Fass Selections, Inc.

What Fass Selections, Inc. does

Fass Selections, Inc. is a privately held direct-to-consumer wine importer and retailer founded in 2012 and based in Irvine, California, operating with 1-10 employees. The company sources artisanal wines from Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhone, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland through direct relationships with European estates, then sells them to U.S. consumers at approximately 40% below traditional retail by eliminating two tiers of distribution markups. Its offering comprises in-stock ready-to-ship wines and pre-arrival futures-style offers, with allocations managed through an email-based offer system that customers must sign up to access.

The platform is an e-commerce website backed by a curated catalog and a content-heavy marketing engine, including an extensive blog of tasting notes, producer profiles, and vintage commentary authored primarily by founder Lyle Fass, who is positioned as a recognized wine authority with media presence in Bloomberg, Wine Economist, and the Heritage Radio Network's In the Drink Podcast. Customer transactions are individual bottle, 4-pack, or case purchases, with case discounts of $2-4 per bottle and prices spanning roughly $22.99 for entry-level Kabinett Rieslings to $600+ for Grand Cru Burgundies and rare aged wines.

Commercially, the company runs a pure DTC motion with no retail, wholesale, or third-party distribution, supported by phone-based concierge service for first-time buyers. There is no disclosed institutional capital, no funding rounds, no parent company, and no public revenue figures; the business appears to be a bootstrapped, founder-led specialty merchant whose economic value rests on curatorial expertise, direct estate access, and content-driven demand generation.

Name

Fass Selections, Inc.

Legal name

Fass Selections, Inc.

Website

https://fassselections.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fass Selections is a privately held direct-to-consumer wine importer that sells artisanal wines from European estates (Burgundy, Champagne, Rhone, Italy, Germany, Switzerland) to U.S. wine enthusiasts and collectors at approximately 40% below retail by eliminating two distribution tiers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Wine Retail

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ)

Keywords

• Artisanal wine retail
• Direct-to-consumer wine
• Premium wine sales
• Estate wine imports
• Wine e-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: One-time purchase model for bottles and cases of artisanal wines. Customers purchase individual bottles, 4-packs, or full cases (12 bottles) with volume discounts typically ranging from $2-4 per bottle for case purchases. Pre-arrival wines are also offered with future shipping dates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fass Selections, Inc. is a direct-to-consumer wine retailer that sells hand-selected artisanal wines from Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhone, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. The company eliminates two tiers of distribution by sourcing directly from European wine estates, passing approximately 40% savings versus traditional retail pricing to customers. Wine offers are distributed via email newsletter, with phone support available for consultations.

