What Rabotvins does

Rabotvins is a Belgian, 100% family-owned wine and aperitif supplier founded in 1938 in Ghent by Emile De Schepper and Ghislaine De Moor, currently led by the third generation of the De Schepper family (Jacques De Schepper as Managing Director, Isabelle De Schepper as Director, and Laurent De Schepper as Financial Director). The company operates across two integrated business lines: (i) ownership and operation of five wine estates in Bordeaux acquired progressively from 1950 to 2004 (Château Tour Baladoz and Château La Croizille in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Château Haut Breton Larigaudiere in Margaux Cru Bourgeois, Château Tayet and Château Lacombe Cadiot in Bordeaux Supérieur), with on-the-ground management handled by partner entity G. de Mour & Fils in Soussans/Margaux, France; and (ii) wholesale and direct distribution of wines from more than 30 châteaux and estates across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Chile, New Zealand, and Belgium, plus three proprietary aperitif brands (Forte d'Oro launched 1984, Godelieve/Godelina launched 1958, and Picon O'Vin).

The commercial model combines an enterprise field sales motion — eight regional sales representatives covering five Belgian territories — with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at rabotvins.com, both backed by the company's own delivery fleet enabling three-working-day fulfillment across Belgium and neighboring countries. In July 2024 the company relocated to a newly built 8,000 m² facility at De Prijkels in Nazareth, Belgium, including a brand-new bottling line, materially expanding production, warehousing, and bottling capacity. The customer base is anchored in two primary segments (HORECA — restaurants, hotels, cafés — and trade/distribution businesses), with a secondary segment of wine enthusiasts and private consumers served via e-commerce; pricing is not publicly disclosed and customers are routed to direct contact or the online shop for quotes.

Rabotvins holds the official title of 'Purveyor to the Royal Household' (Hofleverancier) granted by the Belgian Royal Household in 2005, a credential the company uses as a brand and trust signal. The organization numbers approximately twenty-plus staff across the De Schepper family, an eight-person sales team, a four-person backoffice team, and a five-person production and warehouse team. There are no public funding rounds, no institutional or private-equity ownership, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Rabotvins

Legal name

Rabotvins

Website

https://rabotvins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rabotvins is a Belgian family-owned wine and aperitif supplier founded in 1938, owning five Bordeaux wine estates and distributing wines from 30+ châteaux plus proprietary aperitif brands (Forte d'Oro, Godelieve, Picon O'Vin) to HORECA, trade businesses, and consumers across Belgium and neighboring countries via field sales and e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Production and Distribution

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Wine wholesale distribution
• Bordeaux wine estates
• Aperitif production
• HORECA beverage supply
• Family wine business

Headquarters

HQ city

Ghent

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales (Wholesale): Rabotvins commercialises wines from more than 30 châteaux and estates, including 5 owned properties in Bordeaux (Château Tour Baladoz, Château La Croizille, Château Haut Breton Larigaudière, Château Tayet, Château Lacombe Cadiot). They also exclusively distribute quality wines and spirits from major wine-producing countries. Revenue is generated through B2B wholesale and B2C e-commerce sales of wines and aperitifs.
2. Own-brand Aperitif Sales: Rabotvins produces and sells its own aperitifs (Forte d'Oro, Godelieve/Godelina, Picon O'Vin) under private label/own-brand arrangements. These products are manufactured in-house and sold through the same wholesale and e-commerce channels.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rabotvins produces and commercialises wines and aperitifs, owning five wine estates in Bordeaux and producing three proprietary aperitif brands (Forte d'Oro, Godelieve/Godelina, Picon O'Vin). The company exclusively distributes a curated portfolio of wines from more than 30 châteaux and estates across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Chile, New Zealand, and Belgium, selling to HORECA customers, trade businesses, and individual consumers through B2B field sales and a B2C e-commerce platform.

Product overview

Rabotvins is a Belgian wine and aperitif supplier operating as a unified portfolio of five owned wine estates in Bordeaux (Château Tour Baladoz, Château La Croizille, Château Haut Breton Larigaudière, Château Tayet, and Château Lacombe Cadiot), three proprietary aperitif brands (Forte d'Oro, Godelieve, and Picon O'Vin), and a wine distribution service covering over 30 châteaux and estates from major wine-producing countries. The company functions as both a wine merchant distributing international wines and a wine producer with its own estates in Bordeaux's Saint-Émilion, Margaux, and Bordeaux Supérieur appellations. The estates and aperitif brands are sold through the company's e-commerce platform, with distribution spanning Belgium and neighbouring countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Godelina: Aperitif on basis of wine with taste comparable to Byrrh, St-Raphael, Mandarin, Ambassadeur. Present on Belgian market for over 50 years.
• Forte d'Oro
• Picon O'Vin
• Château Tour Baladoz
• Château La Croizille
• Château Haut Breton Larigaudière
• Château Tayet
• Château Lacombe Cadiot

