About J et R Selections

About Us:

J et R Selections now is represented in most major wine markets in the United States, but it started out as a small "Mom and Pop"operation importing and distributing wine only in Michigan. J C Mathes is the "J" of J et R; Rosemary Mathes is the "R" of J et R. Its warehouse is in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, but we work out of our home in Ann Arbor, Michigan. J C is a retired faculty member from the University of Michigan, and now spends full time on the wine business, including several visits to France each year.

J et R Selections, Ltd., was incorporated as a privately held Michigan corporation in 1972; its trade name is "J et R Selections." In 1982 we received our Federal Basic Permit to import wine. In 1986 we received our Federal Wholesaler's Permit as a wholesaler in Michigan as well as an importer. J et R Selections still is a wholesaler in Michigan, and now has two other distributors in Michigan. J et R Selections is only an importer in other states, and sells to distributors in those states.

J et R Selections imported its first container of wine in 1987. The wines were from 7 domaines of the Southern Côtes du Rhône appellations (in France, the Côtes du Rhône méridionale, as opposed to the Northern Côtes du Rhône, the Côtes du Rhône septrionale, appellations), including Domaine Eddie Féraud Châteauneuf du Pape, Chateau de Montmirail Gigondas and Vacqueyras, and Domaine de la Tourade Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône.

In 1988 J et R Selections imported another container and added several more domaines, including Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine le Mas des Collines Gigondas, and Domaine de l'Espigouette Côtes du Rhône.

Since, we have gradually expanded as well as refined our portfolio and by 2001 were importing nine 40' containers a year, either insulated or temperature controlled depending on the season.

We started importing Southern Côtes du Rhône before the region became extremely popular, and we developed good relationships with many growers before other importers started to focus on the region. As we imported only Côtes du Rhône for several years, and many domaines from all of its appellations, J et R became established and nationally known as a Rhône specialist and importer.

Since then, J et R Selections has expanded to import wines from many wine regions of France: first Burgundy, then Champagne, Minervois, Bordeaux, and Alsace. Our expansion has been through direct contact and tastings with individual domaines, usually through introductions and recommendations from our wine growers, who have friends and acquaintances throughout France. Our first non-Rhône estate was Jean Raphet et Fils, of the Côte d'Or in Burgundy, a recommendation of Laurence Feraud of Domaine du Pégaü, who had gone to Daveye wine college with the son, Gerard.

So that is how J et R has expanded and judiciously continues to expand. We do not deal with brokers who represent French wine growers. We do not go to events such as Vinexpo, where wine growers have booths to introduce their wines to importers from all over the world as well as the US. We rely on our personal contacts.

J et R Selections now imports about 110 different labels from 28 French wine domaines. We will continue to import only the wines of France and to specialize in small, family-owned domaines. All of our domaines, except the Côtes du Ventoux cooperative, are "Mom and Pop" domaines, just as J et R was until recently.

As J et R has expanded, it has outgrown the "J" and the "R." For its first five or so years, we handled the importing, the warehousing, the sales, the deliveries, and all of the office paperwork ourselves. That no longer is possible. We now have two associates: Jim Kenley, a francophile and retired retail business person who plans to take over J et R when J C retires from day-to-day operations, and Dan Farley, whose career has been in the retail and wholesale wine business and whose palate and knowledge of French wine far exceeds mine and equals that of most nationally known wine experts.

The future of J et R Selections in their hands will be a bright one indeed.

Listings: Dun & Bradstreet, Gipac, Veritas