Product overview

Fass Selections is a direct-to-consumer wine retailer specializing in world-class artisanal wines from Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhone, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. The company operates a single unified e-commerce platform that sells wines directly from the estate at approximately 40% below retail prices by eliminating two tiers of distribution. The offering consists of two main product categories: in-stock ready-to-ship wines from a curated selection of producers, and pre-arrival wines available for advance purchase. Wine selection is managed by Lyle Fass, described as one of America's top authorities on artisanal wines. Additional services include an email newsletter subscription for receiving exclusive offers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Stock Ready to Ship Wines Curated wines currently in stock and available for immediate shipment, sourced from a wide range of producers across Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhone, Germany, Italy, and other European wine regions. Customers purchase bottles individually, in 4-packs, or full cases (12 bottles) with volume discounts.
• Pre-Arrival Wine Offers Wines available for advance pre-order with future arrival dates, typically shipping 4–5 months after leaving Europe. Enables futures-style purchasing of newly released European wines from featured producers across multiple regions.
• Email Newsletter Subscription for Wine Offers Email-based notification service that gives subscribers access to Fass Selections' wine offers and limited allocations. Described as the exclusive way to receive the company's wine offers and curated opportunities.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gunther Steinmetz (Weingut Steinmetz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey producer of exceptional Mosel Rieslings and Pinot Noirs. Steinmetz produces elite Kabinett wines and GG-style Rieslings considered among the best in Germany. The relationship is a flagship element of Fass Selections' German wine portfolio.
• Various European Wine EstatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect relationships with wine estates in Burgundy, Champagne, Rhone Valley, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, enabling wines to be sold direct from estate at 40% below retail pricing.
• Jürgen Von der MarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster of Wine producing elite German Pinot Noirs. Fewer than 500 people have passed the Master of Wine exam. His 'Song Series' represents Grand Cru level Pinot Noirs at a fraction of Burgundy pricing.
• Vini Barbaglia (Sergio and Silvia Barbaglia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite Italian sparkling wine producer from Alto Piedmont making artisanal Methode Champenoise wines from Erbaluce and Uva Rara grapes. Highly allocated small-production wines considered among Italy's best sparkling wines.
• Domaine des Pierres Seches (Sylvain Gauthier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRising star producer of St. Joseph wines from the St. Epine area. Sylvain Gauthier has improved dramatically since 2014 and produces wines approaching the quality of top Gonon/Chave producers at significantly lower prices.
• Domaine Michel Rebourgeon (William Whitehead)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner23-year-old prodigy winemaker producing exceptional Pommard wines. Raised in the vineyards with first vintage at 18. Wines described as polished traditional with stunning fruit and perfect balance. French buyers have purchased almost all his production.
• Cesare BussolominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative Langhe producer who 'hacked the race condition' in viticulture through extreme green harvesting, removing grapes three times per year to approximate old vine concentration. Produces what Fass considers the greatest Barbera in Italy.
• Ziereisen (Hanspeter Ziereisen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading German Pinot Noir producer with Teutonic Marching Band style - precision and density in wines that can be drunk young. Jaspis wines are considered among Germany's finest Pinot Noirs.
• Enderle & MollcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's top cult Pinot Noir producer creating whimsical magic style wines. Their allocated single soil wines are works of utter random brilliance. Also producing category-defining Grand Cru white wines.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vom Boden: Specialty DTC importer focused on German and Austrian wines from small-production estates, targeting a similar collector niche as Fass Selections' German portfolio. Comparable curated model with emphasis on emerging-star producers and educational content.
• Polaner Selections: Boutique importer focusing on grower Champagne, Burgundy, and Rhône wines distributed through DTC channels. Comparable in its narrow, expert-driven portfolio and direct estate relationships.
• Jenny & François Selections: Direct importer focused on natural and artisanal wines from small European producers. Comparable DTC model serving enthusiast collectors seeking rare, low-intervention bottles.
• Rosenthal Wine Merchant: Direct wine importer specializing in grower-producer Champagne and Burgundy sold primarily DTC to enthusiasts. Comparable producer-direct relationships and enthusiast-focused positioning.
• Skurnik Wines: Family-run importer of artisanal French, Italian, and German wines sold DTC and through select retail. Similar producer-direct ethos with emphasis on small-production and terroir-driven wines.
• Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant: Iconic direct-import wine retailer sourcing artisanal French and Italian wines from small producers and selling to enthusiasts at lower-than-retail prices. Operates a similar DTC model with deep producer relationships and a reputation-driven brand, making it the closest analog to Fass Selections.

Emerging players

• Chambers Street Wines: Specialty NYC wine retailer with a strong DTC component, curating natural and grower-producer wines. Comparable in focus on small-production European bottles and an expert-driven retail model.
• Flatiron Wines & Spirits: NYC-based wine retailer offering curated European bottles with a DTC and in-store hybrid model. Comparable in emphasis on Burgundy, Rhône, and Italian artisanal selections.
• DomaineLA: Small DTC wine retailer specializing in natural and artisanal European wines. Comparable in scale, curation approach, and enthusiast-targeting model.

Broad incumbents

• Sherry-Lehmann: Established NYC wine retailer with broad portfolio spanning premium French, Italian, and domestic wines. Comparable DTC and retail footprint, though operating at much larger scale with broader assortment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fass-selections-inc./about
• Instagraminstagram.com/fassselectionswine
• Xx.com/FassSelections
• Facebookfacebook.com/FassSelections

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 Fass Selections, Inc.