Belong Wine Co.

What Belong Wine Co. does

Belong Wine Co. is a Napa-headquartered boutique winery founded in 2017 by Bertus and Alli van Zyl that produces small-lot wines (1-5 barrels per release) from high-elevation vineyards in El Dorado County's Sierra Foothills, served primarily to US direct-to-consumer wine enthusiasts and Wilders Club subscribers. The portfolio comprises seven distinct wines — Chasing the Sunset Rosé (Mourvèdre/Grenache/Cinsault), Sunshower Carbonic Red, Sierra Soul Mourvèdre, Barsotti Gamay Noir, Krutsinger Charbono, Fenaughty Syrah, and Public Holiday Carbonic White (Vermentino/Bourboulenc) — plus the experimental Grand Prismatic label.

Winemaking is defined by minimal-intervention techniques: whole-cluster fermentation with native yeast, aging in neutral French oak or stainless steel, and bottling unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur. Sourcing is anchored in long-standing relationships with growers including Goldbud Farms, Fenaughty, Veerkamp, Barsotti, and Krutsinger Family Farms across elevations of 1,200-3,200 ft, with carbonic maceration applied to non-traditional varieties as a point of technical differentiation. The company holds Climate Neutral Certified status (since 2020) and is a 1% for the Planet member, with ingredient disclosure on labels.

Revenue is generated through three direct-to-consumer channels: e-commerce bottle sales (~$30-45 per bottle), a twice-yearly subscription wine club with Base Camp ($150-250 per release) and Summit Society ($285-450 per release) tiers, and the River Club tasting space in Napa's Tannery District, opened August 2024 in partnership with Paper Planes Wine Co. The company is bootstrapped, founder-owned, and operates without external investment. Distribution is almost entirely DTC, with one minor retail partnership through ACME Fine Wines' Under the Radar Club providing additional exposure.

Name

Belong Wine Co.

Legal name

Belong Wine Co.

Website

https://belongwines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Belong Wine Co. is a Napa-based boutique winery producing small-lot, minimal-intervention wines from high-elevation El Dorado County vineyards. The founder-operated company sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, a twice-yearly wine club, and its 2024-opened River Club tasting space.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Winery

NAICS

Wineries (31213)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)

Keywords

• Small-lot winemaking
• Sierra Foothills wines
• Wine club memberships
• Tasting room experiences
• Direct-to-consumer wines

Headquarters

HQ city

Napa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales (E-commerce): Consumers purchase individual bottles and mixed cases directly through belongwines.com. Prices range approximately $30–45 per bottle. Credit card only; no minimum purchase. Ships to most US states via UPS, GSO, and FedEx.
2. The Wilders Club (Wine Club Subscriptions): Twice-yearly (spring and fall) shipment of either 6 bottles (Base Camp tier, $150–$250 + tax) or 12 bottles (Summit Society tier, $285–$450 + tax). Includes 10–15% discount on shipments and additional purchases. No membership fee; automatic shipment upon sign-up with a two-shipment minimum.
3. Tasting Room (The River Club): Physical tasting space in Napa's Tannery District, operated in partnership with Paper Planes Wine Co. Open by appointment (Thursday–Monday, 10am–3pm) via Tock. Wilders Club members receive complimentary tastings (2x/year for Base Camp, 4x/year for Summit Society). Revenue from pour sales and appointment fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Belong Wine Co. produces small-lot (1-5 barrels) wines from high-elevation vineyards (1,200-3,200 ft) in El Dorado County's Sierra Foothills, including Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino, Bourboulenc, Gamay Noir, Charbono, and Syrah. Wines are crafted with minimal-intervention techniques—whole cluster fermentation, native yeast, neutral French oak or stainless steel aging, and minimal sulfur—and bottled unfined and unfiltered. The company sells bottles direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce site, distributes through The Wilders Club subscription membership, and hosts guests at The River Club tasting space in Napa operated in partnership with Paper Planes Wine Co.

