CLEARLAKE OAKS – Lake County’s Shannon Ridge winery has named wine industry professional Chris Baker as division sales manager for the southeast region.

Baker is responsible for the management of sales in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and D.C.

Shannon Ridge, one of the High Valley appellation’s pioneering wineries, is owned by longtime grape grower and vineyard consultant Clay Shannon and his wife Margarita.

Baker joined Shannon Ridge from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates where he served as a sales manager for North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and D.C. since 1996.

Previously, Baker worked for Empire Distributors of North Carolina as a general manager, where he implemented a wine training course for new recruits and as an on premise manager for Empire prior to that.

Baker began his career in the wine industry in 1985 as general manager of Jonathan’s Uptown, an upscale fine dining restaurant, where he developed and maintained a $50,000 wine cellar, and implemented the restaurant’s winemaker dinner program.

He brings 27 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, wine judging, distributor wholesale management, multi-state wine supplier management industries to Shannon Ridge.

“Shannon Ridge is quickly expanding into additional markets, and Chris’s experience in the wine industry will prove to be a great addition to the Shannon Ridge sales team,” explained John Girty, vice president of sales and marketing for Shannon Ridge. “We look forward to introducing the southeast region to the Shannon Ridge wines with Chris’s help.”

For further information, please visit www.shannonridge.com or call 998-9656.

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