Grape Intentions

What Grape Intentions does

Grape Intentions is a Washington, DC-based direct-to-consumer wine subscription club founded by sommelier Brett H. Philpott-Freeman in 2013. The company matches subscribers with wines through an 8-question palate quiz and ongoing bottle ratings, with the founder personally curating selections. Its product taxonomy is organized into three registered tiers — Good (everyday wines, ~$20/bottle), Gooder (mid-tier with pedigree, ~$40/bottle), and Goodest (premium cellar-worthy wines, ~$80/bottle) — available as 3- or 6-bottle monthly or bi-monthly shipments.

The underlying technology stack is modest: a self-service subscriber portal for managing preferences, ratings, pauses, and charity selections; a FedEx/UPS-led logistics layer with adult signature verification; and standard analytics (Google Analytics, Facebook login) plus third-party credit card processing. Sommelier matching is performed manually rather than algorithmically, and no AI/ML capabilities are evidenced. The company also operates gift subscriptions, an online à la carte store, corporate gifting and virtual/in-person tasting programs, and wedding wine curation.

Grape Intentions monetizes through recurring subscription fees, one-time store purchases, gift prepaid subscriptions, and B2B professional services (corporate tastings and weddings). Revenue is generated primarily from individual consumers across 40+ US states, with a secondary enterprise stream anchored by corporate event clients including Google, Disney, T-Mobile, Truist, Wells Fargo, and National Geographic. The company is privately held, bootstrapped (no disclosed funding rounds), and incorporated in Delaware with a headcount of 1-10.

Name

Grape Intentions

Legal name

Grape Intentions Inc.

Website

https://grapeintentions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grape Intentions is a Washington, DC-based DTC wine subscription club that matches individual subscribers to curated wines via a palate quiz and manual sommelier selection, selling across three quality tiers alongside corporate gifting, virtual tastings, and wedding wine services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Subscription Club

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF)

Keywords

• Wine subscription service
• Curated wine club
• Sommelier wine matching
• Corporate wine gifts
• Virtual wine tastings

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wine Club Subscriptions: Monthly or bi-monthly curated wine deliveries in 3-bottle or 6-bottle boxes. Subscribers are charged on a recurring basis around the first or third week of each month. Subscriptions can be paused or cancelled at any time.
2. Direct Wine Sales (Store): Individual bottle purchases from an extensive global wine catalog with varying quality tiers (Good, Gooder, Goodest). Orders ship monthly around the 15th.
3. Gift Subscriptions: Prepaid wine club gift subscriptions with flexible quantity, quality tier, and delivery frequency. Recipient receives a unique gift code via email.
4. Corporate Events: Virtual and in-person wine tasting events, wedding wine services, and corporate gift programs sold directly to business clients.
5. Wedding Services: Wedding wine curation including tasting events with food pairings (12 bottles + light food pairing for $150 tasting fee credited toward final order), menu-matched wine selection, and leftover wine buyback.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Grape Intentions is a direct-to-consumer wine club that delivers hand-picked, internationally sourced wines matched to each subscriber's palate profile via an 8-question quiz. The company curates three quality tiers (Good, Gooder, Goodest) and donates a portion of each subscription to a subscriber-chosen charity. Beyond subscriptions, it operates an online wine store, gift subscriptions, corporate gifting programs, and virtual/in-person tasting events.

Product overview

Grape Intentions is a wine club and subscription service founded by sommelier Brett H. Philpott-Freeman. The core offering is a personalized wine subscription that matches wines to individual palates using an 8-question quiz. The service uses a three-tier quality system: Good (entry-level everyday wines), Gooder® (mid-tier wines with pedigree), and Goodest® (premium cellar-worthy wines). Wine selections change monthly and are paired to subscriber preferences. The subscription includes a charitable component, donating to a subscriber-chosen charity. The company also offers individual bottle purchases through its store, gift subscriptions, corporate partnership programs, virtual and in-person wine tastings, and wedding services. The experience is enhanced by a referral rewards program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Good: Wine tier for everyday moments with remarkable value
• Gooder
• Goodest

Products and services

• Wine Subscription (Wine Club) Monthly or bi-monthly wine delivery service that personalizes wine selections based on an 8-question palate quiz. Subscribers receive hand-picked wines suited to their taste profile with a charitable donation component to a subscriber-chosen charity.
• Wine Store (Individual Bottle Sales)

