The 1 Wine

What The 1 Wine does

The 1 Wine is a privately held, New York-based distributor of premium California wines operating under two go-to-market motions. The first is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront built on WooCommerce/WordPress with Stripe payment processing, selling roughly 13 SKUs at retail prices ranging from $21.33 to $100 per bottle and shipping to five states (New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Wisconsin) with adult signature and ID verification. The second is a B2B wholesale motion with two pricing tiers — house wines at $175-$350 per case and premium selections at $275-$600 per case — sold to on-premise restaurants and off-premise retail establishments with a 5-case minimum.

The product portfolio centers on wines sourced from Lodi and Napa Valley, California, including Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon across multiple vintages (2006, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2021), a Proprietary Reserve blend, Chardonnay, Syrah, Rosé, and "The Love" series differentiated into Gold, White, and Black Labels. Wine production is not operated in-house; instead, the company relies on a strategic partnership with Watts Winery in Lodi, which provides access to the Watts Family's Iris Vineyard near the Mokelumne River for grape sourcing and winemaking infrastructure.

The company was founded in 2013 by Sir Gary Kong under the original name Classic Ameriwine. Sir Gary Kong retains sole leadership as Founder and CEO; there are no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent entities. The founder was knighted as a Knight of Winery Excellence in Monaco in 2018, and the company's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has received recognition from wine critic James Suckling. Geographic operations are intentionally narrow — five U.S. states for DTC and a single New York office — with no disclosed international footprint, no mobile app, and no proprietary technology beyond the standard WooCommerce stack.

Name

The 1 Wine

Legal name

The 1 Wine

Website

https://the1wine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The 1 Wine is a privately held New York-based distributor of premium California wines sold direct-to-consumer and through B2B wholesale to restaurants and retailers. Founded in 2013 by Sir Gary Kong, the company sources wines via its partnership with Watts Winery in Lodi, California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Wine Distribution and Retail

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAB), Alcohol Importers & Brand Owners (Wholesale) (CRAOAIAB), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

Keywords

• Premium california wines
• Wine distribution services
• Direct-to-consumer wine
• Wholesale wine supply
• Boutique winery brands

Headquarters

HQ city

Flushing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Wine Sales: Online retail sales of wines directly to consumers through their e-commerce platform. Consumers purchase individual bottles or multiple bottles with pricing ranging from $21.33 to $100 per bottle. Orders include shipping costs and applicable state sales tax.
2. Wholesale - On Premise: B2B wine sales to restaurants and hospitality venues. Two tiers offered: house wines at $175-$350 per case and premium selections at $275-$600 per case, with 5 case minimums.
3. Wholesale - Off Premise: B2B wine sales to retail outlets and off-premise establishments. Similar tier structure with everyday enjoyment wines at $175-$350 per case and collector/fancier selections at $275-$600 per case, with 5 case minimums.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The 1 Wine sources, markets, and sells premium California wines from Lodi and Napa Valley through an owned WooCommerce e-commerce storefront (direct-to-consumer bottle sales) and a wholesale B2B program supplying restaurants (on premise) and retail outlets (off premise) with case-based tiers. The portfolio spans Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Rosé, Viognier, Zinfandel, Merlot, Proprietary Reserve blends, and The Love Collection (Gold/White/Black Labels), with retail bottle pricing from $21.33 to $100 and wholesale case pricing from $175 to $600.

Product overview

The 1 Wine is a direct-to-consumer wine company offering a portfolio of California wines sourced from Lodi and Napa Valley. The product line consists of The Love Collection wines (Black Label/Love 520, Gold Label, White Label), Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon selections (2013, 2016, 2021 vintages), Proprietary Reserve blends, Chardonnay, Syrah, Rosé, and Love Red Blend. The company operates primarily through a WooCommerce e-commerce platform and offers wholesale distribution through on-premise (restaurants) and off-premise (retail/home) channels with case pricing ranging from $175-$600 per case.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Love (Black Label): 2017 Love 520 - A red blend with rich flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and spice, finishing smooth and full-bodied with soft tannins.
• The Love (Gold Label)
• The Love (White Label)

