Welcome to JSoif
Thirsty for all things French!
Services
Wine Importing
Need a red from Tuscany or a white from Alsace but can’t quite get your hands on it? With more than 2 decades in the industry, JSoif can help you get the perfect selection from vineyard to table.
Wholesale & Distribution
Need to liven up your wine selection? JSoif has you covered! Connect with us to set up a list that will percectly complement your menus.
JSoif Podcast & Blog
Co-owner Marc Brice sits down with prominent names within the wine and restaurant industries.
About
If you say our name, you’re speaking French. “J’ai Soif,” as it is written in French means “I’m thirsty.” If you walk into a bistro in France and say “ J’ai Soif “ to the patron, and he takes a measure of you, and if he likes you, you will be rewarded with a wonderful wine. I am a son of France more precisely the son of a Frenchman. While I grew up in New York. I grew up as well in France thanks to the heavy infusion of All Things French in my upbringing. My passion for wine comes with no surprise from my French side. In fact, wine is integral to French culture, the country has a long history of wine production and almost every region of France produces a variety of wines. Historical records can trace the origin of viniculture in France to the 6th century BC when the Phoenicians cultivated vineyards in the south of France near Marseilles.
A year ago, I started a podcast www.jsoif.com to share my passions for All Things French and at the top of the list is wine. I was encouraged by the warm reception this effort has received. Having worked for a producer and various importers I decided this year to establish my own importing and distributing company based in Chicago. Thanks to my mother’s encouragement and support in more ways than one we are well under way. We because I am not alone. My wife Jill Baumeister is now my partner in two senses of the word. Having worked 20 years in leadership development , cutting her teeth on the trading floors of Morgan Stanley, American Express and Goldman Sachs not to mention her two years as a teacher at a bilingual school in eastern Hungary and her time as a consultant for Deloitte.
With the two of us we are starting small and during rather challenging times and we know that. We believe in Chicago and its diverse food scene offering it a portfolio of small family estates and a new wave of young French winemakers respectful of traditions and the earth. Our portfolio reflects the commitment to quality from all our producers.
JSoif: Thirsty for all things French!
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