Chris Nickolopoulos

Chris Nickolopoulos has over 20 years of wine industry experience with expertise in sales and marketing senior management and entrepreneurial leadership. Chris is the Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Wine Trading Collective, a leading boutique wine import, production, and distribution company based in San Francisco, which he founded with Elijah Pfister in 2006. He is responsible for Maritime’s strategic direction, as well as the company’s new business development, which includes portfolio additions, business acquisitions and line extensions.

Prior to founding Maritime, Chris held senior positions at leading wine industry sales, marketing, import and distribution companies: Icon Estates (Constellation Brands), Vincor USA, and National Wines and Spirits.

Throughout his career, Chris has led “first to market” US brand launches for renowned family estate wine producers from New Zealand, South Africa, Sicily, Tuscany, Alsace, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. He has been recognized for his role in establishing the Icewine category in the US through his work with Inniskillin and Jackson Triggs Wineries, as well as his leadership in bringing acclaimed international brands to the US, specifically: Jules Taylor Wines (New Zealand), Graham Beck Methode Champenoise (South Africa), MGM’s La Piuma (Tuscany), Cristo di Campobello (Sicily), Kayra (Turkey), and the Amorim cork family’s Douro estate, Quinta Nova (Portugal).