Throughout the years Jack has owned or mangaged several restaurants from his first restaurant in the mountains of North Georgia to multi-million dollar operations like Sunday’s on the Bay in Key Biscayne, Florida, where he was General Manager. It was there he met Jim Fetzer, former President of Fetzer Vineyards, and left the restaurant business to become a Fetzer District Sales Manager. In a little over three years Jack was promoted to Vice President of Sales for Fetzer’s Southeastern Division. At one time Jack’s responsibility included the management of Fetzer’s portfolio in 16 states with 64 distributors.

After leaving the wine business for several years he decided that he wanted to go back to the industry he loved. In 2007 Jack travelled back to wine country, visiting good friends in Lake and Mendocino counties and began representing, in the Southeast US, first, Danny Fetzer’s Jeriko Estate wines and then adding Jim Fetzer’s Ceago Vinegarden, Patti Fetzer’s Patianna and John Fetzer’s Saracina and Atrea brands. He was then fortunate enough to meet Grag Graziano and agree to represent the Graziano Family of Wines. Jack is continuing to add the kind of wineries and people he wants to represent and Vintopia is growing.

In the evenings you can often find Jack standing behind the grill or cooktop whipping up something good to eat, taking pains to make sure that whatever wine he has chosen for the evening will have a love affair with the dishes he is creating. (click here to email Jack)

Jack Tanksley, President of Vintopia, comes from an extensive background in food and wine. During his school years he cut his teeth in the food business as a night manager of a Miami, fastfood, hambuger joint.

His love affair with wine began when he was stationed by the US Army in Southern Germany. There he had a chance to travel and experience the wines of Germany, France and Italy along with all the cuisines of those countries.

PRESIDENT
John A. "Jack" Tanksley Jr.