David Talbot has focused his entire career on the wine, spirits, dining and publishing industries, bringing a unique combination of marketing, sales, design, and managerial skills to both established and entrepreneurial endeavors.
David is co-founder and principal in Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC). Beginning in 2010, UBC has developed into one of the major global wine and spirits evaluation and marketing services companies for the trade. UBC conducts the annual Ultimate Spirits Challenge competition for all types of distilled spirits and Ultimate Wine Appraisal offering rating and review services for wine producers and marketers.
David is founder and principal of Limitless Libations LLC, a consulting firm focusing on the needs of independent wine and spirits retailers. His services include store renovation, product selection and buying, display and merchandising, inventory management, POS system upgrade, website and ecommerce development, and staff training.
For 16 years David served as Senior Vice President, Publishing and Events of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Associate Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine. In these roles he was instrumental in the editorial, design, circulation, marketing and media sales of both the print publication and its website. In addition, David was integral to the launch and growth of Wine Enthusiast’s trade and consumer events, including its annual Wine Star Awards ceremony for the trade and annual nation-wide consumer-focused Toast of the Town wine, spirits and restaurant tasting events.
David’s publishing background includes art direction at Gourmet, Cuisine and People magazines. His entrepreneurial endeavors include 10 years as founder and CEO of two New York-based specialty food companies, Chelsea Baking Company and Chelsea Ice, serving the corporate dining, catering, hotel and restaurant industries.
David has travelled to many of the major wine and spirit producing regions around the world, and values his wide-ranging relationships on the production, marketing and executive levels of the wine and spirits industry on a global basis.
A native New Yorker, he holds a M.B.A. in Marketing and Management from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Michigan.