MERCHANTS OF BEVERAGE DEBUTS

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Merchants of Beverage, the NEW luxury e-commerce site offering a highly curated assortment of handpicked world-class wine & spirits, officially launches to the public. Providing the first online shopping experience of its kind for those looking to imbibe with discerning style and superlative products, Merchants of Beverage will undoubtedly become the ultimate online destination for luxury beverages and elegant, personalized gifting. Founder Jeffrey Meisel (previously of Gilt Groupe) and his team have spent their careers working with and learning from the top wineries, distilleries, restaurants, bars, shops and brands. As world travelers who have been behind the scenes gaining insider knowledge and tasting these first-rate products, they are now ready to share their expertise and distinctive findings with the debut of www.MerchantsofBeverage.com.

"I started Merchants of Beverage as I realized that there was a vital need in the luxury market for a company dedicated to offering highly curated and top quality wine & spirits as well as stylish and efficient gifting solutions for the aspirational consumer," says Merchants of Beverage Founder Jeffrey Meisel. "We want our members to always feel confident in their selections; so we don't offer everything, we only offer the best." 

Merchants of Beverage provides a sophisticated virtual space and bespoke shopping experience that makes it easier for users to discover the unique fine wine & spirits that they otherwise may never have access to or know about so that they can drink better at home. Always striving to raise the bar on imbibing, not only does this luxury destination feature a highly curated and focused selection of wines and spirits, it also provides:

• Ready-to-mix cocktail kits ranging from classics such as the Negroni and the Manhattan to custom drinks created by top-notch bartenders
• Home bar staples
• Stunning hand-blown crystal stemware
• Crafted cocktail equipment
• Ultra-premium, curated Collections with recommendations for a variety of seasons, occasions, and gifting needs such as: The Nightcap, The Perfect Thank You Gift, Americana and Upgrading Your Home Bar
• Seasonal & lifestyle inspired releases
• Superior options for stylish gifting

In addition to the exceptional selection of products, one of the most important features of Merchants of Beverage is its platform for one-of-a-kind, effortless, stylish and personalized wine & spirits gifting. Merchants of Beverage resolves the concern of giving a wonderful gift the day of an occasion —if you are a last minute gift giver and/or don't know your friend's address— with its "same day gifting" feature. This feature allows a gifter to enter their recipient's email address in place of a physical address, then the recipient is immediately notified that the gifter has given them a gift (with a personal message in the email) and is prompted to enter their shipping information. Another innovative feature for same day gifting is the fixed price "gift page" populated with curated selections for the recipient to choose from, which is perfect for gifting to a client, business associate or friend whose preferences you may not know. No other virtual marketplace that is dedicated to world-class beverages provides this robust online gifting platform and shopping experience for its customers. It sets a new standard by giving the user all the tools they need to effortlessly find what's best for them, their colleagues, friends and loved ones to make exceptional drinking a part of their everyday lifestyle.

Continuing to surpass what users have come to expect from their online shopping experiences, Merchants of Beverage also provides a cutting edge concierge service that provides impeccable customer service to users looking for more guidance when shopping. This exclusive customer service experience will give users all the resources of shopping in a physical store combined with the ease of the online experience.

Wanting to provide a clean, user-friendly yet beautiful and eye-catching online retail discovery, Merchants of Beverage has created a modern, luxurious and sleek website with a distinct style that is appealing and engaging. This elegant virtual space is separated into easily navigable categories such as: Champagne, spirits, wine, special collections, and cocktail kits, as well as rare, seasonal and lifestyle inspired offerings. All of these sections are consistently updated to ensure an original, fresh and rewarding shopping and gifting experience every time someone comes to the site looking for a top-notch and exclusive selection for themselves or for someone else.

The Merchants of Beverage core philosophy follows the conviction that life is a celebration, and that the true reveler's accessory is a drink in hand. They believe there's no reason for that drink to be anything less than sublime. With the launch of their site, the Merchants of Beverage team is making it easier for us to discover the outstanding options out there so that we can all drink better at home and beyond.

Press Contact:
Handcrafted PR, Inc.
Phone: 347 689 2111
Ana Jovancicevic
E: [email protected]  
Shannon Fischer
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SOURCE Merchants of Beverage