Products and services

• 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2013 vintage (50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 50% Syrah blend) sold to individual consumers for $100 per bottle and to wholesale buyers as part of the Reserve tier.
• 2017 Syrah Lodi Syrah blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, ABV 15%, sold at $31.25 per bottle for individual consumers.
• 2017 The Love White Label Lodi white blend (40% Merlot, 40% Syrah, 15% Zinfandel, 5% Cabernet) sold at $31.25 per bottle with bright citrus, green apple, ripe pear, and subtle floral notes.
• 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2012 vintage (50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 50% Syrah) sold at $100 per bottle with bold, layered depth.
• 2013 Rosé Lodi Rosé with Syrah dominance (40-60%), priced at $28.83 per bottle, featuring floral, slightly sweet, lightly fruity character.
• 2017 Love 520 (Black Label) Lodi red blend (Love 520 / Black Label) sold at $31.25 per bottle with rich blackberry, black cherry, and spice notes finishing smooth and full-bodied.
• 2017 The Love Gold Label Lodi premium red blend (Love Gold Label) priced at $31.25 per bottle with ripe dark fruit, plum, blackberry, spice, and vanilla notes.
• 2019 Love Red Blend Red blend with 5% Cabernet priced at $31.25 per bottle, featuring ripe red and dark berries with spice and vanilla notes.
• 2013 Proprietary Reserve Lodi proprietary reserve blend of 50% Cabernet and 50% Syrah (ABV 15%) priced at $21.33 per bottle, rich, smooth, and fruit-forward.
• 2012 Chardonnay Napa Valley Chardonnay (ABV 13.5%, 750ml) priced at $36.00 per bottle with ripe apple, pear, subtle citrus, vanilla, and butter notes.
• 2021 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2021 vintage (wine code N100) sold as part of the Reserve tier portfolio.
• 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2016 vintage sold as part of the premium Reserve portfolio.
• 2006 Proprietary Reserve Vintage proprietary reserve blend from 2006 showcasing aged complexity, sold as part of the Proprietary Reserve portfolio.
• Wholesale Wine Program (On Premise & Off Premise)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Watts WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with established Watts Winery in Lodi, California has been instrumental in crafting wines that stand apart in quality and character. This partnership enables The 1 Wine to produce premium wines including Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and The Love series blends. Watts Winery provides access to Iris Vineyard near Mokelumne River, owned by the Watts Family, which offers unique climatic features for exceptional grape growing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Total Wine & More: Largest U.S. off-premise wine, beer and spirits retailer with national footprint and broad assortment. Overlaps with The 1 Wine's off-premise and DTC wine retail, but at vastly larger scale and with a mass-market positioning.
• BevMo!: Multi-state off-premise alcohol retailer offering wine, beer and spirits. Comparable as a retail wine destination but with a much broader SKU base and mass-market positioning versus The 1 Wine's boutique portfolio.

Direct peers

• Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits: Wine retailer and wholesaler combining storefront, online, on-premise and collector offerings. Comparable in operating model (multi-channel premium wine) and customer mix to The 1 Wine.
• Wine.com: Largest U.S. direct-to-consumer wine e-commerce retailer, shipping to most states. Directly comparable to The 1 Wine's DTC wine e-commerce motion, but at materially greater scale, catalog breadth and geographic reach.
• Wine Library: Online wine retailer offering curated and collector wines, with a content-led DTC model. Similar in target consumer (collectors, enthusiasts) and SKU-type (premium California selections) to The 1 Wine.
• Naked Wines: DTC wine platform that funds independent winemakers and sells direct to consumers. Comparable DTC motion and emphasis on producer storytelling, though operating at much larger scale and with a different funding model.
• Winc: DTC wine brand producing its own California wines and selling direct to consumers. Directly comparable as a DTC wine brand with proprietary labels sourced from California.
• Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits: Long-established New York wine merchant with retail and on-premise/wholesale operations, similar in customer profile (NY restaurants, collectors, enthusiasts) to The 1 Wine's on-premise and DTC base.
• Kermode Lynch Wines: Specialty wine merchant focused on curated California (and broader) selections with both retail and wholesale B2B channels. Highly comparable in product positioning (curated premium California wines), channel mix (retail + wholesale) and target buyer (restaurants and enthusiasts).

Regional players

• Flat Top Wines: Regional wine merchant focused on curated selections with both retail and on-premise/restaurant supply. Comparable channel mix (retail + B2B wholesale to restaurants), but operates in a different geography than The 1 Wine's NY-anchored footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the1wine
• Facebookfacebook.com/The1Wine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 The 1 Wine