John W. Schultz
Key Accounts, E-commerce and WSLCB Manager
for Alaska Distributors Co.
President & Founder of WineSquire.com

Seattle area native John Schultz attended the University of Washington Business School and in 1986 earned a BA in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Finance.

After graduation, John joined the Gallo Wine Company as a “Wine Sales Representative” and spent a year in Gallo’s management training program. In 1987 John joined Alaska Distributors Company (formerly Western Washington Beverage), a leading Seattle Wine, Beer and Spirits importer/wholesaler.

Under the fine leadership of Blake Darrow, VP, and Bob Stevens, Senior VP & General Manager at Alaska Distributors Company (ADCo), John has held a wide variety of positions and gained a broad understanding of the Seattle area wine marketplace. During his 18 year tenure in the wine business, he’s managed or sold to almost every sales channel, from top Wine retailers, to white tablecloth restaurants, to major grocery chain headquarter calls, to Military sales, John has worn many hats and has had a diverse sales career. John has visited many domestic wineries and has made trips to France, Italy and Spain, touring fine wineries in Champagne, the Rhone valley, Tuscany and Penedés.

“Learning the distribution side of the business has allowed me to work with a wide variety of suppliers, importers and winery management, and has helped me to understand how a wholesaler best delivers the winery’s sales and marketing message to retailers and restaurants. Knowing how to properly translate the winery goals and sales strategy to the retailer, and thus maximize sales, are some of the keys to a wholesalers success. I’ve done my best to understand how every facet of a wholesaler works from administration to operations, so that I can operate in a way that creates efficiency for the entire organization and solves problems before they occur, as they say at ADCo, everyone’s goal is to “make it better”. Working with virtually every type of customer, watching the winners and the losers, seeing the successful strategies, and the fruitless efforts, I’ve gained an understanding to what makes a successful wine retailer. This has helped me to better advise my customers and anticipate their needs.”

As the “Key Accounts, E-commerce and WSLCB Manager” at Alaska Distributors Company, John currently works with the Washington State Liquor Control Board, Esquin Wine Merchants, Wine.com, Mad Wine.com, Costco.com, Garagiste, AWineStore.com, The Wild Ginger, Marco’s Supper Club, The Paragon Restaurant, The College Club, Portalis Wine Bar and The Triple Door.

After founding WineSquire.com, Seattle’s Online Wine Guide, with Psi Upsilon fraternity brothers Scott Miller and Andrew Campbell in 1998, John further developed his online business acumen by completing an eight-month executive certificate program through the University of Washington called “E-Commerce and Internet Marketing” in 1999.

WineSquire is a Seattle area community website that provides information, recommendations and resources for wine consumers and industry professionals. WineSquire also produces an invaluable industry publication called the Squire Guide. The Squire Guide is a brand/distributor index that allows retailers to source many of the thousands of brands available in the Seattle market.

- John W. Schultz
President

Grahams Tawny Port 10 year old NV (Portugal) $30
This great 10yr tawny is blended from wines of the very highest quality Porto grapes, matured slowly in wood cask for a decade and then bottled for immediate consumption. The maturation in oak casks lends this aged tawny a delicate 'nutty' character, which marries beautifully with the delicious raisiny fruit flavors, and with nuances of caramel, honey and butterscotch. Aged tawny is perhaps the most versatile port style and is appreciated for its delicacy, complexity and harmonious balance. The great thing about tawny port is that you can open it and enjoy it for a number of weeks and taste it as it slowly changes, if you can stand to savor it slowly that is! Tawny is fabulous with intensely flavors cheese such as aged Gouda, smoky Cheddar and Blue, also with various nuts and of course a great cigar!

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma County Brut Sparkling Wine (California) $16
The Brut named Gloria is delicious! Hand picked grapes are whole cluster pressed to keep the fruit bright and delicate for this blend of 87% Pinot Noir and 13% Chardonnay. Fresh flowers and pear nuances grace the nose with effervescent flavors of apple, pear, and toasted almonds on the palate, with hints of yeast and vanilla. The finish is dry with crisp fruit and a creamy character. A most excellent choice for your holiday Toasts! Also keep an eye out for the spectacular 1995 Carneros Cuvee for around $50

Dom Perignon Brut Champagne 1996 (Franc) $130
A spectacular bottle of bubbly, and perhaps the finest Dom Perignon Vintage in recent memory. Exceptional balance and finesse combine with rich flavors of citrus, lime, toasted almonds and fresh baked bread for a very well integrated wine. A crisp, long, juicy finish ensues. This is certainly one to cellar for a decade or two. It’s rare that we recommend a wine at this price level, however this is a rare opportunity to own a true wine treasure.

