Opici Wines and Spirits

What Opici Wines and Spirits does

Opici Wines & Spirits (legal entity Opici Import Co., Inc.) is a fourth-generation, family-owned importer and national distributor of wines and spirits, headquartered at 25 DeBoer Drive, Glen Rock, NJ. The company was established in 1913 by Joseph and Ester Opici and has been led by the family across four generations, with Hubert Opici serving as Chairman and Don Opici as CEO since 2005.

The company operates a portfolio-based model carrying more than 50 brands sourced from 10 countries, anchored by long-standing Italian partnerships (Carpineto, Cesari, Luiano, Meletti, Viberti) and expanded into Spanish (El Coto, Barón de Ley), French (Le Grand Courtâge), Argentinian (Luigi Bosca, Ruca Malen), Chilean (Santa Ema), Australian (Robert Oatley), and New Zealand (Giesen, including Giesen 0%) labels. Its proprietary brand development includes LaLuca Prosecco, Julia James (California), The Critic (Napa) and Opici Family Sangria. The portfolio is sold primarily through a B2B national distributor network spanning all 50 US states, established during the 2000 national expansion, and is supplemented by a direct-to-consumer Shop Site (shop.opiciwines.com) operated by third-party provider Thirstie, which routes orders to local retailers for fulfillment.

Revenue is generated through trade distribution of branded and proprietary wines and spirits — classified as transaction-fee revenue in the source data — with no publicly disclosed pricing model. The 2023 acquisition of Pacific Highway Wines from Robert Oatley Vineyards and Giesen Group effectively doubled revenue and added 20+ brands, marking the largest portfolio expansion in the company's history. Recognition includes Wine Enthusiast Importer of the Year (2014), American Wine Legend for Hubert Opici (2012), and a Person(s) of the Year nomination for Don and Dina Opici (2023). The company is privately held with 11-50 employees, no identified institutional or PE ownership, and no public revenue disclosures.

Name

Opici Wines and Spirits

Legal name

Opici Import Co., Inc.

Website

https://opiciwinesandspirits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Opici Wines & Spirits is a fourth-generation, family-owned US importer and distributor of wine and spirits, marketing 50+ brands from 10 countries through a national distributor network and a Thirstie-powered e-commerce shop site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine and Spirits Import and Distribution

NAICS

Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcohol Importers & Brand Owners (Wholesale) (CRAOAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Wine importation
• Spirits distribution
• Italian wine portfolio
• Proprietary wine brands
• National wholesale beverage distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Glen Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine and Spirits Distribution and Import: Opici Wines & Spirits generates revenue through the importation, distribution, and sale of wine and spirits brands. The company carries more than 50 brands from 10 countries, including Italian wine staples and proprietary brands, sold through distributor partners across the US and via a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (Shop Site) powered by Thirstie.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Opici Wines & Spirits imports and distributes a portfolio of more than 50 wine and spirits brands from 10 countries, anchored by long-standing Italian brands and supplemented by proprietary brands developed by the company. Products are sold through national distributor partners across the United States and via a Shop Site powered by third-party provider Thirstie, which routes consumer orders to local retailers for fulfillment. The company also develops its own proprietary brands, including LaLuca Prosecco, Julia James, The Critic, and Opici Italian Selections, alongside acquired brands like Giesen and Robert Oatley Vineyards.