Product overview

Belong Wine Co. is a boutique winery producing small-lot wines from high-elevation vineyards in El Dorado County, Sierra Foothills. The portfolio includes seven distinct wine products: Chasing the Sunset Rosé (Mourvèdre-based), Sunshower Carbonic Red (carbonic Mourvèdre blend), Sierra Soul Mourvèdre (flagship red), Barsotti Gamay Noir, Krutsinger Charbono, Fenaughty Syrah, and Public Holiday Carbonic White (Vermentino-based). All wines are fermented whole cluster with native yeast, aged in neutral oak or stainless steel, and bottled unfined/unfiltered with minimal sulfur. The company also operates The Wilders Club membership program and The River Club tasting space in Napa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Wilders Club: Wine club membership offering two tiers (Base Camp and Summit Society) with guaranteed access to limited production releases, member perks, and twice-yearly deliveries.
• The River Club
• Grand Prismatic

Products and services

• Chasing the Sunset Rosé A rosé wine blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault sourced from Veerkamp Vineyard in El Dorado County at 1750 ft elevation. Inspired by South African sundowners and honeymoon memories in Cassis, France, and intended for individual wine enthusiasts seeking an alpine, terroir-driven rosé.
• Sunshower Carbonic Red A carbonic maceration red blend of Mourvèdre, Gamay, Cinsault, and Grenache from El Dorado County vineyards at 1750-2860 ft elevation. Designed for individual consumers seeking a fruity, low-alcohol, crushable red wine with a South African-inspired naming tradition.
• Sierra Soul Mourvèdre A Mourvèdre-dominant red wine (typically 90% Mourvèdre with 10% Syrah) from El Dorado County vineyards at 2730-2860 ft elevation. Targeted at individual wine enthusiasts seeking a flagship terroir-driven Mourvèdre expression.
• Barsotti Gamay Noir A 100% Gamay Noir red wine from Barsotti Vineyard at 2700 ft elevation in El Dorado County, farmed by the Barsotti family since 1976 on rare Musick pink decomposed granite soils. Designed for individual consumers seeking a distinctive Gamay expression from a single-vineyard, high-elevation site.
• Krutsinger Charbono A 100% Charbono red wine from Krutsinger Family Farms at 2200 ft elevation in the Sierra Foothills AVA, a rare variety with fewer than 100 acres planted in the US. Targeted at individual collectors and enthusiasts interested in rare, regeneratively farmed, high-elevation varietals.
• Fenaughty Syrah A 100% Syrah red wine from Fenaughty Vineyard at 2860 ft elevation on volcanic soils with granite bedrock in El Dorado County. The current label honors the memory of grower Ron Mansfield. Designed for individual Syrah enthusiasts seeking high-elevation, single-vineyard expressions.
• Public Holiday Carbonic White A carbonic maceration white blend of 60% Vermentino and 40% Bourboulenc from El Dorado County vineyards at 2700-2830 ft elevation. Targeted at individual consumers seeking a fresh, low-alcohol, high-elevation white wine produced in tiny quantities (2 barrels).
• The Wilders Club Wine Membership A twice-yearly wine subscription membership offering two tiers (Base Camp: 6 bottles per release, $150-$250 plus tax, 10% discount, 2 complimentary tastings per year; Summit Society: 12 bottles per release, $285-$450 plus tax, 15% discount, 4 complimentary tastings per year). Provides guaranteed access to limited-production releases and exclusive events for individual wine enthusiasts.
• The River Club Tasting Space A collaborative by-appointment tasting space in Napa's Tannery District along the Napa River, opened August 2024 in partnership with Paper Planes Wine Co. Open Thursday through Monday, 10am-3pm, and accessible to both Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes customers as well as walk-ins by chance, with complimentary tastings for Wilders Club members.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Paper Planes Wine Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co. partnered to open The River Club, a collaborative tasting space in the Tannery District along the Napa River. The space is operated jointly and is open to both brands' customers. It opened in August 2024 and is the first brick-and-mortar for Belong Wine Co.
• Goldbud Farms (Ron and Chuck Mansfield)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRon and Chuck Mansfield have been Belong Wine Co.'s primary grape growers since the inaugural 2017 vintage. Goldbud Farms is located in El Dorado County and is known for high-elevation vineyards with volcanic and granitic soils. Ron Mansfield passed away in February 2024; Chuck continues the family farming tradition. The Mansfields supply Mourvèdre, Syrah, and other varieties from elevations of 2,730–2,860 ft.
