CultWine

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.

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

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

• Rare wine retail
• Cult wine sales
• Wine consignment
• Corporate wine gifting
• Wine cellar management

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Outright Wine Purchases: Buying wine collections or cellars outright from clients who wish to sell their wines immediately.
4. 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.
5. Private Client Services: Premium services including sommelier recommendations, cellar management, wine investment fund opportunities, winery mailing list consultation, and special events management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core 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

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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RiedelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCultWine 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.
• CoravincoreTechnology or IntegrationCultWine 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/Cult_Wine
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cult-Wine-356375061505
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cultwine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 CultWine