CUTCHOGUE, NY – April 13, 2017 – Lieb Cellars, a leading NY winery located on the North Fork of Long Island, announced today a new distribution partnership with Sour Grapes, LLC, which will bring Bridge Lane Wine (Lieb’s second label) to NC, SC and GA.
Based out of Asheville, NC, Sour Grapes is a mid-sized importer & distributor with a focus on sustainably grown, balanced wines of value. Their current portfolio includes select Old World wines and a handful of North American producers. Lieb Cellars will be their first New York based partner.
Sour Grapes Owner, Devon Price, is thrilled. “When evaluating new brands and relationships, we look for a sense of authenticity and value,” he says. “Without question, Lieb Cellars offers both of these things. They have a fun, creative team who’s passionate about what they’re doing and where they’re from. And their wines, especially the Bridge Lane labels in boxes and kegs, represent awesome value. They’re hand-crafted, delicious and distinct, without the price tag or attitude.”
He also notes that in burgeoning wine & food cities like Charleston, Raleigh and Atlanta, New York is considered one of the hot, up-and-coming wine regions in the US. “There’s interest from the somms and buyers but little NY wine down here. We’re going to bring it to them.”
Lieb Cellars General Manager, Ami Opisso, echoes his sentiments and notes that the Southeast is their natural next step. “When I joined Lieb in 2013 our wines were being sold in NY only. We’re now in 10 states with an eye on additional markets in 2018.”
She says their focus on expansion is both strategic and personal. Their Lieb Cellars line will remain estate-grown only and sold mainly in their tasting room and to their club, but they see a ton of growth potential for Bridge Lane. “Our Lieb wines anchor us and give us credibility,” she states. “With Bridge Lane, we have ants in our pants. We’re driven to constantly innovate and improve, and to grow so that our friends in different parts of the country can find Bridge Lane wines in their local shops and restaurants.”
She adds that successfully expanding means finding the right partners in their target markets who share common values and goals. “Sour Grapes is about bringing good wine to good people, and having fun while they do it. That’s also the essence of Bridge Lane.”
With this new partnership, Lieb Cellars’ Bridge Lane line will become the most widely distributed Long Island wine brand in the US.
About Lieb Cellars: Founded in 1992, Lieb Cellars is an 85-acre sustainably farmed vineyard and winery located on the North Fork of Long Island, 80 miles east of New York City. The company produces hand-crafted estate grown wines under the Lieb Cellars label and fresh, fruit-driven wines under their (second) Bridge Lane label. Pinot Blanc is their signature wine and has been called “excellent” by the New York Times. The Bridge Lane series is offered in “alternative” formats – 3L boxes and 20L disposable kegs, both “firsts” for New York. Lieb has two tasting rooms on the North Fork of Long Island and their wines are distributed in 10 states on the East Coast of the US.
