Interview
This interview is with Simon Lowry of Petit Monde Wine Merchants. In this interview, Simon talks about growing up around wine, how he found himself in the wine distribution industry, and where he hopes to see himself in the future.
Simon dives into growing up in France and how his parents’ practice of enjoying a nice wine with a good meal shaped him. He shares about attending college in France and how his passion for wine was truly spurred through an informal tasting group he formed with his friends.
Later in the interview, Simon talks about moving to Portland and his journey in getting involved with wine buying and distribution. He also shares some of his aspirations to have and farm and produce some small scale boutique wine.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Petit Monde in Portland on February 24, 2025.
Interview
This oral history interview is with Olivier Rochelois of Petit Monde Wine Merchant in Portland. Olivier talks about growing up in France, coming to the United States and embarking on a successful business career. He then describes the pull of wine, and the drive to do his own project showcasing lesser-known wines of the world.
Along the way, Olivier talks about the challenges of the work, and his process of learning wines and starting a business. He also talks about the challenges of the pandemic and positioning his business to succeed as the world changes.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Petit Monde Wine Merchant in Portland on March 3, 2022.
Interview
This Oral History Interview is with Tim Rippa of Petit Monde Wine Merchants. Tim talks about his introduction to the wine industry and his path through in Oregon, including restaurants, production and distribution. He also talks about the challenges of building wine lists and selling wine, and the projects he’s working on now.
Tim concludes by talking about the changes he’s seen in the Oregon wine industry and what might come next.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on February 7, 2022 at Angel Face in Portland.