When people think of wine or wine tasting events, they often think about time spent among close friends, family, or strangers who have come together to bond over the shared experience.
For Cole Feinberg, the founder of FeinWines, this joy in the experience drives him to sell and shine fine wines.
At his home in Lafayette, which is a little less than a half-hour South of Napa, weekend visits to wine country aren’t just meant for casual getaways. At FeinWines, these moments are something more.
The Beginnings of FeinWines
“I’ve always enjoyed wine,” Feinberg shares, “but I didn’t think of it as something I could turn into a business.”
What began as casual advice for friends would eventually evolve into FeinWines, a wine concierge that serves everyone from the budget-conscious to the rare bottle collector within the crowd.
With a signature wine club offering access to globally sourced selections, FeinWines provides something for every type of drinker. FeinWines specifically organizes its customer base into three groups, which include:
- The Weekday Drinker is often someone who wants a high-quality bottle but typically only wants to spend $25 to $40 on it.
- The Collector is a niche audience of ~100 clients who hunt for vintage, high-scoring, limited-release, and investment-grade bottles.
- The Wine Club Member is the fast-growing “heart” of FeinWines, where drinkers receive curated bottles with the flair to impress while being approachable enough to enjoy casually.
Feinberg is not trying to sell people what the staff at FeinWines likes, but rather, they are giving the customers something they will love. They don’t just source from Napa or Sonoma, but rather, they bring wines from all over the world, including Italy, South Africa, Argentina, and Australia, to name a few.
Working Toward a Full Experience, as Well as Sustainability
Alongside its bottles, FeinWines is making small choices to help toward sustainability, which includes the packaging in which its wines come. They don’t use styrofoam; instead, they ship in recycled cardboard, which Feinberg says is better for the environment and contributes to a better experience when one receives their bottle of wine in the mail.
Discovering hidden gems in the wine world is also essential for Feinberg, who spends a great deal of time researching and taste-testing the hidden gems that will help make lasting memories.
“Wine is social,” Feinberg shares. “It brings people together. And it’s just plain good for the soul.”
The Future of FeinWines
In the future, Feinberg wants to expand the wine club into a broader lifestyle offering, including in-person tastings, partnerships with great chefs, and possibly even traveling to other locations. However, the core goal of FeinWines is to offer incredible wines at accessible prices without the ego, all of which aim to provide great wine delivered when one wants it.
If you’re ready to experience the taste of FeinWines, set up your membership and rare bottle concierge services online. Their global-first, ego-free approach aims to change how wine gets poured while offering you the chance to experience something delicious.