Lionstone International

What Lionstone International does

Lionstone International is a privately held wine importer and wholesale distributor founded in 1990 by Nicholas Lucca and Edward Jack and headquartered in Lake Forest, United States. The company sources wines from more than 700 global suppliers across over 20 countries — including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Germany, and the United States — and holds active wholesale wine licenses in California, New York, and Ohio. Its catalog spans 1,154+ SKUs organized into varietal, regional, and lifestyle collections such as the USA 250 commemorative assortment, Gold Medal Winners, 90+ Points, Lower Alcohol, Vegan, Organic Grapes, and Good to the Planet sustainable selections. Roughly 200 of these offerings are exclusive to Lionstone, and a portion are direct-sell labels with proprietary packaging and storytelling. In August 2024 the company obtained USDA Organic Certification as a wine distributor, formalizing its position in the organic/sustainability segment.

The business operates as a B2B wholesale platform serving licensed retailers, restaurants, wine bars, wine clubs, other US wholesalers, and auction houses. Customers must apply and be approved — providing liquor licenses and resale certificates — before accessing case pricing. The minimum order is one full case per SKU, with shipping via FedEx or UPS (waived above $400) or warehouse pickup in OH, NY, or CA. The company's only core technology is a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront with login-gated pricing and basic filtering by country, varietal, region, and price tier. Distribution is executed through direct sales representatives (such as Chris Hackett), relationship management, content marketing via the company blog, and a Responsibility.org Corporate Partner membership (joined December 2023) supporting responsible alcohol marketing.

Lionstone generates revenue through wholesale product markups on imported wines sold by the case to approved resellers, with a one-step distribution model (importer/wholesaler). The GTM is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no investor capital, no acquisitions, no disclosed funding, and founder ownership retained across the 34-year operating history. While the assortment and supplier footprint are sizeable, the geographic operating base is constrained to three states, and there is no disclosed plan or investment signal indicating imminent expansion beyond that footprint.

Name

Lionstone International

Legal name

Lionstone International

Website

https://lionstone.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lionstone International is a US wine importer and B2B wholesaler, founded in 1990 and licensed in California, New York, and Ohio. It distributes a 1,154-SKU portfolio sourced from 700+ global suppliers — including 200+ exclusives — to approved retailers, restaurants, and wine bars via a Shopify ordering platform and direct sales representatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic Beverages Wholesale (Specialty/Import) (AFAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Wholesale wine distribution
• Beverage importation services
• B2b wine wholesale
• Specialty wine sourcing
• Licensed beverage distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Wine Distribution: Wholesale distribution of wine to approved retailers, restaurants, and wine bars. Sells full cases of wine to licensed resellers. Revenue generated through product markups on imported wines from their global supplier network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lionstone International is a wine importer and licensed wholesale distributor that sources wines from over 700 global suppliers, including 200+ exclusive labels, and sells full-case quantities to approved licensed retailers, restaurants, and wine bars in California, New York, and Ohio via a Shopify B2B storefront. The portfolio spans red, white, rosé, sparkling, and Port wines, plus curated specialty collections (organic, vegan, lower-alcohol, USA 250, gold medal winners), with case-only ordering and freight waived above $400.

