado in 2001, Illinois in 2002, New York in 2004, and Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia in 2005. In 2006, the Company began operations in Alabama; and, in a partnership arrangement with Alaska Distributors Co., now operates in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming as well. On a national basis, the Company employs more than 10,000 team members. For more information, please log onto: www.southernwine.com.

MIAMI–April 18, 2007

Additional Articles:
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“Southern Wine & Spirits Strengthens Excellence in Wine Education and Service,” February 20, 2007