2Tier Trading: A new blueprint for US wine sales

In Northern California, on the outskirts of Napa Valley, a small, tightly-knit team of veteran wine buyers at 2Tier Trading, a new wine wholesale distribution company, has been steadily building a portfolio of small-production, family-owned wines with a great story, with one aim in mind. ‘Our approach is to come in far more informed about the buyer’s program, their margins, their style of list, and what actually sells in their market,’ explains Steven T Smith II, general manager at 2Tier Trading.

Smith II and his colleagues at 2Tier believe that when ‘we show up with wines that genuinely fit the concept and price lanes for wine shops and restaurants, the conversation shifts from “being sold to” to “being supported.”’ In other words, if the person pitching to secure a placement at wine shop or restaurant list is more attuned to the venue’s clientele, and what style of wine and price point the wine shop or restaurant prefers, everyone wins – the shop owner, the beverage director, on down to the wine consumer who frequents the shop or restaurant.

‘We’re very buyer-centric,’ says Smith II, ‘instead of pushing what’s easiest or most advantageous for us to sell, we focus on what genuinely fits the restaurant or retailer – their cuisine, their price points, their guest profile, and their overall programme strategy.’

That approach involves curating wine selections for each venue well in advance, rather than walking in with a generic pitch book of wine samples. Smith II believes that if their buyers feel understood and respected, 2Tier Trading will be able to forge stronger relationships in markets across the US and secure better placements for the brands in their book.

The idea is notably important because wine sales in the traditional distribution model in America tend to focus on massive national-account business, with the largest-footprint stores, where high-volume production wines (think tens of thousands of cases) end up in all corners of the country’s retail and restaurant chains. But at 2Tier, they’d like to operate more along the lines of an independent retailer or restaurant, where wines are mostly a hand-sell, person-to-person, story by story.

So, how do they do it? ‘Tiered pricing and mixed-case purchasing lets buyers test more wines,’ explains Smith II, ‘and buy in smarter quantities, and lock in better costs, which leads to stronger by-the-glass and by-the-bottle options, and retail programs without over-committing inventory.’ In other words, better margins, more depletions, and ultimately, much happier wine retail store managers and restaurant beverage directors.

And pricing isn’t everything. Smith II points out that as veterans in wine sales and fine dining, ‘We understand how seasonal shifts, cuisine, and price point all influence buying decisions [at wine shops and restaurants]. A wine that works for a coastal seafood program in summer isn’t the same wine that works for a steakhouse in winter, and buyers don’t have time to sift through portfolios that ignore that reality.’

In today’s fast-paced, over-emailed, text-message-heavy world, buyers have come to expect transparency, speed, and multiple options for securing wine for their programmes. By giving them clear pricing, real-time availability, and digital tools to order, track, and reorder wines – while also providing a host of curated suggestions based on their cuisine, price points, and audience – 2Tier Trading makes the process far more efficient.

‘This doesn’t remove the salesperson or account manager,’ Smith II is quick to point out. ‘It just changes their role. Instead of spending time on basic order-taking or broad, unfocused pitches, they can focus on curation and strategy, and ultimately build a robust programme.’

The result, as they see it, is a better use of everyone’s time, stronger relationships, and, ultimately, more consistent sales because the wines presented are relevant and well matched to the account.

Jason Robus, brand manager at 2Tier Trading, sums it up nicely. ‘Our model is built on the idea that the best route to market involves having as few intermediaries as possible between the winery and the person sharing the wine with their friends and family.’

