CultWine
CultWine is an online retailer of rare and "cult" wines serving high-net-worth collectors, corporate gifting clients, and exclusive private members, with temperature-controlled warehouses in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Hong Kong.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersOrange, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What CultWine does
CultWine is an online retailer specializing in rare and "cult" wines, operating as the private client division of Fenn & Associates, LLC, a wholesale distributor founded in 2003. Headquartered in Orange County, California, CultWine serves ultra-high-net-worth wine collectors, corporate gifting clients, and an exclusive Private Client membership tier. Its core offering is a curated e-commerce catalog of investment-grade wines from more than 50 wine regions, including Napa Valley Cabernet, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and rare spirits, with flagship allocations from Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), and Sine Qua Non. The company also operates The BlackList, an invitation-only membership capped at 12 members globally.
The underlying technology is a Shopify-based e-commerce platform supporting multi-currency transactions across US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, Chinese Yuan, Hong Kong Dollars, and Singapore Dollars, backed by temperature-controlled warehouse infrastructure in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Hong Kong. Distribution runs through an exclusive FedEx partnership for domestic and international shipping, with local delivery available in Orange County, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Adjacent product lines include Riedel glassware and decanters (exclusive representation), Coravin wine preservation systems (authorized reseller), wine carriers, wine decor, exclusive Napa Valley olive oil, and gift cards.
CultWine generates revenue through five streams: direct retail wine sales, consignment services (consigning client wines to retail or online auctions), outright wine purchases from collectors, a corporate gifting program with custom branding, and premium Private Client Services encompassing sommelier recommendations, cellar management, wine investment opportunities, winery mailing list consultation, and special events. Pricing is transaction-based with high dispersion — wines range from under $100 to over $46,500 per bottle, with recurring storage fees of $10 per case per month after 90 days. The company markets primarily through its e-commerce site, email newsletter, and high-touch Private Client outreach, with phone-based sales support at 877-285-8946.
CultWine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CultWine
- Legal name
- Fenn & Associates, LLC
- Website
- https://cultwine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CultWine is an online retailer of rare and "cult" wines serving high-net-worth collectors, corporate gifting clients, and exclusive private members, with temperature-controlled warehouses in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Hong Kong.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CultWine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Wine Retail
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Wine Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAB), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)
Keywords
Where CultWine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Orange
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
CultWine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wine Retail Sales: Direct retail sales of rare cult wines through e-commerce platform. Wines are stored in temperature-controlled warehouses until shipment to customers.
- Wine Consignment Services: Consignment of wine collections to either CultWine retail store or online auctions. Company evaluates wines and advises on best selling option to maximize client ROI.
- Outright Wine Purchases: Buying wine collections or cellars outright from clients who wish to sell their wines immediately.
- Corporate Gift Program: Customized corporate gifting programs with wine boxes, custom logo/messaging engraving, private wine labeling, and wine dinner services. Claims 450% average increase in acknowledgment responses.
- Private Client Services: Premium services including sommelier recommendations, cellar management, wine investment fund opportunities, winery mailing list consultation, and special events management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Gift Cards $25-$150 increments |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Gift Cards $100-$1000 increments |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Napa Valley Olive Oil - $58.95 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wine purchases - price varies by selection |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CultWine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CultWine is an online retailer specializing in rare, investment-grade 'cult' wines from premier regions including Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. Operating as the private client division of Fenn & Associates, LLC, the company sells curated wine collections, accessories (Riedel glassware, Coravin systems), and offers services including cellar management, wine consignment, corporate gifting, and invitation-only BlackList membership.
Product overview
CultWine is an e-commerce platform for premium and cult wines, operating as a private client division of Fenn & Associates, LLC. The core product is a curated online wine retail store offering collectible wines across major wine regions worldwide. The platform functions as a unified ecommerce system with accessories (Riedel glassware, Riedel decanters, Coravin preservation systems, wine carriers, wine decor) as complementary product lines. Additional services include Private Client Services (sommelier recommendations, cellar management, wine investment), Wine Selling Programs (buyout, consignment, auction), Corporate Program (gifting solutions), and an exclusive BlackList Membership (invitation-only, limited to 12 global members). The company also offers gift cards and exclusive products like Napa Valley Olive Oil. Founded in 2003, with warehouses in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Hong Kong, headquartered in Orange County, California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The BlackList: An exclusive invitation-only membership program limited to 12 members globally, offering access to the rarest and most coveted wines.
- Fenn & Associates, LLC
Products and services
- Cult & Premium Wine Retail Core retail platform offering curated selection of high-end cult wines, rare collectibles, and premium vintages from over 50+ wine regions worldwide including Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and rare spirits. Featured producers include Screaming Eagle, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), and Sine Qua Non.
- Private Client Services Premium wine services including sommelier recommendations, cellar management and valuation, cellar buying/selling, cellar design/moving, private hosted wine dinners, investment fund opportunities, winery mailing list consultation, special events management, and private label wine production.
- Wine Selling Programs Three options for selling wine collections: buying wine collections outright, consigning to retail store, or consigning to online auctions. Confidential wine appraisal process initiates all sell transactions with expert evaluation and advice on best selling option to maximize client ROI.
