Charles Finkel
Charles Finkel | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1943 Flushing, Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Designer, entrepreneur, artist |
| Known for | Founder of Bon-Vin, Merchant du Vin, Pike Brewing; pioneer in marketing boutique wines and craft beers |
Charles Finkel (born September 25, 1943) is a multifaceted professional encompassing roles as a designer, entrepreneur, and artist. He established Bon-Vin, Merchant du Vin, and Pike Brewing in Seattle. During the 1970s, he was instrumental in promoting small, family-operated California wineries and was the pioneer in marketing Washington state wines on a national scale. He originated the phrase "boutique wines" to describe small-scale, high-quality family wineries in a 1970 article for Wines and Vines Magazine.
Through Merchant du Vin, Finkel introduced American consumers to Belgian and European craft beers from countries such as England, Scotland, Belgium, France, Norway, and Germany. Additionally, he created label designs for distinguished beers including Ayinger Celebrator, the celebrated Oatmeal Stout series by Samuel Smith, Lindeman's Cuvée René, and Pike Brewing Company.
Acknowledged for his significant contributions to the industry, Charles was inducted into the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame in 2025. He was married to Rose Ann Finkel until her death in 2020.
Early life
Charles was born in Flushing, Queens, New York in 1943 and relocated to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 1947. His father was employed by American Airlines in Tulsa. Regular travels among Tulsa, New York, and San Francisco cultivated his interest in arts and culture. Between 1962 and 1966, he pursued studies in design and marketing at the University of Oklahoma. During his college years, he acquired early experience in the wine sector by managing Mayo Meadows Liquor Store.
Wine industry
In 1966, Finkel began working with Monsieur Henri, a New York-based wine importer and wholesaler, undertaking extensive travels across Spain, France, Germany, and Portugal. At age 25, he received the "salesman of the year" award and took on the role of Southwest sales manager headquartered in Houston, where he met Rose Ann Martin.
In 1969, he launched Bon-Vin, Inc., operating from offices in Tulsa and Houston. The company imported wines from French regions such as Chalonnaise (notably Chateau de Chamirey), Bordeaux (including Descas Père et Fils), Rhône Valley, Jura, alongside Spanish Rioja and Portuguese ports. In 1973, Bon-Vin expanded by acquiring Robert Philips Wine Importing Company located in Stamford, Connecticut.
Bon-Vin obtained exclusive U.S. representation rights for Ste. Michelle (now Château Ste. Michelle) in Washington state starting in 1969. Charles played a key role persuading the winery to shift its appellation designation from American to Washington State, incorporating back labels that emphasized Washington’s latitude relative to European wine-producing areas.
Beginning in 1970, Bon-Vin represented emerging California wineries throughout Napa Valley, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties including Dry Creek, Z.D., Sutter Home, Kenwood Vineyards, Fetzer among others.
In 1974 Bon-Vin was purchased by U.S. Tobacco Company as part of its acquisition of American Wine Growers (which included Ste. Michelle). Following this transaction, Charles and Rose Ann moved to Seattle where he assumed the position of Vice President of Marketing at Château Ste. Michelle and provided architectural guidance for the Woodinville chateau alongside architect Chester Lindsay.
Importing
In 1978, Charles Finkel established Merchant du Vin, a Seattle-based importer specializing in wine and beer. This company acted as the sole U.S. representative west of the Mississippi River for D.G. Yuengling brewery and also represented several notable breweries, including England’s Samuel Smith Old Brewery and Melbourn Bros; Germany’s Brauerei Ayinger and Pinkus Müller; as well as Belgium’s Orval, Lindemans, St. Bernardus, and Rodenbach.
In Ultimate Beer, Michael Jackson identified Seattle as a premier craft beer hub, crediting Merchant du Vin for its early role in bringing specialty beers to the region. Pioneer brewer Bert Grant recognized Finkel’s efforts in preparing the market for microbrewed beer. Market Watch Magazine praised Merchant du Vin as "America's most impressive specialty beer importers." The publication Brewing in Seattle attributes significant influence to Charles and Rose Ann Finkel, noting their pioneering import business as foundational to both Seattle’s brewing scene and the broader American craft beer movement.
Pike Brewing Company
Founded by Charles and Rose Ann Finkel in 1989, Pike Place Brewery (now known as Pike Brewing) tapped its inaugural keg on October 17 of that year. The brewery initially operated alongside Liberty Malt Supply Co., a homebrewing and winemaking retailer established in 1921, featuring a handcrafted four-barrel copper kettle. Early flagship brews included Pike Place Ale and Pike XXXXX Extra Stout. At the time they sold it, Pike held the distinction of brewing IPA longer than any other brewery in the United States.
In 1996, Pike Place Brewery and Liberty Malt Supply relocated to a larger site at 1415 First Avenue, where they expanded with a 30-barrel gravity-flow brewhouse, The Pike Pub, and a Microbrewery Museum. The operation was renamed Pike Brewing Company. In 1997, Merchant du Vin divested Pike Brewing, The Pike Pub, and Liberty Malt Supply; while the pub and brewery remained operational, Liberty Malt Supply ceased business.
The Finkels regained ownership of Pike Brewing and The Pike Pub in 2006. Following Rose Ann’s passing, Charles transferred majority ownership to Seattle Hospitality Group under Howard Wright and exited in 2025 to concentrate on Charles Finkel Design, which focuses on graphic design, writing, and painting.
Personal life
Charles met Rose Ann Martin during a wine tasting event in Houston in 1968; they married the following year and had two children: Andrew Finkel from Everett, WA, and Amy Finkel from Beacon, NY. Together they led the Seattle Slow Food Convivium between 1999 and 2004 and served concurrently on the national board of The Weizmann Institute of Science. Charles also judged Slow Food Awards in Bologna (2001) and Torino (2003), while serving on boards such as Planned Parenthood of The Great Northwest and Hawaiian Islands and The Epiphany School in Seattle. Rose Ann’s legacy is honored through the Rose Ann Finkel Diversity in Brewing Scholarship at Washington State University; she was posthumously recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Puget Sound Business Journal in 2021. Both Charles and Rose Ann were inducted into the Craft Beer Hall of Fame in 2025.
Charles Finkel's Awards
1997 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Midwest International Beer Expo's Legends of Beer dinner; presented by renowned beer expert Michael Jackson who described Finkel as "one of the most influential figures in beer marketing."
1998 – Brewers Association Recognition Award
2011 – Listed among '10 Beer Innovators' by DRAFT Magazine
2012 – Delivered keynote address at National Homebrew Conference in Bellevue, WA
2014 – Honored as a 'Culinary Trailblazer' by Puget Sound Business Journal
2015 – Recipient of Pellegrini Foundation Award
2016 – Inducted into 'Seattle's Food & Beverage Hall of Fame' by Seattle Magazine
Writing
2000 – Released The Brewer's Companion, authored by Randy Mosher 2011 – Served as Art Curator for the Oxford Companion to Beer 2024 – Authored the introduction for Distilled in Washington: A History 2024 – Honored as Outstanding Graduate by Broken Arrow High School, Oklahoma 2025 – Entered the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame with Rose Ann Finkel and 11 additional inductees