Discover a selection from Two Tier Trading below:

France

Anthony and Clémence Toullec, 2 Parcelles Extra Brut, Champagne NV

94pts

Sourced from two parcels in Rilly-la-Montagne, a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, building in the glass with these earthy notes, citrus, and apple with allspice notes. A medium-bodied palate, fuelled by a frothy, zesty mousse, and lengthy red volcanic stone mineral finish. Alc 12%

Domaine Benoît Chauveau, Les Collines de Lise Premier Pas, Pouilly-Fumé 2024

93pts

Crisp, lean, focused, with zesty acid tension and chalky mineral notes that lift out of the glass, infusing the yellow apple and pear fruit with a mineral-scented vibrancy that carries through to the last sip with a medium-bodied, almost velvety expression. Notes of sea grass, underripe peach, and peach pit emerge on the finish. Alc 13%

Bonnet-Gilmert, Blanc de Blancs Millésime Extra Brut Grand Cru, Champagne 2018

97pts

The Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs blends all Grand Cru fruit, aged seven years in the cellar. A dynamic and complex Champagne, with a seductive, savoury mid-palate richness, offering notes of black truffle and bacon fat and a delicate mousse. A wonderful, deep and silky mid-palate richness bursting with flavours of French pastry, vanilla bean and sea salt, all of which builds on the lengthy, full-bodied, chalky and zesty finish. Alc 13%

Bonnet-Gilmert, Précieuse d'Ambroise Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grand Cru, Champagne NV

97pts

The Précieuse d'Ambroise was aged in barrels for up to 10 months, five years in the cellar on the lees. A very limited supply is available to the export markets. Off-the-charts delicious, with a pastry-bright richness like a fresh, flaky croissant with sea salt, and a velvety, lacy texture. Balanced by a frothy, rich, and zesty mousse, it finishes with a tremendous length of apple, pear, paprika-smoked sea salt, and a crushed honeycomb note. Alc 13%

Camille Jacquet, Rosé Brut, Champagne NV

93pts

Bright, zesty, with lifted blood orange and vivid wild herb notes of tarragon and clove. The palate offers a wonderfully blood-orange, almost Aperol-like intensity, with a long, mineral-scented finish. Incredibly pleasant, easy-drinking, and finishes quite dry. Alc 12%

J.M. Goulard, Special Club Extra Brut, Champagne, 2018

94pts

The dosage in 2018 is 2.5 g/L and is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. Ripe apple character builds with chamomile floral notes. Hearty and lush on the mid-palate, featuring cherry and cherry pit notes and surprising slivers of dark chocolate-covered almonds, finishing with a wet slate and pulverised stone mineral quality. Alc 13%

Monmarthe, Solera Meunier Blanc de Meunier Premier Cru Brut Nature, Champagne NV

95pts

100% Pinot Meunier. Made from a Solera started in 2015. Zero dosage. A wonderful nutty richness, so imagine a tawny-style port, very light, and totally energised. A vivid, lifted complexity of oyster shell minerality with a briny mineral character building with a cider-like intensity on the mid-palate. Even with zero dosage, there's ample mid-palate richness. A wine of wonderful harmony and complexity. One to enjoy with anything from oysters to miso-rich pastas. 4,000 bottles produced. Alc 13%

Philippe Clerget, Cuvée Ancestrale, Champagne NV

94pts

Made entirely in amphora. 100% Pinot Noir. With the aging in clay amphora, there is this understandable aromatic pop of wet clay, wet mineral character, and a briny note; bacon fat with a lengthy saline-mineral intensity. There's a nice tension here and chalky mineral nuance. Long, lean, and focused with good mid-palate weight and depth. Alc 12%

Roland Boulard & Filles, Cuvée Julie Blanc de Blancs Brut, Champagne NV

95pts

100% Chardonnay from Massif de Saint Thierry. Aged three years on the lees. Gorgeous apple and apricot notes mingle with toasty brioche and wet stone mineral notes. The zesty, frothy mousse resolves with a briny, saline, and mineral intensity that lingers on the long and acid-driven finish. Crisp, bright, and downright delicious. Alc 12%

Roland Boulard & Filles, Le Griffon Brut NV, Champagne NV

96pts

This has such an intriguing bouquet, pulling you in with its incredible savoury character like a herb and tomato tart layered into a buttery, flaky, French pastry base. A bright mid-palate and creamy, salty mousse. Long and layered with crushed cocoa nib notes, and a briny, Sherry-like, oxidative mineral finish. Alc 12%

