The wine is rarely the problem. In 35 years on the importer & distributor side of the table, I watched hundreds of international wineries enter the U.S. market. The ones that failed? It wasn’t the wine. They failed because nobody showed them how the system actually works.
They priced wrong. They picked the wrong importer. They signed franchise-state contracts they couldn’t exit. They ran out of runway 14 months in because nobody told them the three-tier payment cycle means 90–120 days before a dollar comes back.
iKAG Consulting exists to close the gap between what wineries think they know and what the U.S. market actually requires. We prepare, coach, and connect — so when you walk into the room, you belong there.
The score on the card is the summary. The assessment is the read behind it.
We prepare your proposal with you. Once we have walked through the producers you marked Approach together, it opens right here: the path, the plan for the year and the investment, in one document.
Mark your producers in the Portfolio Review, and we will take it from there.
Professional passion and collaboration have always anchored me — but now they’re the driving force behind the business. That shift changes how I listen, how I guide, and who I choose to work with.
iKAG Consulting exists to help boutique wineries navigate the U.S. market without dilution, confusion, or compromise. Decades in the traditional space taught what works — and what breaks. Now that experience is focused on clarity, protection, and strategic voice.
Let’s talk. If the brand deserves protection and the wine deserves reach — I’m here to help.