JWSieg Wines is located in scenic and historic Charlottesville, Virginia located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Charlottesville is best known as the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson, who is often regarded as America's first great wine connoisseur. Jefferson's love of wine has spawned a culture of oenophiles here in town, and the people behind JWSieg Wines are no exception. With over 500 wines stocked locally in the warehouse for wholesale purchase, the comprehensive portfolio represents offerings from Argentina to Italy and all the way to Tasmania.
JWSieg was founded in 1962 by James Wallace. His son Terry Sieg began heading up the operation in 1975. At that time JWSieg represented wines such as Ruffino and Louis Martini long before they were household names. In 1976, Terry learned of the famous event held in France now known as the "Judgement of Paris," the legendary blind tasting in which a pair of unheralded California wines bested some of France's most celebrated reds and whites. At a time when French wines were considered superior by most wine "experts," this historic upset piqued Terry's curiosity about what other wonderful wines might be waiting to be discovered, so he set out on a quest to explore the far corners of the world for wines to bring to Virginia to introduce to his customers. He made it his personal mission to assemble the most extensive collection of California wines east of the Mississippi, and he gathered together gems such as Stag's Leap, Chateau Monthelena, Dry Creak, Chateau St. Jean and Schramsberg. He brought these wines to the famous Homestead resort, helping them to achieve their reputation of having the largest California wine list on the east coast.
After a 20+ year hiatus from the wine business while the company focused on the distribution of other beverages, Terry's passion for wine brought him back to his original committment to search the world over for great wines. The company now employs 8 salespeople covering the state of Virginia as well as Washington DC. JWSieg represents some the top Virginia winemakers, and is regarded as having a boutique selection of unique and celebrated Italian wines as well as many other international selections.