Stephane Ogier, Cairanne, Rhône Valley, France 2024

94pts

A terrific red from the Cairanne AOC, just rife with the region's distinct minerality, underscoring crunchy red berry fruits, garrigue spices, rosemary oil, crushed violets, and firm, taut tannins that resolve nicely through vibrant acidity. Just lovely. Alc 14%

Stephane Ogier, Mon Village, Côte-Rôtie 2023

94pts

Ogier's Mon Village is everything you'd want in an entry-level Côte-Rôtie: immediately fragrant with candied violets, black cherry fruit, and warm baking spices. Round, soft, supple, and full-bodied with expressive powdery graphite minerality, ironstone, and tangy blood orange acidity. Notes of pressed spring flowers, sage oil, and thyme on the multifaceted finish. Alc 15%

Italy

Alberto Voerzio, Barolo La Serra, Barolo, La Morra 2018

94pts

A beautiful wine from the La Serra vineyard in La Morra, planted at 380m, with vines rooted in calcareous clay soils. Round and richly textured, with soft, supple, well-integrated tannins. All the Nebbiolo hallmarks of tart black cherry, dusty wild rose, tar, mint, and loamy earth with black tea, vanilla-laced tobacco spices, and pressed wildflower notes. Alc 14%

Alberto Voerzio, Barolo La Serra, Barolo, La Morra 2019

96pts

Positively stunning and so approachable, this red wine comes from La Serra vineyard in La Morra, planted at a higher elevation of 380m, with vines rooted in calcareous clay soils. As such, in 2019, there's a real purity of fruit flavours and distinct chalky mineral influence. It's bolder and more structured than the 2018, with fresher aromatics that are decidedly dark-toned. Notes of black cherry and blackberry, tar and roses, and graphite are framed by ultra-fine tannins. The powerful, full-bodied finish lingers with an iron-like mineral character. Alc 14%

Agricola Molino, Teorema Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Treiso 2022

94pts

A resonant red, fuelled by tart cherry, dusty rose, and sandalwood. Full-bodied, framed by sappy tannins and a long, powdery mineral finish that creates a velvety-like expression on the palate, nuanced by tar, leather, and tobacco notes. Founded in 1991 by Virginio Molino, the winery is located in Treiso and owns approximately 14ha. Today, Marco Molino helms the cellar and vineyards. Alc 15%

Agricola Molino, Ausario Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Treiso 2023

94pts

Aged for 16 months in barriques and demi-muids. Bold aromas and flavours burst out of the glass, redolent of muddled dark cherries, tanned leather, tobacco, scorched earth, tar and pressed wildflowers. Wonderfully silky textures abound, with juicy red berry fruit, settling into velvet-textured fine tannins, finishing with nice, almost Christmas-like spicebox notes. Alc 15%

Cupano, Ombrone, Toscana 2022

96pts

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc. The 2022 Ombrone is a dazzling wine, offering a deeply complex nose of dried herbs de Provence, scorched earth, dried dark cherry, leather, and tobacco, layered with black olive and a zesty, spicy capicola-charcuterie character. Bold tannins and graceful acidity weave through the palate, building tension and texture, before carrying into a long, savoury-spiced finish that seems to linger endlessly. Bold, delicious, and immensely satisfying, delivering glass after glass of pure drinking pleasure. Alc 13.3%

Famiglia Bruno, Barolo 2021

94pts

Cherry fruit, eucalyptus, incense, and fruit leather leap from the glass. The wine is surprisingly soft, supple and inviting on the palate. A wonderful sweetness of red berry fruit nuanced by eucalyptus notes, layered with crushed cocoa nibs. Supported by ultra-fine tannins and a powdery mineral textured finish that is graphite-cocoa powder elegant. Alc 15%

