Wine Immersion Success Stories – Greg Rivera

Taking the Plunge

Greg Rivera's is another story of weaving corporate experience into the cloth of a new career in the wine world.

After 20 years in corporate America in the distribution business, Greg "took the plunge" when presented with the chance to retire early and turn a lifelong interest in wine into a new life. While developing new business ideas, he looked for a way to not only codify his existing wine knowledge, but to see where the gaps were and systematically fill them in.

The CIA's Wine Immersion caught his attention with its college setting, Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies facilities, unique curriculum covering the diverse aspects of the wine business, and unmatched atmosphere in the heart of wine country. Greg now owns a wine distribution company in Florida, Wines for Everyone, where he has brought together his past experience and newfound skills.

"The wealth of knowledge I gained in just a month from the CIA's world-class faculty would have otherwise taken me many years to accumulate," says Greg. "Taking classes such as Sensory Analysis and Food and Wine Pairing have provided me with better context and more credibility when we present our wines to chefs."

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