Full Name
Eric Entrikin
Job Title
MS, Germain Robin Ambassador
Company
E & J Gallo
Speaker Bio
Eric Entrikin landed his first job working for a fine dining restaurant in Southern California at the age of 16. In a matter of years, he took on a new role as the resident “wine expert,” building an exceptional reputation for himself across the trade. After a chance encounter with a celebrity chef, Eric secured a new position as assistant to the maître’d in a prominent Los Angeles restaurant.
Over the last 35 years, Eric has garnered invaluable experience in the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries, holding various positions in fine dining and fine wine retail. His time working in the wholesale field offered him the opportunity to travel and gain hands-on learning, further cementing his passion for wine. Eric discovered that he not only loved sharing his knowledge of wine with others, but that he enjoyed helping them discover wines they love even more.
By 2010, Eric became a Master Sommelier – one of just 170 in the world at that time.
“In the days after passing the Master Sommelier exam, people would say to me, ‘I want to know what you would drink because you know what is best,’” says Eric. “And I always respond with, ‘The one thing I definitely don’t know is what you like, you’re going to have to tell me!’”
Eric never tires of expanding his wine education and sharing that knowledge with others, helping them find what they enjoy most. Now, he is on a quest to do for California Premium Brandy what he’s done for wine – excite people with the discovery of something they know little about or have never tried.
“I fell in love with the diversity in wines. The same goes for California Brandy,” says Eric. “There is so much knowledge and discovery to share. I feel about Brandy as I do about wine – I can’t stop talking about it.”
In 2018, Eric joined E. & J. Gallo Winery as Spirits Brand Ambassador for Germain-Robin. In his role, Eric focuses on what comes naturally to him: educating and sharing his enthusiasm for California Premium Brandy.
“I discovered Germain-Robin in 1991, and right away I knew it could compete with Cognac,” Eric said. “Many don’t realize we have come a long way from France dominating the wine and Brandy markets, and I am excited to share the history and quality of this brand with the world. It truly is the Premium California Brandy.”
Over the last 35 years, Eric has garnered invaluable experience in the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries, holding various positions in fine dining and fine wine retail. His time working in the wholesale field offered him the opportunity to travel and gain hands-on learning, further cementing his passion for wine. Eric discovered that he not only loved sharing his knowledge of wine with others, but that he enjoyed helping them discover wines they love even more.
By 2010, Eric became a Master Sommelier – one of just 170 in the world at that time.
“In the days after passing the Master Sommelier exam, people would say to me, ‘I want to know what you would drink because you know what is best,’” says Eric. “And I always respond with, ‘The one thing I definitely don’t know is what you like, you’re going to have to tell me!’”
Eric never tires of expanding his wine education and sharing that knowledge with others, helping them find what they enjoy most. Now, he is on a quest to do for California Premium Brandy what he’s done for wine – excite people with the discovery of something they know little about or have never tried.
“I fell in love with the diversity in wines. The same goes for California Brandy,” says Eric. “There is so much knowledge and discovery to share. I feel about Brandy as I do about wine – I can’t stop talking about it.”
In 2018, Eric joined E. & J. Gallo Winery as Spirits Brand Ambassador for Germain-Robin. In his role, Eric focuses on what comes naturally to him: educating and sharing his enthusiasm for California Premium Brandy.
“I discovered Germain-Robin in 1991, and right away I knew it could compete with Cognac,” Eric said. “Many don’t realize we have come a long way from France dominating the wine and Brandy markets, and I am excited to share the history and quality of this brand with the world. It truly is the Premium California Brandy.”
Speaking At