Il Molino di Grace, Chianti Classico Solo Sangiovese, Chianti Classico 2024

92pts

100% Sangiovese. The 2024 is a lovely, compact and coiled up red wine. Boasting crunchy raspberry and cherry fruit, dusty rose and tar, and hints of new saddle leather. Framed by crisp tannins with a tart berry finish. Alc 13%

Isola del Cinghiale, Brunello di Montalcino 2019

96pts

From an exceptional vintage for Brunello producers, this wine is focused and energetic, with a broad spectrum of red berry fruit notes that are nicely ripe and subtly sweet, supported by good acid-driven tension. Notes of rose petal, graphite, and tar, with firm, velvety tannins create a harmonious, easy-drinking red wine out of the gate, but with the structure and bones to cellar for a decade or more easily. Alc 14.5%

Isola del Cinghiale, Brunello di Montalcino 2020

95pts

From a more challenging vintage, with a ripe fruit profile and slightly softer tannins making it that much more approachable. You could enjoy this while the 2019 takes another year for the tannins to integrate. Blackcherry fruit, plums and brown spices, with dried herb notes, black tea and a lengthy, mineral-scented, mouthwatering finish. Alc 14.%

Isola del Cinghiale, Vecchia Vigna, Toscana 2024

93pts

What a lovely wine – fragrant with rose petals and cherry fruit, spiced plums and tart cherry skin, all lifted by a smoky mineral note that carries onto the palate. Tart cherry and firm, mineral-laced tannins frame this medium-bodied red, which has real power, energy and drive. It carries its fruit, floral and spicy – herbaceous notes through to a remarkably satisfying conclusion. Alc 13%

Massimo Rivetti, Barbaresco Froi, Barbaresco 2021

93pts

A subtle nose of tart cherry, saddle leather and vanilla rises from the glass, carrying seamlessly onto the palate of this medium-bodied red. It unspools with a lusher mid-section, yet remains framed by firm, taut, mineral-laden tannins that build toward a lasting, savoury-spiced finish. Alc 14%

Podere L'infinito, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2024

94pts

This Verdicchio drinks like a wine twice the price, with incredible mineral tension, depth of citrus and stone-fruit flavours, expressive chamomile floral notes, crushed almond notes, and loads of crunchy acid tension. Alc 12%

Roberto Voerzio, Barbara d'Asti, Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2023

94pts

A beautiful wine with sumptuous aromatics of redcurrants, vanilla-spiced tobacco, earth, and cinnamon spices. The palate is fuelled by pure tension and juicy fruit, redolent of ripe blood orange, tangerine, and exotic passion fruit notes which emerge through the firm tannic and blood orange acid-driven finish. Alc 14%

Roberto Voerzio, Nebbiolo, Barolo, La Morra 2023

94pts

Considered the entry-level wine in the Roberto Voerzio portfolio. Native ferment in stainless and aged 12 months in 25-hectolitre oak barrels. As with the previous release, this red is bright, crunchy, with pure flavours and aromas of Maraschino cherries, fresh raspberries, rose petal, brown spices, and earth. Silken on entry, juicy fruit and blood orange acidity lift the aromatics. Good tension and extra-fine, floral-tinged tannins create a harmonious palate feel. Graphite and tobacco mingle in the fragrant finish. Alc 13%

Sapiddu, Catarratto Frizzante, Terre Siciliane 2023

93pts

Incredibly fragrant, with Catarratto’s typically honeyed, lush character balanced by zippy acidity. Crisp and laser-focused, with a bright, airy mousse and an almost lager-like quality on the dynamic finish. ‘Sapiddu’ is Sicilian dialect for ‘Who knows?’ This naturally made, Pét-nat-style frizzante comes from organically farmed Catarratto grapes and is produced by Oscar Arrivabene, general manager and winemaker at Domenico Clerico. Its cloudy colour and sediment are intentional; let the bottle stand upright before pouring. Alc 11%

All scores were generated as part of a non-blind tasting conducted in the US for the purposes of this advertorial.

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