- Corporate Program Corporate gifting solutions including wine boxes with custom logo engraving, private labeling, wine dinner services, and partnership offerings with hotels, airlines, and restaurants. Claims 450% average increase in acknowledgment responses from gift recipients.
- BlackList Membership Invitation-only membership limited to 12 members globally, offering exclusive services, limited offers, and access to the rarest and most coveted wines.
- Gift Cards Gift card program available in denominations of $25-$150 or $100-$1000, for gifting premium wine experiences.
- Riedel Glassware Premium wine glasses exclusively represented by CultWine including VINUM Cabernet/Bordeaux Set, PERFORMANCE Cabernet Set, PERFORMANCE Pinot Noir Set, and PERFORMANCE Chardonnay Set, designed to enhance wine experiences based on grape variety.
- Riedel Decanters Collection of premium crystal decanters including Performance Decanter, Amadeo Fatto A Mano, Amadeo Performance, Mambo Fatto A Mano, Swan, SuperLeggero, Flamingo, Black Tie Bliss, and Amadeo Lyra.
- Coravin Wine Preservation Systems Wine preservation systems allowing pour without removing the cork, including Pivot, Model 3+, Model 5, Model 6, and Pure Capsules.
- Wine Carriers Wine transport accessories including Cherrywood Luxury Wine Box, Treasure Bottle Wine Carrier, and Antique Treasure Chest Six Bottle Wine Carrier.
- Wine Decor Winery-themed decorative items including Screaming Eagle Iconic Authentic OWC Framed Art and Scarecrow Winery Authentic OWC Framed Art.
- Napa Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil CultWine exclusive 2023 Haley Grace 'Extra Virgin' Estate Napa Valley Olive Oil - limited production, not available at retail stores.
Quantifiable outcome
- 450% average increase in acknowledgment responses for corporate gift recipients
Companies that use CultWine
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CultWine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CultWine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RiedelcoreCultWine exclusively represents Riedel glassware, which they consider the finest glassware in the world. Riedel glasses are designed to enhance wine experiences based on grape variety, with specific glass shapes for Cabernet, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay.
- CoravincoreCultWine is an authorized Coravin reseller, offering the wine preservation system that allows customers to pour wine without removing the cork. Products include Pivot, Model 3+, Model 5, Model 6, and Pure Capsules.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CultWine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wine-Searcher: The dominant global wine price-comparison and marketplace aggregator; it competes indirectly by directing collector demand across hundreds of retailers including rare-wine specialists like CultWine.
Direct peers
- Wally's Wine & Spirits: Beverly Hills fine wine and spirits retailer serving a similar high-net-worth Los Angeles collector base, with comparable premium gifting and cellar services.
- K&L Wine Merchants: Large US online retailer specializing in fine and collectible wines with curated offerings across major regions; comparable e-commerce-led model serving enthusiasts and collectors.
- Zachys: US-based fine wine auctioneer and retailer focused on collectible Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Napa cult wines, with a similar private client model and global collector base.
- Napa Valley Wine Exchange: Specialty retailer focused on Napa cult cabernets and other California collectibles, directly comparable to CultWine's California cult-wine inventory and collector clientele.
- Benchmark Wine Group: Online retailer and storage provider specializing in investment-grade and collectible wines with provenance documentation; overlaps with CultWine on rare bottle sourcing and cellar management.
- Christie's Wine: Major international auction house with a dedicated wine department offering rare and collectible bottles; directly comparable to CultWine's consignment-to-auction and rare wine retail proposition.
- Sotheby's Wine: Global luxury auction house division dedicated to fine and rare wine, competing for the same ultra-high-net-worth collectors CultWine serves through private sales and auctions.
- Acker Merrall & Condit: One of the oldest and largest US auction houses and retailers of fine and rare wine, overlapping directly with CultWine on consignment, auction, and high-end bottle sales to collectors.
Emerging players
- Vivino: Consumer wine marketplace and app with broad catalog; an adjacent, more mass-market competitor that pressures discovery and direct purchase for non-collector wine buyers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CultWine social profiles
Digital presenceCultWine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CultWine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CultWine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CultWine 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 CultWine
What does CultWine do?
CultWine is an online retailer specializing in rare, investment-grade 'cult' wines from premier regions including Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. Operating as the private client division of Fenn & Associates, LLC, the company sells curated wine collections, accessories (Riedel glassware, Coravin systems), and offers services including cellar management, wine consignment, corporate gifting, and invitation-only BlackList membership.
Is CultWine a public or private company?
CultWine is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CultWine founded?
CultWine was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CultWine based?
CultWine is headquartered in Orange, United States, in the North America region.
How does CultWine make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Wine Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Consignment Services, outright Wine Purchases, corporate Gift Program and private Client Services.
Who are CultWine's main competitors?
Wine-Searcher is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Wally's Wine & Spirits, K&L Wine Merchants, Zachys, Napa Valley Wine Exchange, Benchmark Wine Group, Christie's Wine, Sotheby's Wine and Acker Merrall & Condit. Vivino is listed as an emerging player.
Does CultWine have an API?
No public API is recorded for CultWine.
What industry is CultWine in?
CultWine's product category is Specialty Wine Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANAAAJ, Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits), with a secondary code of CRANABAE, Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail. Its NAICS code is 4453 and its SIC code is 5180.