More than just a wine importer, Wine Circle is a team of wine curators dedicated to bringing only the most exceptional wines from the most innovative winemakers in France to the U.S. market. From the powerhouse of Bordeaux to the sprawling Languedoc-Roussillon, Wine Circle’s current portfolio represents six regions in France and leaves no stone unturned.
Wine Circle is bilingual. Not only does the team speak the French and English languages, which of course is helpful when importing wines from France, but Wine Circle is also fluent in French and English culture. Greg Schlagdenhauffen, the founder of Wine Circle, spent his childhood in Alsace and many years studying in America. Wine Circle is seasoned in both French winemaking and US trade expertise and an ideal partner when navigating the U.S. wine market.
With a natural business “know-how” and years spent with his hands in the dirt of French vineyards, Greg has a nuanced relationship with the world of wine. This intricate hands-on experience selecting parcels, harvesting, fermenting grapes, and aging and bottling wines gave Greg a preternatural insight into high-quality wine and the ability to understand the individual winemakers.
The winemakers are family at Wine Circle. From family-owned estates that started producing wine in the 1700s to female winemakers leading the way in the industry, the Wine Circle family brings knowledge from every corner of the French terroir. In the desire to bring you the highest quality wines and as a pledge to protect our planet, Wine Circle is committed to sustainable winemaking practices. By selecting producers who respect and take great care of the land on which they grow their grapes, Wine Circle hopes to maintain both the well-being of the vineyards and, ultimately, the quality of the wines.
Through Wine Circle’s portfolio, it is the company’s primary goal to make sure that each wine, no matter the price, has a true story to tell with a clear identity and impressive quality. French wines are not only expensive and age worthy, but Wine Circle believes it is important to give attention to the entry level market too. With his business acumen and knowledge of the industry, Greg knew that price and quality are not mutually exclusive and it became his goal to find excellent French wines without the heavy price tag.
Greg has done just that, and others have noticed — from the portfolio Two Birds One Stone was ranked Top 100 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast 3 vintages in a row, and Saint Andeol Cairanne and Chateau Labastide Haute have been donned with 90 points back-to-back vintages by Wine Enthusiast.
Quality is never sacrificed at Wine Circle. If Greg has any inkling of uncertainty when tasting a wine, he will taste and taste again. Once, he tasted 500 different wines in search of a specific Bordeaux. “I taste until I find. It is the best, or it is nothing,” Greg explains.