Providing Winning Distribution & Sales
Solutions in the Beverage Alcohol Category
"Welcome to Our Family"
Batonnage is a wonderful tool for winemakers, almost like a spice rack to a chef. Batonnage is the French word for lees stirring. Lees are the dead yeast cells which remain in wine after fermentation. They settle as sediment at the bottom of the fermentation vessel. Batonnage "degasses" the wine in the sense that the stirring stimulates the release of free SO2 and CO2 trapped in solution in the wine, and, due to the open bung and the process of stirring, simultaneously adds oxygen into solution with the wine and into the remaining space in the barrel not filled by liquid. Like the spice rack comparison, we have chosen Batonnage Brand Activation as our calling card. We are here to stir up your sales. We are a brand driven brokerage driving image, profitably and sales at distributor & customer level. Our 75 years of experience in wine and the same number of years in understanding the distributor networks throughout the Central US, Canada and the Virgin Islands will be an asset to your brand or portfolio of assets.
About Us
Thomas J. Conrad
For more than 35 years, Thomas has passionately dedicated his career to the wine industry in various capacities. He has been recognized by a variety of prestigious national and international wine institutions. He has received the Compagnon Du Bordeaux award along with being inducted into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. He has also chaired numerous culinary charity events such as Meals on Wheel- Celebrity Chef’s Brunch in Chicago along with the Treasured Vintages Wine Auction. Tom has worked with legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse and other Michelin starred chef’s coordinating celebrity wine dinners. Tom is the author of numerous wine and industry articles. His passion for wine and food is contagious.
Tom received a MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a BS in Economics from Miami University. He is a founding board member of Meals on Wheels- Chicago. When he is not working, he can be found rooting for the “Fighting Irish” or on the island of St. John in the USVI.
Richard Karachun
For close to 40 years Richard’s career in the fine wine business has given him numerous accomplishments. Richard started his career with the Wirtz Corporation in Chicago as a territory rep and worked his way up to Key Account Manager then Fine Wine Sales Manager. After almost 19 years he then went on to Vice President of Sales and one of the premier wine distributors in Chicago, Vintage Wines and Spirits. He then went on to create a premium wine division of a family owned distributor in the area called Stoller Wholesale. Richard increased revenue from about $200,000 per year to over 6 million in five years. He then took an opportunity at a Chicago based national importer A. Hardy USA as Wine Director. A.Hardy was sold in 2018.
Rick has traveled numerous times throughout his career to the great wine regions of the world. Everywhere throughout California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany, Piedmonte, Germany, South Africa and Argentina and Spain. Education, Bachelor of Science, National -Louis University. Evanston IL.
