The Cellar Master

What The Cellar Master does

The Cellar Master, operating under the legal name Sélections le Maître de Chai Inc., is a Quebec-based wine promotional agency that represents more than 200 elite wineries from France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Greece, Portugal, the United States, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Founded in the late 1980s by Gilles Martin and Josée Levert and formally established as an agency in 1996, the company pioneered private-import wine distribution in Quebec and operates today under second-generation ownership by Francis Martin, who has led the business since 2010. The firm serves three core customer segments — government liquor retailers (SAQ in Quebec, LCBO in Ontario since 2015), restaurants and hospitality accounts across both provinces, and individual wine collectors — through a sales-led go-to-market supported by the Le Maitre | Caviste Virtuel mobile application launched in December 2020.

The agency monetizes primarily through transaction fees and wholesale margins on three revenue streams: private-import ordering via the mobile app and website (with white-glove delivery in the Montreal area), SAQ/LCBO retail distribution of listed wines, and direct sales to restaurants. Pricing spans a wide band from entry-level bottles (e.g., Côtes du Rhône Rouge at $23.60 CAD) to ultra-premium collectibles (e.g., Champagne Salon at $1,387.50 CAD), reflecting the agency's positioning as a curator of premium and allocation-grade producers rather than a volume player. The technology stack is deliberately lightweight: a mobile app on iOS and Android provides real-time catalog access, order placement, purchase history tracking, and a "human-driven algorithm" for personalized wine recommendations reviewed by the in-house sales team.

The Cellar Master operates from its headquarters at 1643 rue Saint-Patrick in Montreal with a second office for the Ontario division, and employs roughly 19-30 staff across sales, private ordering, administration, finance, and logistics. It is privately held and family-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no public revenue figures available. The company competes primarily on the strength of its multi-decade winery relationships, its Quebec pioneering status, and its curated portfolio rather than on technology or scale advantages.

Name

The Cellar Master

Legal name

Sélections le Maître de Chai Inc.

Website

https://maitredechai.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cellar Master (Sélections le Maître de Chai Inc.) is a Quebec-based wine promotional agency representing 200+ elite wineries globally, distributing private-import wines to SAQ/LCBO retailers, restaurants, and individual collectors in Quebec and Ontario since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Import and Distribution Services

NAICS

Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Wine import agency
• Winery representation services
• Wine distribution services
• Private import wines
• Fine wine retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Import Sales: Wine sales through private import ordering system where customers order via mobile app or website for delivery or pickup. Commission-based revenue from winery partners.
2. SAQ/LCBO Retail Distribution: Wines distributed through Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) stores in Quebec and LCBO in Ontario, with agency earning margins on wholesale volumes.
3. Restaurant/ Hospitality Supply: Supplying wines to restaurants and hospitality establishments in Quebec and Ontario markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Cellar Master (operating as Le Maître de Chai) is a Montreal-based wine promotional agency that represents more than 200 international wineries and distributes their wines in Canada. The company sells private import wines directly to consumers through the Le Maitre | Caviste Virtuel mobile app with white-glove delivery, supplies wines to restaurants and hospitality accounts, and distributes through the SAQ in Quebec and the LCBO in Ontario.

Product overview

Le Maître de Chai operates as a wine promotional agency with two primary offerings: (1) the Le Maitre | Caviste Virtuel mobile application for private import wine ordering with personalized recommendations and home delivery, and (2) a portfolio of over 200 international wineries distributed through private imports, SAQ retail stores in Quebec, and LCBO in Ontario. The company also serves restaurant clients and maintains a team of sales representatives across Quebec and Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Le Maitre | Caviste Virtuel Mobile App iOS/Android mobile app that gives private customers access to the agency's private import wine catalog, enables online ordering, shows personalized offers and allocation suggestions, tracks purchase history, and coordinates white-glove home delivery in the Montreal area.
• Wine Import Services (Agency Representation) Wine promotional agency services representing over 200 international wineries, offering exclusive private import wines not otherwise available through Quebec/Ontario retail channels, with sales to private clients, restaurants, and government liquor boards.
• SAQ Retail Distribution Wholesale distribution of represented wineries' wines through Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) retail stores across Quebec, providing the agency with a mass-retail channel for its portfolio.
• Ontario Operations (Sélections MDC) Wine promotional agency operations serving the Ontario market since 2015, providing private import ordering and LCBO retail distribution for represented wineries.
• Restaurant and Hospitality Supply Direct-to-restaurant sales of private import wines through a Quebec-based field sales team covering Montreal and Quebec regions for SAQ-network and hospitality accounts.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 200+ Wineries Globally (France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Greece, Portugal, USA, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand)coreOthers · 1 January 1997Represents over 200 elite wineries globally, including prestigious producers from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, Champagne, Loire, Piedmont, Tuscany, Rioja, and other renowned wine regions. Key partners include Domaine des Entrefaux (Crozes-Hermitage), Le Clos du Caillou (Rhône), Domaine Yannick Amirault (Loire), Domaine Roland Lavantureux (Chablis), Sottimano (Piedmont), Champagne houses (Delamotte, Gonet-Médeville, Michel Gonet, Laherte Frères), and many more.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Andrew Peller Limited: Canadian wine company with Vintages, retail, and import operations across provincial liquor boards. Broad incumbent in Canadian wine distribution with overlapping channels.
• Arterra Wines Canada (formerly Constellation Brands Canada): Major Canadian wine producer and importer with extensive distribution through SAQ and LCBO. Comparable broad incumbent in Canadian wine distribution, though also operates wineries directly.
• Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits: One of Canada's largest alcohol importers and brand owners, distributing wine and spirits across all provinces. Comparable in channel structure but vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Profile Wine Group: BC-based Canadian wine agency representing foreign wineries for distribution through BC Liquor, private importation, and on-premise accounts. Comparable as a multi-channel wine agency with winery representation model.
• Halpern Enterprises: Canadian wine and spirits importer representing premium international brands across Canada. Comparable as a multi-channel alcohol importer with restaurant and retail distribution.
• Skurnik Wines: Family-owned wine importer representing fine European and artisanal wineries across the US. Comparable as a family-owned wine agency with selective producer relationships and personal relationship-driven business model.
• Esprit du Vin: Independent wine agency representing European wineries in North America. Comparable as a smaller-scale wine agency with a curated portfolio of premium producers.
• Trialto Wine Group: Canadian wine agency representing an exclusive portfolio of international wineries across provincial liquor boards, restaurants, and private orders. Directly comparable business model to Le Maître de Chai as a wine promotional agency.
• Authentic Wine & Spirits Merchants: Canadian wine importer and agency serving provincial liquor boards and private customers with a portfolio of premium international producers. Closely comparable model as a private wine importation and distribution agency.
• Lifford Wine & Spirits: Canadian wine and spirits agency distributing premium international brands to provincial liquor boards and private clients. Directly comparable as a wine agency with similar distribution channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maitredechai
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeMaitredeChai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 The Cellar Master