Product overview

Lionstone International is a wine wholesaler and distributor operating as a B2B e-commerce platform built on Shopify. The company offers a comprehensive wine portfolio featuring over 1,100 products across multiple categories including Red Wine, White Wine, Rosé Wine, Sparkling Wine, and Port. The product lineup includes specialty collections such as the USA 250 (commemorative American wines for the nation's 250th birthday), Gold Medal Winners, 90+ Points wines, Lower Alcohol wines, Organic Grape wines, Vegan wines, and Good to the Planet sustainable wines. The company also offers wholesale distribution services with over 700 global suppliers and 200+ exclusive offerings, shipping within Ohio, New York, and California. Lionstone operates as a licensed wholesaler requiring retailers to complete an application process including resale certificates and liquor licenses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Wine Distribution Services B2B licensed wholesale distribution of imported wines to approved retailers, restaurants, and wine bars in California, New York, and Ohio. Customers must apply with liquor licenses and resale certificates and purchase full cases.
• Full Wine Portfolio Comprehensive wine catalog of over 1,100 SKUs spanning all varietal categories and dozens of country origins, available to approved wholesale customers.
• Red Wine Collection Collection of red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and red blends from multiple global origins, sold to wholesale partners.
• White Wine Collection Collection of white wines including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and white blends from multiple countries, sold to wholesale partners.
• Rosé Wine Collection Collection of rosé wines including Garnacha Rosado, Malbec Rosé, Pinotage Rosé, and sparkling rosés from multiple countries, sold to wholesale partners.
• Sparkling Wine Collection Collection of sparkling wines including Prosecco, Cava, Crémant, and Champagne-style wines from Australia, France, Italy, and Spain.
• Port Collection Collection of Port wines from Portugal including Ruby Port, Tawny Port, Rosé Port, and White Port from the Porto e Douro region.
• USA 250 Collection Commemorative collection of American wines honoring the nation's 250th birthday, featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines from Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, and other premier California regions.
• Gold Medal Winners Collection Curated selection of wines that have won gold medals from prestigious wine competitions, representing superior quality and craftsmanship.
• 90+ Points Collection Collection of wines awarded 90 points or higher by prestigious wine critics and publications, signifying exceptional quality.
• Lower Alcohol Wines Selection of lower-alcohol sparkling, rosé, and white wines for consumers seeking a lighter touch.
• Made with Organic Grapes Wines produced from vineyards prioritizing sustainable and organic farming practices, distributed under Lionstone's USDA Organic certification.
• Vegan Wines Selection of vegan wines crafted without animal-derived fining agents, produced sustainably.
• Good to the Planet Wines crafted with environmental sustainability in mind, from eco-friendly vineyards to waste-reducing packaging.
• Manhattan Wines Collection Special collection of wines curated for the Manhattan/New York market, featuring selections from California, France, Italy, Portugal, and other regions.
• Last Chance Collection Limited-stock wines with fewer than 12 bottles, older vintages no longer available, and selections from producers no longer carried, offered at the best available prices.

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Responsibility.orgcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2023Lionstone International joined the Responsibility.org Corporate Partner program in December 2023. This partnership demonstrates the company's commitment to empowering adults to make responsible alcohol choices and responsible marketing practices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Breakthru Beverage Group: Major multi-state U.S. wine and spirits wholesaler serving on- and off-premise accounts across broad geographic markets. Comparable wholesale model but vastly larger scale and broader spirits/portfolio coverage than Lionstone.
• Republic National Distributing Company: Large U.S. wine and spirits wholesaler with nationwide distribution infrastructure and broad portfolio. Relevant incumbent comparable to Lionstone's wholesale channel approach, but operates at far greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits: Largest U.S. wine and spirits distributor with nationwide coverage across all 50 states. Relevant context for Lionstone's licensed-wholesale model and customer segments, but orders of magnitude larger in headcount, geographic scope, and supplier portfolio.

Emerging players

• Wine.com: Large online wine retailer operating across most U.S. states with a B2B and direct-to-consumer fulfillment model. Relevant as a digitally led player addressing licensed buyers and end consumers, though overlapping more in e-commerce/wholesale buying routes than in the exclusive-supplier import model.

Direct peers

• The Country Vintner: Specialty wine and craft spirits distributor serving independent retailers, restaurants, and on-premise accounts across select U.S. regions. Comparable mid-sized licensed wholesaler with exclusive supplier relationships and curated portfolio.
• Vias Imports: Specialty wine importer/distributor focused on Italian and select European wines, supplying restaurants and independent retailers in key U.S. markets. Comparable in scale, exclusive portfolio approach, and licensed wholesale model serving on- and off-premise accounts.
• Terlato Wine Group: Family-owned wine importer, producer, and marketer with a portfolio of exclusive and super-premium global brands distributed across U.S. wholesale channels. Comparable in exclusive-label strategy and B2B wholesaler model targeting retailers and restaurants.
• Winebow: National wine and spirits importer/distributor with portfolios spanning multiple countries and price tiers, supplying independent and on-trade accounts. Comparable as a multi-state licensed wholesaler with global exclusive-supplier relationships and curated assortment.
• Skurnik Wines: Family-owned specialty wine importer and distributor based in New York focused on family-estate and regional wines from across the globe. Directly comparable as a multi-state licensed wholesaler serving independent retailers and restaurants with an exclusive, curated portfolio.
• Banfi Vintners: Long-standing U.S. wine importer and national distributor with deep Italian portfolio roots and broad wholesale coverage. Comparable as a multi-state licensed wine wholesaler with exclusive and proprietary label relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Lionstone International