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Marc R. Kauffman

Noted Celebrity Sommelier, CS, CSW

As Head Sommelier in the San Francisco Bay Area for The Sommelier Company, Marc’s years of expertise and accumulated knowledge of wine and spirits is in constant demand. Marc holds certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Society of Wine Educators. He is the only American to have served as an international wine judge at La Trophèe Internationale wine competition in Lyon France. Combining a flair for performance with his wine and spirits industry experience, Marc was a finalist on the PBS reality TV series The Winemakers Season 2 and a producer on the reality TV series Best Bottle. His experience with spirits is a direct result of many years as Director of Corporate Beverage Operations for a large national restaurant chain and Food and Beverage Director for Hilton Hotels. Marc trained numerous bartenders and servers with extended knowledge of whisky and wine service.

Marc became interested in wine during his college days when he spent a year studying at the University of Bordeaux. Upon his return to the USA he began restaurant and hotel industry work including over 15 years as a sommelier and beverage director where he added extensive knowledge of distilled spirits to his wine knowledge. Then moving to the wine and spirits distribution industry his career included management positions with several national import and distribution companies and National Sales Manager for a Napa Valley family estate winery. Marc was General Manager of Stone Creek Wines
which also became the largest private label wine producer in California.

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