Product overview

Opici Wines & Spirits is a fourth-generation wine and spirits importer and distributor with family roots dating back to 1913. The company operates as a portfolio-based importer featuring more than 50 brands from 10 countries. The core portfolio is built on long-standing Italian wine and spirits brands (Carpineto, Cesari, Luiano, Meletti, Viberti) as the foundation, expanded to include world-class international wineries like El Coto from Rioja, Spain. The company also develops proprietary brands including LaLuca Prosecco (Italy), Julia James (California), and The Critic (Napa). In October 2023, Opici acquired Pacific Highway Wines from Robert Oatley Vineyards and Giesen Group, adding 20+ brands and effectively doubling company revenue. Products are sold through an e-commerce Shop Site powered by third-party provider Thirstie.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LaLuca Prosecco Proprietary Prosecco brand developed by Opici Wines & Spirits, originating from Italy, distributed through the company's national distributor network and Shop Site.
• Julia James Proprietary California wine brand developed by Opici Wines & Spirits and distributed through its national US distributor partner network.
• The Critic Proprietary Napa wine brand developed by Opici Wines & Spirits and distributed through its national distributor network.
• Opici Family Sangria Family-owned Sangria brand developed by Opici Wines & Spirits and distributed through US distributor partners.
• Opici Italian Selections Curated Italian wine selections branded under the Opici family name, sold through the company's national distribution network.
• Opici Vineyards Opici family vineyard-branded wine products distributed through national distributor partners.
• Pacific Highway Wines portfolio Portfolio of family-owned and independent wine brands acquired from Robert Oatley Vineyards and Giesen Group on October 1, 2023, including Giesen, Giesen 0%, and Robert Oatley Vineyards, distributed nationally across the US.
• Italian wine brand portfolio (Carpineto, Cesari, Luiano, Meletti, Viberti, Umberto Cesari) Foundational imported Italian wine and spirits brands carried by Opici Wines & Spirits, the result of long-standing supplier relationships built since the 1970s.
• Shop Site (Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce) E-commerce storefront at shop.opiciwines.com operated by third-party provider Thirstie, through which consumers can place orders that are then fulfilled by participating local retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Opici Lambrusco sold 600,000 cases in one year (1979)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pacific Highway Wines (from Robert Oatley Vineyards and Giesen Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Opici Wines & Spirits acquired Pacific Highway Wines from Robert Oatley Vineyards and Giesen Group, effective October 1, 2023. The acquisition added 20+ brands to Opici's portfolio, including family-owned and independent wine brands from various regions globally, and doubled the company's revenue.
• ThirstiecoreTechnology or IntegrationThirstie provides and operates the Opici Wines & Spirits Shop Site (shop.opiciwines.com), an e-commerce platform through which consumers can order products. Thirstie's participating local retailers fulfill orders placed on the platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Winebow Group: US importer and distributor of wine and spirits operating through regional supplier affiliations across all 50 states, with comparable portfolio depth, proprietary brand building, and national B2B distribution.
• Palm Bay International: Family-owned US wine and spirits importer with a similarly diversified multi-country portfolio, national distributor relationships, and a comparable mix of imported and proprietary brands, making it the closest analog to Opici's business model.
• Kobrand Corporation: Established US wine and spirits importer/distributor with an Italian-leaning and international brand portfolio and long-tenured producer relationships, directly comparable in business model and channel to Opici.
• Vias Imports: US importer focused on Italian wines from multiple regions, with a family-style ownership model and trade-channel emphasis; comparable to Opici's Italian wine foundation.
• Frederick Wildman and Sons: Multi-generation US importer specializing in Italian and other European fine wines, with proprietary brand development and trade-channel focus that closely overlap Opici's Italian-wine foundation and national distributor model.
• Banfi Vintners: US importer/distributor of Italian wines with decades-long producer partnerships and a multi-brand portfolio, structurally similar to Opici's core Italian-focused import business.

Broad incumbents

• The Wine Group: Major US wine producer with extensive imported and proprietary brands, competing for distributor mindshare and category share where Opici operates; far larger scale but adjacent competitive positioning.
• E. & J. Gallo Winery: Largest US wine producer and broad-based beverage company with extensive import and distribution interests; operates at far greater scale but competes for distributor attention, supplier relationships, and shelf space across overlapping categories.
• Ste. Michelle Wine Estates: Large US wine company with broad import and proprietary brand portfolio across multiple countries, comparable in portfolio diversity to Opici but with significantly larger scale and wholesale footprint.
• Brown-Forman: Major US-based spirits company with growing wine interests and premium-brand portfolio; competes for distributor allocation and on-premise listings with Opici's spirits offerings (notably Meletti).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Opici Wines and Spirits