C. Kirk Ermisch
Kirk Ermisch, the founder and director of the Southern Wine Group (SWG), has worked in the wine industry since 1995. After spending several years becoming atuned and educated to the ways in which world-class wine is made, managed and sold through his experience with large national and international wine dealers and wineries, he started thinking about importing some of Latin America's highest quality wines to the United States on his own.
The Director got his start as the Logistics and Operations Manager for Southcorp Wines, then based in Monterey, California. There, he was an integral part of the team responsible for the startup and early operations of the Seven Peaks Winery located on California's Central Coast.
In 1998, he was hired away from this position by Kendall-Jackson, to head up the team responsible for the planning, construction and operation of the Tapiz Winery based in Mendoza, Argentina.
In 2000, Kirk left his position at Kendall-Jackson in order to create the Southern Wine Group, LLC and to bring his select portfolio of Latin American wines to North America.
Kirk has studied at the University of Colorado at Boulder and at World College West in Petaluma, California, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies and Spanish. He continued his specialization at the Monterey Institute of International Studies were he received an MBA in International Finance and Trade. He graduated in 1995, Suma Cum Laude.
The name Southern Wine Group was chosen to reflect the unified group of independent wineries, each devoted to producing only the finest of wines. SWG is an expression of mutual support among the group's competitors to further the overall penetration of Latin American wines in North America. It is recognized that when each winemaker only sells the products that are a reflection of its best efforts and resources, the overall image of the region as a producer in the eyes of the world is continuously made better.
SWG prides itself in selling only quality wines and stands behind them 100%. We hope you will support our efforts in opening North America's doors to our fine products.