Our History

Richard Bakal tasted his first mature Bordeaux in 1970 at a dinner party with friends.  Soon after this epiphany, he embarked on building a world-class wine collection.

In the early 1970s, amassing a large collection of fine Bordeaux was mostly an age-old noble European family tradition.  After a few initial U.S. purchases, Richard recognized the need to visit the source.  He visited Bordeaux for the first time in 1976.  During this trip, he met and befriended producers, negociants and other suppliers.  He also made his first "en primeur" purchases directly in Bordeaux with the 1975 vintage.  Encouraged by the results of these purchases, he became committed to a long-term acquisition program.  Almost all subsequent purchases have been made en primeur, directly in Bordeaux.

After a decade of acquisitions, Richard realized his collection (over 4,000 cases at its peak) far exceeded that which his family could ever consume.  Upon the urging of friends and associates, Richard began to offer mature portions of his collection for sale.  In 1993, New York and several other key states enacted laws allowing wine auctions, as well as broader provisions governing the sale of private wine collections.  In 1995, Richard established The Wine Trust, L.P. to formally manage his family's wine endeavors.  Over the next decade, The Wine Trust developed extensive relationships with many fine wine merchants, high-end restaurants and others who sought a reliable source for single-owner, mature wines of exceptional provenance and guaranteed condition and quality.

In 2005, The U.S. Supreme Court upheld an important ruling (Granholm v. Heald, Michigan) in U.S. wine laws: that blocking direct shipments of wine to consumers was unconstitutional.  After this benchmark ruling, Richard began exploring ways to expand his wine distribution beyond his current network of licensed retailers and restaurants.  After a great deal of complex planning, a feasible structure was designed and is now being implemented.

With expanded wine acquisition and distribution platforms under way, The Wine Trust story continues to evolve.  More importantly, Richard's legacy lives on.  While adhering to principles he implemented in the context of building a private wine collection may seem unusual in today's business context, we believe the The Wine Trust's unique story will continue to positively reform today's traditionally short-term focused and severely capital-constrained wine distribution supply chain. 

While some may rightfully debate this argument, one principle that seems universally understood - that the greatest wines in the world require time, patience and utmost dedication to ensure they are coaxed into achieving their greatest potential.  Thus, The Wine Trust^® continues.