Our People

Eymeric Darsch

Brand Manager - North America

I grew up in Bourg sur Gironde. Located in the Cotes de Bourg Appellation, it is a town of 2,000 people 30 km north of Bordeaux on the bank of the Gironde River. I am the 4th generation in a family of winemakers and growers and spent my childhood in the vineyards.

From the time I was 5 years old I travelled the world extensively with my parents. My father was a mining engineer and we were in a different country or continent every year. Both my parents were tuned into fine food and fine wines and from a young age I was exposed to the very best of food and wine. By the time I was 12 years old I was in charge of the kitchen and my wine knowledge was improving with every small amount of wine I was allowed to sample with my father. There is nothing like Haut Brion or Margaux to enter into the world of a teenager. Upon finishing high school I went to the International Hotel School of Paris (EHI) where I earned a degree in Hotel Management.

After a 3 year tour of duty in the French Navy, I was hired by a British Company and went to Miami to become a food and beverage manager for the growing fleet of cruise ships in a booming industry in the mid-eighties. After two years in the Caribbean and South America, I went to run the F&B operations in Tahiti for a year and a half. Following this I moved to Southern California and for the next two years worked for Southern Wines and Spirits. Five years of restaurant management for TGIF and ARG (Black Angus Steakhouse) gave me an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs of on-premise accounts. I went on to work for American Airlines as a Purser and an in-flight trainer for the First Class flight attendants teaching them the art of fine wines and five star service at 30,000 feet. Following September 11th, I went back to my wine roots to become a category buyer for a specialty food and wine chain of stores in Texas. Two years later I joined a National Importer to represent them in the central USA and within 12 months I was promoted to the position of National Sales Manager.

When I was approached by Gemtree recently to represent them in North America it was like a dream come true. It feels like being back home, in a small family environment, working with down to earth people who understand the human factor in this ever more corporate world of wine. After traveling the world, I now plan on dropping my bags for many years to come and help the Gemtree brand become firmly established in North America.

On a closing note I would like to tell all of you that…… Without the people there is no wine and without the wine there are no people. I have converted my wife Laura to appreciate sharing a glass of wine with me everyday and I hope that my 3 children will follow in our path and do the same.

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