Quantifiable outcome

• Subscribers receive wines they would not have discovered on their own from vineyards they never would have known to try
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Humane Rescue AllianceminorOthersCharity partner focused on animal welfare in Washington DC. A portion of subscriber orders is donated to the charity of the subscriber's choice. Formed from the merger of Washington Humane Society and Washington Animal Rescue League.
• Foundation to Eradicate DuchenneminorOthersCharity partner dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the world's leading lethal childhood genetic disease. Subscribers can choose this organization to receive donations from their subscription.
• Prevent Cancer FoundationminorOthersCharity partner focused on cancer prevention and early detection. Subscribers can direct charitable donations to this organization. The only US-based nonprofit solely dedicated to cancer prevention.
• The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's ResearchminorOthersCharity partner dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease through aggressively funded research. Subscribers can select this foundation to receive donations from their orders.
• Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DCminorOthersArts charity partner that sings to inspire equality and inclusion. Through enriching musical performances and education, they promote justice and dignity for all. Available as a subscriber charity choice.
• The Ocean CleanupminorOthersEnvironment-focused charity partner dedicated to the largest cleanup in history, developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. Available as a subscriber charity selection.
• Crittenton ServicesminorOthersEmpowerment charity partner that supports teen girls in Greater Washington area to overcome obstacles, make positive choices, and achieve goals. Subscribers can direct donations to this organization.
• DC Central KitchenminorOthersHumanitarian charity partner using food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities. Available as a subscriber charity selection.
• DC Preservation LeagueminorOthersHumanitarian charity partner dedicated to preserving and protecting Washington's unique architecture and neighborhoods through education, community outreach, landmark designation, and advocacy.
• SMYALminorOthersHumanitarian charity partner supporting and empowering LGBTQ youth in Washington DC through youth leadership, life skills development, and community engagement. Operates the first LGBTQ independent living program for homeless youth in DC.
• The Trevor ProjectminorOthersHumanitarian charity partner dedicated to ending suicide among LGBTQ young people through crisis counseling, resources, education, and advocacy for supportive policies.
• Semper Fi FundminorOthersMilitary/veterans charity partner providing immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to post-9/11 wounded, critically ill and injured U.S. Armed Forces members and their families.
• FedExcoreOthersPreferred shipping carrier for wine deliveries. Requires adult signature for delivery. Handles multiple delivery attempts and provides tracking information. Preferred shipper mentioned across FAQ and Terms pages.
• UPSminorOthersAlternative common carrier for wine shipments alongside FedEx. Also requires adult signature for delivery. Available as backup shipping option.
• Various Wine DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of independent distributors sourcing wines from around the world. Grape Intentions works with distributors as well as visiting wineries and attending industry tastings to ensure geographically diverse and high-quality offerings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bright Cellars: Wine subscription service that uses a 7-question palate quiz to deliver curated wines monthly. Highly comparable in quiz-to-subscription funnel, D2C subscription pricing, and beginner-to-enthusiast target customer.
• Wine Access: Curated D2C wine club delivering hand-picked bottles from boutique producers with detailed tasting notes. Highly comparable on curation philosophy, educational content, and sommelier-driven selection approach.
• Wine of the Month Club: Long-standing D2C wine subscription offering curated monthly selections across multiple tiers. Comparable subscription structure, tiered pricing, and curated global sourcing — though less tech-forward on personalization.
• Vinebox: D2C wine subscription delivering single-serving pours from global producers on a recurring basis. Comparable modern D2C subscription model targeting convenience-oriented wine consumers.
• Firstleaf: Quiz-based wine subscription club that curates bottles from global vineyards based on member taste preferences. Closest direct competitor in personalization mechanic, subscription pricing, and charitable/community positioning.
• Cellars Wine Club: Family-run wine subscription offering curated international bottles across multiple tiers. Comparable subscription structure, tiered offerings, and direct-to-consumer curation.
• Winc: Personalized D2C wine subscription that uses a palate quiz to match customers with wines from its own label. Directly comparable product, target customer, and tech-enabled curation model — though Winc owns production whereas Grape Intentions curates from third-party producers.

Broad incumbents

• Wine Library: Established online wine retailer with broad catalog and educational content. Comparable curation focus and educational content model, but operates primarily as retailer rather than subscription club.
• WSJ Wine: Large-scale wine club offering curated bottle selections from international producers. Overlapping subscription model and curated global sourcing, with significantly larger scale and marketing budget.
• Laithwaite's Wine: One of the largest D2C wine subscription companies globally with broad portfolio of curated wines. Comparable subscription-first model and global sourcing, but far greater scale and established brand.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/grapeintentions
• Instagraminstagram.com/grapeintentions
• Xx.com/grapeintentions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grapeintentions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Grape Intentions