HandPickedSelections
HandPickedSelections is a US wine importer and wholesaler founded in 1985 that distributes a curated portfolio of artisanal European wines from family-owned producers to retailers, restaurants, and hospitality venues across 47 states, Canada, and the Caribbean through regional distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersWarrenton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HandPickedSelections does
Hand Picked Selections is a US-based wine importer and wholesaler founded in 1985, specializing in artisanal wines from independent European growers and family-owned wineries. The company curates a portfolio of 20+ producers across regions including Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Savoie, and Languedoc, with named estates such as Domaine du Pegau, Champagne Jean Laurent, P. et M. Jacqueson, Arnaud Combier, and Josep 1952 Organic Cava. Producers are selected for sustainable agriculture and minimal-intervention winemaking, spanning both traditional winemakers and unorthodox individuals.
The business operates on a two-tier distribution model. Hand Picked Selections imports wines directly from European producers and sells to a network of regional distributors across 47 US states, Canada, and the Caribbean, who in turn supply wine retailers, restaurants, hotels, and hospitality venues. A team of Regional Sales Managers provides local coverage in all major markets, with headquarters located in Washington DC (note: firmographic data lists Warrenton, VA as the city). The company employs 11-50 people and operates as a sales and marketing organization rather than a logistics-heavy wholesaler.
The go-to-market is channel-driven: producer representation, distributor partnerships, trade events and portfolio tastings (including producer visits such as Laurence Féraud's North American tours), and segmented email marketing through Mailchimp to both consumer and trade audiences. Marketing channels include the company website with detailed producer profiles, Instagram (@hpswines), and Facebook. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with a B2B wholesale model. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds.
HandPickedSelections firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HandPickedSelections
- Legal name
- HandPickedSelections
- Website
- https://handpickedselections.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HandPickedSelections is a US wine importer and wholesaler founded in 1985 that distributes a curated portfolio of artisanal European wines from family-owned producers to retailers, restaurants, and hospitality venues across 47 states, Canada, and the Caribbean through regional distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HandPickedSelections industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wine Import and Distribution
- NAICS
- Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)
Keywords
Where HandPickedSelections is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Warrenton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HandPickedSelections business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wine Distribution and Import: Hand Picked Selections generates revenue as a wine importer and wholesaler, distributing artisanal European wines to retailers and restaurants through a network of distributors across 47 states, Canada, and the Caribbean. They act as the sales and marketing representative for European wine producers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
HandPickedSelections product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HandPickedSelections is a wine importer and wholesaler that imports artisanal wines from independent European growers and family-owned wineries, then distributes those wines through a network of regional distributors across 47 US states, Canada, and the Caribbean. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Washington DC, the company operates as a sales and marketing organization with Regional Sales Managers providing local coverage in all major markets, representing producers from regions such as Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Savoie, and Languedoc.
Product overview
HandPickedSelections is a wine importer and wholesaler offering a curated portfolio of artisanal wines from independent European growers and family-owned wineries. Founded in 1985, the company operates as a sales and marketing organization with national footprint across 47 US states, Canada, and the Caribbean. The product consists of wine imports from traditional winemakers and unorthodox producers, distributed through Regional Sales Managers in all major markets. The portfolio spans multiple wine regions including Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Savoie, Languedoc, and others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HandPickedSelections Wine Portfolio
- Regional Sales Coverage
Companies that use HandPickedSelections
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HandPickedSelections technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
HandPickedSelections partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
HandPickedSelections competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bobo Selections: Specialty wine importer focused exclusively on small, artisanal European producers distributed nationally through regional wholesalers; very similar niche positioning and scale to HandPickedSelections.
- Rosenthal Wine Merchant: New York-based importer of fine artisanal wines, with a portfolio of small growers from France, Germany, Italy, and Austria; nearly identical value proposition (family estates, minimal intervention, two-tier U.S. distribution).
- Polaner Selections: U.S. importer of artisanal wines from small family producers across Europe with national distributor coverage; direct competitive overlap in grower-producer French and European portfolio and on-premise account focus.
- Skurnik Wines & Spirits: New York-based importer and distributor of artisanal wines from small family estates across France, Italy, Austria, and Germany; comparable scale, portfolio curation model, and reliance on regional distributor networks for national reach.
- Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant: Berkeley-based importer of artisanal French wines from small family-owned growers; the most-cited U.S. specialty importer of grower-producer French wine and a direct positional analog with a two-tier distribution model and trade/consumer split.
- Classic Wine Imports: Importer of small-production estate wines from Europe with national U.S. distribution via regional wholesalers; comparable portfolio-curation and specialty distributor model.
- Europvin: Specialty importer of European wines from family-owned, sustainably-farmed estates distributed in the U.S. via regional wholesalers; closely aligned with HandPickedSelections on portfolio philosophy and trade-led GTM.
- Zev Rovine Selections: Specialty importer of family-owned, sustainably-farmed wines from France, Italy, and beyond, distributing nationally through state wholesalers and regional distributors; overlap with HPS in producer size, ethics, and go-to-market.
Broad incumbents
- Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits: Largest U.S. wine and spirits distributor; competes for the same shelf space, on-premise listings, and producer allocations and represents the structural counterparty risk to small importers under the three-tier system.
- Winebow Group: Large multi-category U.S. importer and distributor with significant artisanal and family-owned European portfolios alongside broader portfolio breadth; an established incumbent with overlapping capabilities but a wider, less specialized mandate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HandPickedSelections social profiles
Digital presenceHandPickedSelections financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HandPickedSelections leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
HandPickedSelections funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HandPickedSelections M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HandPickedSelections
What does HandPickedSelections do?
HandPickedSelections is a wine importer and wholesaler that imports artisanal wines from independent European growers and family-owned wineries, then distributes those wines through a network of regional distributors across 47 US states, Canada, and the Caribbean. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Washington DC, the company operates as a sales and marketing organization with Regional Sales Managers providing local coverage in all major markets, representing producers from regions such as Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Savoie, and Languedoc.
Is HandPickedSelections a public or private company?
HandPickedSelections is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was HandPickedSelections founded?
HandPickedSelections was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is HandPickedSelections based?
HandPickedSelections is headquartered in Warrenton, United States, in the North America region.
How does HandPickedSelections make money?
One revenue line is on record: wine Distribution and Import.
Who are HandPickedSelections's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bobo Selections, Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Polaner Selections, Skurnik Wines & Spirits, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Classic Wine Imports, Europvin and Zev Rovine Selections. Broad incumbents are Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits and Winebow Group.
Does HandPickedSelections have an API?
No public API is recorded for HandPickedSelections.
What industry is HandPickedSelections in?
HandPickedSelections's product category is Wine Import and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAGAH, Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal), with a secondary code of CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands. Its NAICS code is 42482 and its SIC code is 5180.