Our values
Neal has spent his life working with the people who make some of the world’s most unique and challenging wines. This journey gave rise to a set of core values that guide the experiences.
1. VALUE THE ARTISAN
The Neal Rosenthal Group highlights the artisan, for without the talent and dedication of the artist, the craftsman, and the entrepreneur, our culture is less rich and varied. Recognizing and supporting the small family enterprise is at the core of what we do.
2. RESPECT NATURE
Appreciating the seasonality, capriciousness, joy and occasional misery of our natural world is a precious element of the Neal Rosenthal Group experience; it provides deep insight into the daily ebb and flow of activities in the agricultural sphere.
3. INSPIRE THE IMAGINATION
The intricate tapestry of the Neal Rosenthal Group should light the flame of curiosity and expose the traveler to new and stimulating encounters, all in the hope of creating a new, more encompassing view of our world and those who travel within it.
“If these businesses lose the fight for resilience and longevity, we all lose a part of our humanity.”
— Neal Rosenthal
Our team
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FounderNeal Rosenthal is the co-founder of Rosenthal Wine Merchant (RWM), an importer and distributor of limited production, estate-bottled wines from Western Europe. This endeavor began in 1977 as a one-man retail operation in New York City, when Neal stepped away from his law practice to conceive of a project that would operate outside the mainstream wine business.
Neal was joined shortly thereafter by his partner and wife, Kerry Madigan. The two have spent decades working with those who share the RWM passion for terroir, partnering with growers who produce limited quantities of the finest quality wines. They eventually expanded to create Mad Rose Specialty Foods and La Closerie, a 17th century maison d’hôtes in Arbois in eastern France. The passion and expertise that fueled these ventures is now being brought to light through Journeys a unified vision of intelligent, human-focused hospitality.
Neal was born in New York City in 1945 and was educated at Rutgers, Columbia and New York Universities. He is the author of Reflections of a Wine Merchant, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 2008. He was featured in the documentary film Mondovino in 2004.
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Brand & Marketing, The Neal Rosenthal Group
Debbie Soo is a seasoned brand strategist and marketing professional with over a decade of experience in global storytelling. Since 2018, she has worked closely with Neal Rosenthal, shaping the brands and digital presence of his affiliate companies. As Director of Marketing at Rosenthal Wine Merchant, she led the rebrand of the legacy company, redesigning the website and driving a sevenfold increase in traffic to the now award-winning industry benchmark.Previously, Debbie founded Feastive, NYC’s first meal kit delivery service for dinner parties, and led editorial teams at Crave Magazine in Hong Kong. With a deep passion for storytelling and brand identity, she has crafted content strategies for luxury brands worldwide, elevating their visibility and forging meaningful connections across industries.
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European Operations, The Neal Rosenthal Group
Simone’s greatest passion is introducing his clients to the less-discovered places of culture and tradition in Italy, his native country. He was born and raised in Ivrea, a small town with a great industrial design history at the foot of the Italian Alps in the Piemonte. After his studies he joined his family’s 100-year old jewelry business.
Simone has been curating and managing bespoke experiential travel for more than fifteen years. Many of these adventures in various parts of the world have had as their ultimate destination an international marathon. He has run the New York City Marathon six times!
In 2016, thanks to mutual friends, the Ferrando family of Carema, he met Neal Rosenthal with whom, thanks to a common vision, he began to collaborate on the creation of Mad Rose Journeys. A great lover of food and of the marriage of the imagination and skill that is born in the kitchen, he now spends a good part of his time in his restaurant on the island of Formentera, Spain.
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European Operations, Mad Rose Journeys
Loïc Lamy was born in Paris and raised in the French Alps. His business studies in Lyon, Strasbourg, Paris and New York incited in him a curiosity for travel which led him to work in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Immersion in these different cultures and their gastronomic traditions led him back to the exploration of his own as he became deeply interested in the concepts of taste, terroir and sense of place.
Loïc left his business career to pursue wine and began working with a negociant in Chablis, then studied sommellerie at Suze-la-Rousse. After a few stints in wine bars in the Alps, his passion for pinot noir took him to Burgundy where he has worked in all aspects of the wine industry, from the vines to the cellar to the consumer.
Today Loïc lives just above Pommard in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune with his family and continues to be engaged with winemaking, running a micro-négoce at home. He is dedicated to guiding fellow wine passionates throughout France and Italy in their discovery of wines and their terroir.
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European Operations, Mad Rose Journeys
Milena Berman was born in San Francisco and raised in a bicultural family, half German and half American. She studied Art History and Spanish and worked in commercial and non-profit galleries before moving to France to work in cultural tourism. For seven years she designed, planned and accompanied programs for donors and trustees of the world’s top cultural institutions. The trips took her to far-flung places around the globe arranging exceptional encounters in the most intimate ways. Being based in Beaune, Milena was naturally immersed in wine and gastronomy, and found a home in its dynamic wine community. Today she works in various capacities in the realms of wine, art and culture and is most interested in their intersections, while fostering connections and creating meaningful experiences.
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Director, Mad Rose Foods
Gwen grew up in a family where conversation was dominated by three perennial topics: what's been eaten in the past, what we're eating now, and what one hopes to eat in the future. These conversations continue to loom large in Gwen's mind. She began her exploration of terroir as a tour guide at a single-origin chocolate factory soon after graduating from Northeastern University, and continued her journey across the world. She served wine at top fine dining restaurants Seiobo in Sydney and Momofuku Ko in Manhattan, taking time to study biodynamic farming on New Zealand's South Island in the interim. Gwen returned to the US in 2017 and is thrilled for the opportunity to marry her twin passions of food and wine as Director at Mad Rose Foods.
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Directrice, La Closerie des Capucines
A former winemaking associate of Neal’s, Elise brings her legendary hospitality and deep knowledge of the Jura to La Closerie des Capucines. Her passion for the region shines through in every guest experience, from local wine recommendations to hidden nature escapes.
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Concierge, Closerie des Capucines
A Jura native with a deep passion for her region, Zélie is an expert concierge at La Closerie des Capucines, offering guests warm hospitality and insider tips for the best local experiences. From hidden trails to must-visit wineries, she ensures every stay is unforgettable.