Products and services

• Château Tour Baladoz AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru wine estate owned by Rabotvins, located at 100 metres altitude in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, producing wines from 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon on clay-limestone plateau soils. Sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Château La Croizille AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Contrôlée wine estate owned by Rabotvins, covering 5 hectares on the slopes of the Saint-Émilion plateau, producing wines with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Château Haut Breton Larigaudière AOC Margaux Contrôlée Cru Bourgeois wine estate owned by Rabotvins in Soussans, covering 15 hectares and producing wines with over 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, plus a special cuvée called 'Le Créateur'. Sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Château Tayet AOC Bordeaux Supérieur Contrôlée wine estate owned by Rabotvins in Macau, expanded to 10 hectares, producing wines with 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. Sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Château Lacombe Cadiot AOC Bordeaux Supérieur wine estate owned by Rabotvins in Ludon-Médoc, covering 13 hectares of clay and loam soil, producing mono-cépage wines from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Forte d'Oro Proprietary aperitif brand based on sweet wine (93% wine content), available in Superior White (16.50% alcohol), Special Fine Red, and Prestige varieties. Launched in 1984 and sold to HORECA, trade, and consumers.
• Godelieve (Godelina) Wine-based aperitif with quinine extract and sugar at 13% alcohol content, comparable in taste to Byrrh, St-Raphael, Mandarin, and Ambassadeur. Present on the Belgian market for over 50 years and sold through HORECA, trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Picon O'Vin Ready-to-drink picon made from 'Amer' and quality white wine, finished with a secret extra ingredient, featuring notes of cinnamon and clove. Available in 75cl bottles for HORECA, trade, and consumer channels.
• Wine Distribution Services Exclusive distribution of quality wines and spirits from more than 30 châteaux and estates across France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Chile, New Zealand, and Belgium, supplying HORECA, trade customers, and individual consumers in Belgium and abroad.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fast delivery in Belgium and neighbouring countries within 3 working days
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• G. de Mour & FilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRabotvins collaborates closely with G. de Mour & Fils, based in Soussans/Margaux, France. This partnership manages the day-to-day operations of the five owned wine estates in Bordeaux (Château Tour Baladoz, Château La Croizille, Château Haut Breton Larigaudière, Château Tayet, and Château Lacombe Cadiot). G. de Mour & Fils is responsible for vineyard management, winemaking, and estate operations on behalf of Rabotvins, providing deep oenological expertise and on-the-ground presence in the Médoc.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Advini: French family-influenced wine group that owns and operates multiple wine estates while distributing a broad portfolio of third-party wines across HORECA and retail — directly comparable to Rabotvins' vertically integrated producer-and-distributor model.
• Joseph Drouhin: Burgundy-based, family-owned wine producer and négociant with owned Domaine estates plus a multi-region distribution portfolio — directly comparable business model to Rabotvins.
• Boisset Collection: Family-owned French wine group combining owned Burgundy estates with a wide distribution portfolio across multiple countries — analogous to Rabotvins in combining owned-estate production with multi-region wholesale distribution.
• Maison Albert Bichot: Burgundy-based, family-owned wine house that owns multiple Domaine estates and distributes a curated portfolio of French wines internationally — comparable to Rabotvins as a multi-generation family producer-and-merchant.
• Millésima: Bordeaux-focused wine merchant with strong e-commerce and direct-to-consumer capabilities, distributing a broad portfolio of estates — comparable to Rabotvins in Bordeaux estate ties plus online retail.
• Berry Bros. & Rudd: Long-established family-influenced UK wine merchant with a curated multi-region portfolio and a royal warrant heritage — closely comparable to Rabotvins in family heritage, prestige positioning, and merchant model.

Broad incumbents

• Castel Frères: Major French family-controlled wine group with extensive owned estates and broad international distribution — overlaps with Rabotvins' estate ownership and distribution business at much greater scale.
• Pernod Ricard: Global wine and spirits conglomerate with broad aperitif and wine portfolios — competes broadly with Rabotvins' aperitif and wine distribution activities at global scale.
• Les Grands Chais de France: One of France's largest wine producers and distributors, operating across multiple regions and brands — a broader incumbent in the same wine distribution space as Rabotvins.
• Moët Hennessy (LVMH): Global luxury wines and spirits division of LVMH, owner of Bordeaux estates (e.g., Château d'Yquem) and aperitif brands — a broader incumbent competing in the same premium estate and aperitif categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Rabotvins
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/5256536
• Xx.com/Rabotvins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Rabotvins