Clay Station Viognier 2003 (California) $10
I first had this wine at my family Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit with everyone, especially with the turkey! Stainless steel fermented for true varietal expression, this highly aromatic and pure wine has aromas and flavors of peach, honeysuckle, and melon, with a nice, fat, mouthfeel. It’s well balanced, with a crisp juicy finish. While technically a dry wine, this baby has such ebullient fruit that it goes with a wide variety of flavorful dishes. A fabulous choice for Turkey, cream sauces, seafood and spicy Asian fare.

Napa Valley Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (California) $14
Crisp and Juicy in style with true varietal character. Dry. Aromas of gooseberry waft from the glass of this excellent summertime quaff. Ripe honeydew, and citrus flavors weave thru bracing, yet balanced acids, finishes with nice grapefruit flavors. 30% barrel aged in oak gives it a nice rich texture and a hint of oaky spice. 100% Organically grown grapes. Yum!

Delicato Shiraz 2003 (California) $7
Delicious, Spicy berry character with the much desired brambly character you might get from a tart wild blackberry add in some nice spicy leathery. The finish is lush with firm rustic tannins. This gets my pick as the best California Shiraz for under $10.

Montesodi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina 2001
Spectacular! An excellent example of very well made Italian Sangiovese. Brooding and purple in the glass, with a nose of crushed herbs and fresh berries. Ripe fruit in the mouth with zesty tannins, notes of leather and cocoa, a full-body and creamy oak rounded out by a smooth lingering finish. An additional 4-8 years of cellar ageing would add a dash of character.

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1999 (Italy) $65
Chewy with great depth and bold flavors. This classic Brunello delivers, ripe berries, warm spice, toasty oak, smoke and a whiff of leather. The tannins are bold, yet nicely in balance with the fruit and very well integrated. This is a pleasure to drink now, but will age gracefully for a decade or so. Decant or allow to breathe for a few hours for enjoyment in the near term.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Bordeaux Pauillac 2001 (France) $190
This Cabernet dominated blend shows a wide range of complex flavors of black currant, plum, mineral, smoky oak, and warm spices. Luxurious and supple, with broad tannins and superb concentration due to unusually low yields. A delicious finish brings you home. Here is an opportunity to put a wine in your cellar that certainly delivers value compared with its peers and will age gracefully for 10-15 years. Decant, or allow to breathe a few hours, for enjoyment in the near term.

Rotari Brut Metodo Classico NV (Italy) $10
This stylish Italian Sparkling Wine is fresh and fabulous! A blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir this sparkler shows a pale straw-gold color and is aged 24 month on the lees for a rich yeasty character. Crisp flavors of ripe lemons dance on the palate with hints of apricot and toasted almonds in the background. Made in a traditional dry style, it is smooth and creamy on the finish. It goes very well with a wide variety of appetizers and finger foods so it makes for a super party wine. Great bubbly bang for the buck!

Moët & Chandon White Star Extra-Dry NV Champagne (France) $37
This traditional Champagne blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, is made in an “Extra Dry” style so it’s a tad sweeter than the Brut bottling. Aromas of fresh flowers, hazelnuts and yeast open this celebration gem, with zesty flavors of citrus and peach on the palate. The smooth Juicy Fruit finish lingers beautifully. Perfect with lighter desserts and celebrations. Cheers!

Masi Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese Ripasso 1999 (Italy) $15
A specialty of Masi, Campofiorin splendidly encompasses the quality of the Verona area: the excellence of the varieties (particularly Corvina), and the originality of the techniques of “appassimento” (semi-drying) and refermentation. It combines simplicity and grace with power and majesty. It is rich, full-bodied, round and velvety, shows bright fruit with a supple, long finish. Has an ageing potential of 10-15 years. “Nectar Angelorum hominibus.”

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 2002 (Italy) $22
A modern expression of a centuries-old tradition of passion and dedication to the land, Feudi di San Gregorio is Campania’s premier winemaking estate. Situated in the village of Sorbo Serpico in one of Italy’s most exciting and innovative wine regions. The grapes for this beauty are harvested by hand during the first two weeks of October at the peak of ripeness. After de-stemming and a soft press, the “must” undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation at a controlled low temperature for exceptional richness. Delicate scents of ripe apricots, apples, and fresh flowers intertwine with flavors of crisp melon, pear and mineral nuances. The long, lush finish brings all the great flavors together and really makes this a super bottle. Serve with fish, salads and pasta.

Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 (California) $75
In my humble opinion it doesn’t get better than this. You can split-hairs between the finest wines in the world but once you get to this quality level, it’s all-good! It may be hard for some to believe, but this wine is an exceptional value and better than most wines at twice the price. Almost thick with flavor the wine fills your mouth with an explosion of fruit and tannins beautifully intertwined. Ripe, dark fruit dominates followed by nuances of warm spice, cocoa and mint. Cinq Cépages ("Five Varieties") is a Bordeaux-style blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (8%), Malbec (4%), and Petit Verdot (2%). Each component is aged separately for two years in small French oak barrels before blending. Once the wine is assembled, it spends six months in the bottle. It’s a beauty for the cellar, but it drank superbly today.
  

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