• Fenaughty VineyardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwn-rooted vineyard on volcanic soils with granite bedrock at 2,860 ft elevation in El Dorado County. Supplied Syrah for Belong's Fenaughty Syrah label (now labeled in memory of Ron Mansfield who loved this vineyard) and Mourvèdre components. A key source for the brand's high-elevation terroir-driven wines.
• Veerkamp VineyardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at 1,750 ft elevation in El Dorado County with volcanic soils. Primary source for the Chasing the Sunset Rosé blend (Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache). Belong has sourced from Veerkamp since the 2019 vintage (first rosé) and considers it a key vineyard partner.
• Barsotti VineyardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-farmed since 1976 in El Dorado County at 2,700 ft elevation. Situated in a cold ravine with Musick pink decomposed granite soils. Supplier of Gamay Noir for Belong's Barsotti Gamay Noir label. The vineyard is owned by the Barsotti family.
• Krutsinger Family FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at 2,200 ft in the Sierra Foothills AVA. Belong participated in planting this regeneratively farmed vineyard. Supplier of Charbono for Belong's Krutsinger Charbono label. The Krutsinger family (John, Sarah, and son Johnny) also produces olive oil, lavender soaps, honey, and wildflowers. They own babydoll sheep Baby and Saucy.
• Rohan Etsebeth (Archival Design)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouth African graphic designer based in Stellenbosch who designed Belong Wine Co.'s wine labels. Labels feature native South African flowers (a nod to Bertus' South African roots) and snapshots of iconic outdoor locations. Bertus met Rohan in college in Stellenbosch.
• ACME Fine WinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACME Fine Wines is a wine merchant featuring Belong Wine Co. in their Under the Radar Club, which showcases undiscovered and newly launched wine brands. Belong is referenced as a featured brand alongside other small producers.
• 1% for the PlanetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelong Wine Co. is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, committing 1% of every bottle sold to environmental nonprofits. Member since approximately April 2020. Reinforces the brand's sustainability and social impact positioning.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tank Garage Winery: Napa-based small-lot, low-intervention producer for which Belong co-founder Bertus van Zyl serves as head winemaker. Most directly comparable in portfolio philosophy, carbonic-maceration technique, and DTC-plus-tasting-room GTM.
• James Cole Winery: Boutique Napa winery where Bertus van Zyl is also head winemaker, focused on small-lot Rhône-style wines. Comparable in production scale, DTC focus, and varietal overlap with Belong's Mourvèdre portfolio.
• Matthiasson Wines: Highly regarded Napa minimal-intervention producer with a similarly terroir-driven, food-friendly, lower-alcohol style and DTC-anchored model. A direct philosophical peer in the natural-leaning California space.
• Broc Cellars: Berkeley-based minimal-intervention winery sourcing from Northern California vineyards and emphasizing native yeast, no fining/filtration, and varietals like Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Chenin Blanc — closely aligned with Belong's winemaking ethos.
• Stolpman Vineyards: Ballard Canyon (Sierra Madre equivalent) Rhône-varietal specialist making low-intervention Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault in tiny lots with strong DTC and wine-club economics — directly comparable varietal and operational profile.
• Coturri Winery: Multi-generation Sonoma natural wine producer with deep roots in no-sulfur, native-yeast, whole-cluster winemaking. Comparable on minimal-intervention philosophy and small-production direct-to-consumer identity.
• Ruth Lewandowski Wines: Low-intervention California project making site-specific reds and whites in very small lots with a strong DTC and allocation-based model — a comparable peer for Belong's Wilders Club scarcity economics.
• T-Vine Winery: Napa-Calistoga boutique winery where Bertus van Zyl previously worked, focused on Rhône varietals and Zinfandel from specific sites. Comparable in varietal portfolio, small-lot production, and DTC tasting-room model.

Regional players

• Lava Cap Winery: Family-owned El Dorado County winery on volcanic soils producing estate wines with a tasting room and wine club — a direct geographic peer for Belong's terroir positioning in the Sierra Foothills.
• Boeger Winery: Pioneering El Dorado County winery producing small-lot Sauvignon Blanc, Barbera, Zinfandel, and Rhône-style wines from similar volcanic/granitic soils. Closest geographic and varietal peer in Belong's home AVA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/belongwineco
• Instagraminstagram.com/belongwineco
• Facebookfacebook.com/BelongWineCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belong-wine-co

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Belong Wine Co.