IWP 1743 Dr. Craig de Blois (Juliana Colangelo)

Welcome to Episode 1743 on Italian Wine Podcast, Masterclass US Wine Market With Juliana Colangelo. In today's episode, the focus shifts to the Canadian market as she interviews Dr. Craig de Blois, Wine Importer, President of Noble Estates Wine & Spirits.

About today’s guest
Craig de Blois purchased Noble Estates in 2013 and has helped grow the business to one of the leading agencies in the province of Ontario. He is also a partner in Noble Selection, a top agency in Quebec and is the founder of Howitzer Canadian Whisky. Craig is also a partner in Loup Blanc, a small winery in Minervois, France, as well as Promiscuo, a dynamic vineyard project in Prince Edward County. Prior to moving to Noble, he spent 10+ years managing Ontario sales and marketing for Lifford Wine and Spirits. Craig also spent many years on the Board of Directors of Drinks Ontario, the industry’s Importers Association. Craig attended Colgate University on an ice hockey and lacrosse scholarship and completed his MBA at The Schulich School of Business, with a focus on wine marketing and strategy. Prior to entering the wine industry, he spent 8 years working in banking, with UBS in Zurich, Brown Brothers Harriman in Boston and Luxembourg, and with Standard Bank in Johannesburg. Craig lives in Brooklin, Ontario, with his wife and their 3 children. When Craig is not traveling to the wine regions of the world, he enjoys coaching his kids hockey teams, golfing and skiing.

More about Juliana Colangelo:
Juliana Colangelo is a Vice President at Colangelo & Partners, the leading wine and spirits communications agency in the U.S. Juliana joined Colangelo & Partners in 2013 with previous experience in events, hospitality, and nonprofit development. During her tenure at C&P, Juliana has led the development of the California office, growing the agency’s domestic presence to a dedicated office of 13 people with representation of leading wine companies such as Jackson Family Wines, Far Niente, Charles Krug Winery, Foley Family Wines and more. Juliana has completed her WSET Level 3 and her eMBA in Wine Business with Sonoma State University, allowing her to bring a strategic and sales-oriented approach to communications strategy for the agency. In 2021, Juliana was named one of PR News’ Top Women in PR in the “Rising Stars” category. In 2022 Juliana became a Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador.