Vino.H to open standalone wine shop in Seoul

[Photo by MK DB]

As the Korean wine industry faces a slump due to shifts in alcohol consumption trends, importers including Vino.H are paving new paths to growth through offline store openings and the expansion of hotel-owned private brand (PB) products.

Vino.H, a wine import and distribution company that operates in Hyundai Department Store, announced on Monday that it plans to open a standalone store in Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, in mid-April 2024.

Traditionally focusing on supplying wines at Hyundai Department Store’s specialty wine shop, Wine Works, and premium restaurants, the Munjeong-dong store is Vino.H’s first venture into operating its own retail space.

The new “Vino.H Munjeong” store is designed as a “curation showroom” showcasing a unique selection of wines exclusively imported and distributed by the company and aims to offer an in-depth introduction to the history of wine and the distinctive characteristics of various wineries. Vino.H is known for its exclusive distribution agreements with small-scale wineries, introducing over 300 types of wine from some 50 brands across seven countries, many of which were previously unknown in the Korean market.

In addition to its diverse wine selection, Vino.H plans to feature “Glass Curation,” its regular thematic experiences allowing customers to sample wines by the glass based on country, grape variety, and sommelier presentations, as a flagship content.

Since its founding in March 2022, Vino.H has garnered positive responses by introducing distinctive wines from small-scale wineries to the Korean market, satisfying the sophisticated and diversified tastes of local wine enthusiasts. The company reported a sales increase of 77.7 percent in 2023 compared to the year before.