One year after its US debut, the family-owned fine wine and spirits merchant founded in 1698 introduces a new private client model offering greater access to expertise, exceptional wines and spirits and singular experiences
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Berry Bros. & Rudd, a leading family-owned fine wine and spirits merchant today announced House of 1698, a new membership model informed by evolving expectations around how fine wine is bought, collected and enjoyed. One year after opening its US business in Washington, DC, the family-owned merchant is deepening its private client offering with three membership levels, designed to provide increasingly personalized access to Berry Bros. & Rudd’s expertise, global producer relationships, rare allocations and singular experiences in the US and abroad. Membership is based on annual spend, starting at $15,000 for Green, $50,000 for Gold and $100,000 for Black. Members join a global community of wine and spirits lovers, with each membership level offering greater access to exceptional bottles, exclusive invitations and opportunities to meet some of the world’s most renowned producers.
House of 1698 takes its name from the year Berry Bros. & Rudd was founded at No. 3 St James’s Street in London, where it has traded ever since. The new model builds on more than three centuries of private client service, combining trusted guidance with access to remarkable bottles and shared moments with other collectors, designed to help clients build, understand and enjoy their collections.
“Some of the greatest pleasures of wine and spirits are the conversations, friendships and gatherings that grow around them,” said Lizzy Rudd, Chair of Berry Bros. & Rudd. “For generations, our role has extended beyond helping our clients acquire exceptional bottles. It is about understanding their tastes, introducing them to new discoveries, and bringing them closer to the people and places behind the wines and spirits. House of 1698 builds on that tradition for the way people collect today.”
Across its three levels, House of 1698 offers an increasingly personalized relationship with Berry Bros. & Rudd, combining expert guidance with priority access to exceptional wines, spirits and experiences. The Black membership level represents an elite group of the world’s most committed wine and spirits enthusiasts.
Clients may join House of 1698 in two ways: based on purchases over the preceding twelve months or by placing the qualifying amount on account to use toward future purchases and experiences with Berry Bros. & Rudd US.
House of 1698 launched globally today, with each region offering a locally tailored program of benefits, experiences and services designed to reflect the needs of its customers.
“Our first year in Washington, DC has given us a close view of how American wine enthusiasts want to engage with wine today,” said Claudia Chamberlain, Head of US. “They want to meet the people who make the wines, visit the places they come from and share them with others who love wine as much as they do. House of 1698 gives our clients a way to build a richer life around wine, with the same access they have enjoyed in London for generations.”
Since opening in November 2025, Berry Bros. & Rudd US has hosted masterclasses, winemaker dinners and its inaugural Paulée-style dinner, where clients shared bottles from their own collections.
The launch of House of 1698 follows the appointment of Emily Rae and Rob Symington as Co-CEOs earlier this summer, the opening of Berry Bros. & Rudd’s US business in Washington DC in 2025, and its entry into fine wine auctions in 2024. Both the US and auctions businesses are led by Jamie Ritchie, formerly Global Chairman of Wine & Spirits at Sotheby’s.
To learn more, visit https://us.bbr.com/pages/house-of-1698
About Berry Bros. & Rudd
Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd is a leading family-owned fine wine and spirits merchant, holding a Royal Warrant from His Majesty the King. It has traded continuously from No.3 St James’s Street in London for more than three centuries. Today, it has global reach, with a presence in the UK, the US and Asia.
Berry Bros. & Rudd US opened in Washington, DC in November 2025, with a wine and spirits shop in the capital, a 24/7 website at us.bbr.com and private client teams in Washington, DC, New York, Miami and Houston. It brings the merchant’s expertise, producer relationships and access to exceptional wines and spirits to American collectors.
Berry Bros. & Rudd serves a global community of wine and spirits lovers, with private client teams based in London, Dublin, Washington, DC, New York, Miami, Houston, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Taipei. The business combines personal advice, longstanding producer relationships and access to exceptional bottles with opportunities to discover more, deepen knowledge and enjoy wine and spirits in interesting company.
The business has wine and spirits shops in London, Basingstoke and Washington, DC, alongside an extensive events and education program. It offers world-class cellar storage in its own bonded UK warehouses, with temperature and humidity control. Its services also include in-house authentication expertise and fine wine trading through BBX and auctions.
Berry Bros. & Rudd has been a certified B Corporation since 2025 and is committed to working with its customers, producers and partners to drive collective action that reduces environmental impact, regenerates the landscapes and strengthens the communities behind fine wines and spirits.
Media contact: Beth Cotenoff, Evins Communications | BBR@evins.com | 347-866-2532
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