KIRK BAUER

Founder & Owner

As the captain, Kirk is responsible for making key decisions and ensuring the well-being of his crew, the K-T-W team, as well as the satisfaction of all passengers, our valued customers.

Career history:

Robert Mondavi – Sales office Europe
Meininger Verlag – Editor Weinwirtschaft // Mundus vini tasting management
Niederberger Group
Rieger Container Construction

Memberships:

Member of the Bund Deutscher Oenologen (BDO)
Member of the Board MUNDUS vini - The Grand International Wine Award
Member of the expert jury at recognised international wine competitions

GREGOR HOFER

General Manager

Dipl. Oenologist

Graduated from Instituto Agrario di San Michele all'Adige and University of Udine

In his role as a leader and member of the management team, he brings extensive expertise and experience to portfolio development, international sales, and customer support. With multilingual abilities, the native South Tyrolean, residing in the Palatinate since 2010, oversees the markets in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.

Career history:

Weingut Unterortl, Südtirol: Oenologist
Weingut Von Winning, Deidesheim: Deputy Cellar Master
Weingut Adriane Moll, St. Martin: Operations Manager
KIRKs Total Wine, Deidesheim: Consulting & Sales
Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, Deidesheim: Oenological Director - Technical Managing Director
Weingut Weegmüller, Neustadt-Haardt: Technical Managing Director

KERSTIN BAUER

Office Manager

Kerstin, as Office Manager, acts as the liaison between all offices, overseeing processes and ensuring seamless operations across logistics and personalized customer care. Working closely with the entire team and our suppliers, she is also in charge of organizing trade shows and events.

JOHN KINGDON

Agent Western Australia

THE BARREL GROUP

Agent Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia

Lilydale, VICTORIA 3140

STEFAN BORN

Consulting & Sales

Born in Japan and raised in the Palatinate, he is a graduate chemist with extensive knowledge and experience in analytics, particularly in wine and spirits, having long served as the head of a renowned wine laboratory. A father of two and amateur musician, he contributes his expertise in wine chemistry and consulting on oenological products and biotechnology to the KTW team.

ENGELA STADLER

PR & Marketing

Hailing from South Africa, Engela joined the KTW team in July 2020. After completing her studies in Oenology in Stellenbosch, she worked in South Africa and Namibia before moving to Germany to pursue a doctorate at The Institute for Viticulture and Oenology in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, where she researched alternative methods for barrel sanitization. As a member of the expert jury for MUNDUS vini – The Grand International Wine Award, she also participates in various other awards and specialist tastings, sharing her expertise in Oenology and Technology.

LEA BAUER

Certified TCA Detection Dog

Laetitia von Ruppertsberg from the House of Menger-Krug (LEA)

Originally intended for mail and package reception duties, Lea has undergone successful training and certification and is now employed as a certified TCA detection dog for KIRK’s Total Wine. Lea is happy to inspect your cellars and storage rooms, reliably detecting TCA-contaminated materials, equipment, and objects.