Private client wine buying and storage service

Wine collectors, busy professionals building a home cellar, and small restaurants wanting help with their lists.

Margin on bottles sold, plus a monthly or annual storage and cellar management fee per client or per case.

• Strong wine knowledge and tasting ability
• Record keeping and inventory tracking
• Networking and trust building with clients

• Alcohol licensing rules vary by state; selling without the right license can end the business, so confirm before you take any orders
• Most states use a three-tier system where restaurants buy wine from licensed wholesalers or distributors, and a retail license usually doesn't allow sales to restaurants; check with your state alcohol control board, and check with the federal TTB whether wholesaling would also need a federal basic permit
• Rules on storing wine you don't own, and on delivering to homes or restaurants, differ by state and city
• Check your lease or HOA rules before holding any stock at home
• Insurance for client stock held in storage, plus general liability
• Clear records of who owns which bottles, since clients trust you with valuable wine
• Sales tax registration and age verification requirements

Startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your setup. That includes things like rented climate-controlled storage and insurance for client stock. Your costs will vary with how much storage you rent and how you structure the service.

Alcohol licensing rules vary by state, so confirm what you need before taking any orders. Check with your state alcohol control board about the three-tier system, and check with the federal TTB whether wholesaling would need a federal basic permit. Also check rules on storing wine you don't own.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on how many clients you serve and whether you add restaurant wine list consulting. These are revenue estimates rather than profit. Many people start with about 12 hours a week and build up from there.