Curious Wines
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersCork, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Curious Wines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Curious Wines
- Legal name
- Curious Wines Ltd
- Website
- https://curiouswines.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Curious Wines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Wine Retail
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453)
- SIC
- Retail-Miscellaneous Retail (5900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wine Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAB), Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)
Keywords
Where Curious Wines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cork
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Curious Wines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Wine Sales: Primary revenue stream from retail wine sales through their e-commerce website and physical Cork warehouse. They offer individual bottles, mixed cases, and specialty curated cases (bestsellers, regional themed cases).
- Wedding & Events Services: Revenue from wedding concierge services, party planning, and sale-or-return arrangements for events. Includes wedding gift lists, reception or party lists where guests contribute towards drinks bills.
- Corporate/Trade Sales: B2B revenue stream targeting trade customers through dedicated commercial enquiries ([email protected]).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual wine bottles ranging from budget to premium |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mixed cases (12 bottles) with discounted bundle pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Wedding gift lists and party reception lists |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Curious Wines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Curious Wines is an Irish wine retailer that curates and sells approximately 370 wines sourced from 62 smaller, independent producers across 81 regions in 10 countries. The company operates a WooCommerce-based online store (curiouswines.ie) alongside a physical warehouse shop in Cork, offering individual bottles, pre-configured mixed cases, gift packs and vouchers, plus event services such as wedding concierge, party planning, sale-or-return arrangements, and wedding gift lists, with nationwide delivery via Fastway Couriers.
Product overview
Curious Wines is a wine retail business operating both online and from a physical warehouse in Cork, Ireland. The core offering centers on a curated portfolio of approximately 370 wines from 81 wine regions across 10 countries, sourced from 62 producers featuring 112 different grape varieties. Products are organized across several categories: individual wine bottles (spanning red, white, rosé, orange, Champagne & sparkling, dessert & fortified, and fine wine), pre-configured mixed cases (including Bestsellers Mixed Case, Curious New World Mixed Case, and themed monthly selections), and gift products (gift packs and vouchers). The company also provides event services including wedding concierge, party planning, sale-or-return arrangements, and wedding gift lists. The business operates on a WooCommerce e-commerce platform with integrated payment processing via Stripe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Curious Wines
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Curious Wines technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Curious Wines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Fastway CourierscoreLong-standing delivery partnership since Curious Wines began selling wine online in 2008. Fastway Couriers handles nationwide delivery in Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland on behalf of Curious Wines. Normal delivery is next working day following dispatch.
- StripecoreStripe handles all online payment processing for the Curious Wines e-commerce website. It is described as a leading provider of secure payment software. Curious Wines does not directly access, process, or retain any card details themselves.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Curious Wines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- O'Brien's Off-Licence: Largest Irish off-licence chain with broad wine range and online sales. Comparable category (off-premise alcohol retail) but at chain scale with wider assortment and stronger price leverage.
- Majestic Wine: UK's largest specialist wine retailer with nationwide delivery and trade account model. Comparable on curated portfolio and B2B/B2C split; significantly larger scale and demonstrates UK expansion template.
- Laithwaites (Direct Wines): UK-based online wine retailer with extensive small-producer portfolio, mixed cases, and subscription model. Comparable on direct-to-consumer wine case merchandising and producer curation.
Direct peers
- Nolan's of Clontarf: Dublin off-licence with curated wine selection and online ordering. Comparable on Irish independent-retailer model with a curated, non-supermarket assortment.
- WineOnline.ie: Direct Irish online wine specialist also selling to Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with curated ranges, gift services, and home delivery. Most direct head-to-head competitor on assortment, price, and service.
- The Corkscrew Wine Merchants: Cork-based independent wine merchant focused on small-producer and natural/biodynamic wines. Strongest hyperlocal competitor to Curious Wines' Cork warehouse footprint.
- Mitchell & Son: Long-established Dublin wine merchant and off-licence with a curated premium wine portfolio and trade/corporate channels. Comparable on curation, premium positioning, and event/hosting services.
- Bradley's Off-Licence: Cork off-licence with a curated wine range and online ordering. Comparable model combining physical retail with delivery across Ireland, though narrower wine curation.
- La Touche Wine: Wicklow-based independent wine merchant with curated small-producer focus and online sales. Comparable on small-business curation philosophy and DTC-driven retail.
Emerging players
- Naked Wines: DTC online wine marketplace connecting consumers with independent winemakers via subscription-style 'Angels' funding. Comparable on independent-producer curation model; complementary rather than identical retail mechanics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Curious Wines social profiles
Digital presenceCurious Wines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Curious Wines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Curious Wines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Curious Wines 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 Curious Wines
What does Curious Wines do?
Curious Wines is an Irish wine retailer that curates and sells approximately 370 wines sourced from 62 smaller, independent producers across 81 regions in 10 countries. The company operates a WooCommerce-based online store (curiouswines.ie) alongside a physical warehouse shop in Cork, offering individual bottles, pre-configured mixed cases, gift packs and vouchers, plus event services such as wedding concierge, party planning, sale-or-return arrangements, and wedding gift lists, with nationwide delivery via Fastway Couriers.
Is Curious Wines a public or private company?
Curious Wines is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Curious Wines founded?
Curious Wines was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Curious Wines based?
Curious Wines is headquartered in Cork, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Curious Wines make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are wedding & Events Services and corporate/Trade Sales.
Who are Curious Wines's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are O'Brien's Off-Licence, Majestic Wine and Laithwaites (Direct Wines). Direct peers are Nolan's of Clontarf, WineOnline.ie, The Corkscrew Wine Merchants, Mitchell & Son, Bradley's Off-Licence and La Touche Wine. Naked Wines is listed as an emerging player.
Does Curious Wines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Curious Wines.
What industry is Curious Wines in?
Curious Wines's product category is Online Wine Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANABAB, Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants), with a secondary code of CRANAAAB, Wine Shops (Off-Premise). Its NAICS code is 44532 and its SIC code is 5900.