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Home | Producers | Portfolios | Rudi Wiest Selections

Rudi Wiest Selections

Website: http://www.rudiwiest.com

Profile: 

Rudi Wiest Selections is a leading importer of fine German wines in the United States market. Since 1978 their sole focus has been rebuilding the image of legendary Germany wine estates through education of consumers and persons in the wine trade alike. They are committed to giving the best service and information regarding the selection of fine German wine. Visiting Germany two to three times a year, they personally maintain relationships with every estate and exhaustively involve themselves with the selection process. Their commitment assures only the finest wines earn the Rudi Wiest Selections quality seal.

How did this all get started? Well it sure doesn't seem like 40+ years, but back in 1965 Rudi Wiest was working as a phone company engineer, and he started collecting fine wine.

Rudi first discovered German fine wine with the 1971 vintage, and in 1975 got hooked on German wine forever while drinking a 1959 Karthäuserhof Riesling Spätlese from the Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg vineyard with foie gras. Soon his fine wine hobby was turning into a small side business. In 1975 he began representing several boutique importers from San Francisco in the Southern California markets.

In 1978 Rudi started Cellars International, Inc. and his "hobby" had become a full fledged business. The original business objective was to work with French Burgundies and other select wines from the Cotes du Rhone. However, after some time Rudi saw more potential in the German fine wine market and the French wines were phased out. By the early 1980’s the portfolio had shifted exclusively to German wine.

The German program was expanded to include wines from all the major growing areas of Germany. With the help of his wife Erna, Rudi began to build a distributor network. He knew the only way to once again establish these great estates was through education and with distributors who recognized the opportunity with these great wines. In the early 80's Rudi began traveling the US promoting the wines. Erna ran the office, and his son Brent helped out in the office and with the unloading of containers.

In the September 2005 issue of Alles Uber Wein there was an article about Rudi Wiest Selections. Two quotes about Rudi Wiest from the article "Mr. German Wine" (translated from German):
"Rudi Wiest is one of the one of the most important, and some say the most important importer of German wine in the United States."
"Rudi Wiest - A pioneer, visionary and tireless crusader for German wine."

Country SELECT Germany

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