Accolade Wines has signed a distribution agreement the second largest beverage alcohol distributor of premium wine and spirits in the US, Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) which will expand Accolade Wines availability to encompass 24 states and the District of Columbia.

Accolade said that the agreement further its strategic growth plan in the US which has also seen a number of high profile collaborations and hires put in place.

These include J-Shed's collaboration with NBA star James Harden and recent executive hires, including:

  • Director of Marketing, Ming Alterman - formerly the brand director for 19 Crimes, based in California
  • Senior Directors of Sales, Bryan Morris and Jenny Byrom. Byrom left TWE in July to join Accolade 
  • Senior Director of National Accounts Jason Phipps who left TWE in January to join the US business, and
  • Executive Vice President of Sales Shannon Grant, who will support the next phase of fast-paced growth in the market.

Enrique Morgan, Managing Director of the Americas at Accolade Wines said:

"When we set out on this journey to expand into the Americas, we established some aggressive goals, but making Accolade Wines a household name was at the top of the list.

"As we continue to grow, bringing on top talent, creating collabs with like-minded brands and celebrities and the partnership with RNDC are all key pillars in the company's overall plan to become a top wine supplier in the US."

Accolade has been represented by family owned-and-operated import, marketing and sales company, Quintessential to represent its brands in the US since 2020.

RNDC will support the distribution of a number of Accolade Wines, including Anakena, Banrock Station, Da Luca, Echo Falls, Hardys, Haymaker, Grant Burge, House of Arras, J-Shed, Mud House, Petaluma, St. Hallett, Stones Ginger, and Tracker's Crossing.

The market expansion covers: Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and New York.

Last month the business sold its UK bottling business, The Park, to Encric for AUD$53m, it has just sold off Stonier Wines to Circe Wines, owned by the Drummond, McLeod & Thickins families, and has also recently divested Brookland Valley Estate vineyard in Western Australia, a winery in Nannup in WA and a vineyard in Victoria’s Yarra Valley to Treasury Wine Estates.

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