Confluence is owned by Tom Wittenberg, Jennifer Lissfelt and Barry Downing.  Tom Wittenberg (CEO) and Jennifer Lissfelt (President) are the founding partners and can be described as extreme advocates of South Africa and its wine. Tom and Jennifer call South Africa home, but spend an equal amount of time in the United States (and flying in between). Tom Wittenberg is responsible for all business operations including sourcing, licensing, finance, and logistics.  Jennifer Lissfelt works on supplier relations as well as corporate communications and marketing. 

Barry Downing (Executive Vice President) directs US marketing and sales efforts and is the person to talk to about our expanding distribution network in the US. Barry has a wealth of experience in the wine industry, and many years of relationships and business dealings with some of the largest distributors and retailers in the country.  

CWI is also working with selected regional brokers, who liaise closely with our sales team and represent our brands to their established customer bases.  This greatly enhances CWI’s reach into more US states.

We have a select portfolio of wines that have passed the taste test, and which we believe bring something new and exciting to the American consumer.  

We are uniquely positioned to source fine and value wines in South Africa, and to be easily accessible to both our South African suppliers and our US buyers.  Our mission is to be the most reliable, highest quality, most service-oriented importers of excellent South African wines.

The meaning of our name – Confluence Wine Importers – is multifaceted:  South Africa’s winelands are near the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian oceans at the southernmost tip of South Africa off Cape Agulhas.

This confluence is depicted in our logo. South African wine is also a blend of New and Old World winemaking styles, combining the best of both to create unique, exciting, world-class wines.

Finally, to us, confluence means a coming together – of peoples, societies, friends.  This is something we feel wine is all about.