Banville Wine Merchants will launch wholesale distribution in Connecticut on July 1, making the state the New York importer’s eighth direct wholesale market.
The family-owned company announced the expansion on Tuesday.
Banville’s distribution network already spans New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Oregon. Operations in Connecticut will be managed out of the company’s Manhattan headquarters, with fulfillment through a third-party warehouse. Banville has secured the required wholesaler permits from the state Department of Consumer Protection’s Liquor Control Division.
Banville plans to launch with wines from a handful of producers, including Tolaini and Terlano from Italy, Pala from Sardinia, Rosé Gold from Provence, Andeluna from Argentina and te Pa Family Vineyards from New Zealand. The company said it plans to expand its Connecticut portfolio to between 75 and 100 producers over the next year.
The expansion will add one Connecticut-based employee: a current Banville salesperson who has relocated to the state and will serve as the company’s lead here. The company said it will target both restaurants and retailers but plans to announce specific partners after July 1.
With the addition of Connecticut, Banville said it now has direct wholesale distribution across the Tri-State area.
Owner Lia Tolaini-Banville pointed to the state’s restaurant and retail base as a draw.
“Connecticut is a dynamic and influential market, supported by a vibrant community of restaurants and retailers,” she said. “We are eager to build enduring partnerships and bring our portfolio to this discerning audience.”
Banville imports and distributes wine, spirits and beer, and it also grows grapes as a vineyard owner. Lia Tolaini-Banville founded the firm in 2004 with her father, Pier Luigi “Louie” Tolaini. Her three children, Matteo, Alicia and Alex, have since joined the business, which is headquartered in Manhattan.
Previously, Banville’s wines were sold in Connecticut through Hartley & Parker, the Connecticut division of Taunton, Massachusetts-based Martignetti Cos.
