“8wines has averaged growth of 100% per year up until now,” comments 8wines Founder and CEO Vasily Dinkov, “but 2020 has been truly exceptional with 200% growth across the year. COVID-19 and Brexit have both presented challenges to the way we do business. Yet we’ve been able to rapidly scale up our operation thanks to growing consumer interest in online premium wine shopping. Our impressive growth last year was a decisive factor in attracting the interest of the Purcari Wineries group which became our first external investor in May 2021.”

Founded in 2015, the European startup specialises in sourcing premium wines including some of the world’s most prestigious names. Purchases are shipped direct to the consumer’s door in over 40 countries across the world, offering easy access to high-end wines that may not be readily available in certain markets. Examples of rare wines currently available on their ecommerce site include Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 2018, Sassicaia 2017, and Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2016.

As well as these high-end options, 8wines also sources more affordable wines from lesser-known wineries that offer excellent value for money. These include Moldovan wines from 8wines’s investor, Purcari Wineries, which recently picked up 20 medals including a Best In Show at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards. 8wines’ impressive track record at competitions also includes winning gold medals for their wine selection four years in a row from Wine Spectator.

8wines’s biggest markets are currently the U.K. and Germany where online wine purchases have surged during the pandemic. The typical 8wines customer tends to be an affluent and engaged wine enthusiast who spends an average of €200 per month on wine. Looking ahead to the future, 8wines is exploring future expansion in China as well as the US in response to increasing website visits from this key market.

“For 2021 8wines is on track to achieve growth of 100% on the previous year,” comments Dinkov. “Our mission has always been to connect people across the world with top quality wines. As part of that vision we will be introducing a wine club membership to complement our existing mixed tasting cases which allow wine lovers to discover new wines in a particular style, such as Super Tuscans or Cremants.”

For more information about 8wines, please visit 8wines.com.

Media contact: Alice Longhurst-Jones / [email protected]