GOOD EARTH WINES LTD.
THE TEAM
Who We Are
Wendy J. Fox
Founder & CEO
Inspired by the deeply toned colors of the vineyard soil and driven by a passion for the food and fruits of the harvest, Good Earth Wines Ltd. celebrates life at the table.
Good Earth Wines Ltd. is in fact, the continuum of discussions in owner Wendy Fox’s own kitchen amid her family and friends. There, at the table, spurred by the encouragement of community, her love of wine and food quickly became an obsession and her wine education began in earnest. Reading and tasting led to the decision to launch Good Earth Wines Ltd. and the intent of importing small, family-owned wineries to the Chicago market was made.
Today, Goods Earth Wines Ltd. is an importer and distributor that is proud to share its wines with a growing circle of fine restaurants and retailers throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
Max Shulruff
Director of Sales
Max joins Good Earth Wines Ltd. as a passionate wine and spirits professional with over ten years of industry experience. The moment Max started working at a fine wine and spirits retailer as an undergrad in Madison, Wisconsin (Go Badgers), he knew he found his calling. Max has since bottled and filtered spirits in a warehouse, sold wines across the Chicagoland area for Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, and recently ventured West to work for The Wine Group, overseeing independent sales in Southern California and all of sales in Washington State and Alaska.
Max returns home to Illinois where he is elated to continue his journey of sharing quality wines with family, friends, both new and old, and clients across the greater Chicagoland area.
Josephine DeFries
Wine Specialist
Born into an Italian-American family, food and wine have been a central part of Josie DeFries' life since as early as she can remember. Although her appreciation of wine has come a long way from her childhood days of sipping wine mixed with 7up at her Grandfather Giuseppes' home, one thing remains a constant; some of the most memorable moments in life happen around a kitchen table surrounded by family, food and good wine!
After 23 years of working in the restaurant business - from waitress to bartender, manager to wine buyer - she has happily come full circle, finding joy in continuing her education of Italian wine, food and culture and sharing her passion with family, friends and clients throughout Chicago.
Stephany Rigoni
Wine Specialist
Stephany Rigoni is an art school dropout turned Sommelier.
She hails from a family of Italian farmers and restauranteurs. They instilled a deep appreciation for the earth and natural farming practices in her from a very young age. As a child and young adult she could always be found helping out in the kitchen and in her Nonna and Nonno’s garden. Her family prioritized fine wine and fare above all. (They didn’t exchange presents on Christmas. They did get a small Italian wine glass full of homemade wine every year, even the kids.)
Schedule a tasting with her today and she will tell you about the time her Nonno met Mussolini.