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Marc Almert named new CEO of Baur au Lac Vins

by Bettina Bäck
Marc Almert

Award-winning sommelier Marc Almert (33) has taken the helm of the management of the renowned Swiss wine trading house, effective from January 2025.  

Marc Almert has been working for Zurich-based Baur au Lac and Baur au Lac Vins since 2017. In 2022, the talented sommelier was elevated by the Kracht family, the owners of the five-star hotel and the wine trading company, to the role of deputy in the Baur au Lac Vins management team. He has provided vital innovative input for the prestigious operation, which has become one of Switzerland’s most renowned wine traders in the last 180-plus years. 

Following the unexpected death of Chief Executive Mark James ‘Jimmy’ Roser in November 2024, it was a logical decision for the Kracht family to place the management of their wine trade operation in the proven hands of Marc Almert. He has been tasked with further developing the company and leading it into the future alongside the Kracht family.  

Marc Almert is widely respected for his exceptional expertise and knowledge of the industry. In 2019, the dedicated sommelier won the ASI Best Sommelier of the World Championship at the age of just 27. In the same year, he took on the position of head sommelier at Baur au Lac and has been responsible for curating all of the five-star hotel's wine lists ever since. Prior to this, the Cologne native worked in renowned restaurants in Germany such as Haerlin in the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg and Restaurant Ente in Nassauer Hof in Wiesbaden. A member of the management team at Baur au Lac Vins since 2022, he maintains a close, personal relationships with the company's partners, customers and clients. Almert also scouts the world for wines and other discoveries, which are constantly being added to Baur au Lac Vins' exciting range of wines. 

The art of wine selection

The Baur au Lac Vins wine trading house has stood for reliable wine expertise for over 180 years while managing to always have its finger on the pulse. Marc Almert and his highly competent team select products for every budget with the utmost care and expertise. Particular attention is paid to niche themes and new discoveries of outstanding quality and in interesting price segments.  

Baur au Lac Vins offers a range of well over 3,000 wines and spirits from more than 300 producers worldwide, of which it is the exclusive importer for around 100. Connoisseurs can find the right wine for every occasion in their five wine shops in and around Zurich and online shop: bauraulacvins.ch. Customers also have the opportunity of deepening their wine knowledge through numerous tasting programmes held in the shops by the expert team.  

Baur au Lac Vins also acts as an experienced distributor for the Swiss catering trade and specialist retailers.  

About Baur au Lac Vins

Baur au Lac Vins is one of the most prestigious wine merchants in Switzerland and its success story spans more than 180 years. The family-run company has been supplying Switzerland with selected wines and spirits since 1844, always with the aim of offering its customers something special. To this end, the dedicated team at this renowned company selects exquisite products for every budget with the utmost care and expertise and provides its customers with exclusive wine experiences of the highest quality and service standards. With five wine shops in and around Zurich and the online shop www.bauraulacvins.ch, connoisseurs will find the right wine for every occasion. Baur au Lac Vins is also an experienced distributor for the Swiss catering trade and specialist retailers.