Partners
Vintegrity Proprietors J.P. Gilmore and Sean Ball have a definite passion for fine wines and spirits that is at the core of Vintegrity’s success. Following, in their own words, they share a bit more of the Vintegrity story
Building Vintegrity – One Customer at a Time
When we started this business in 2008, we wanted to create a portfolio we’d always be proud of. We had no concern about being the biggest, the goal was to represent the best wines and the best spirits in the business. So, we built Vintegrity with intent and purpose, one grower at a time. And we built our clientele, retailers and restaurants, the same way – one customer at a time.
Most of our wines, whether they’re from California or other countries, they tend to be family owned. They tend to own their own vineyards. They tend to make their own wines in-house. And, they tend to be a little more artisanal. As the wine portfolio grew, we added a collection of importers, from Germany, Italy, Spain, and from France – the Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne, the Loire Valley.
Expansion into Spirits
We had an early understanding of what became the boom in craft bartending. Before the term craft cocktails was mainstream, we called them ‘prohibition era’ cocktails. In the beginning the big distributors were waving them off, saying, “It’s a fad – it’s going to last two years.” So, we worked with unique spirits, like Bitter Truth Bitters and Tequila Ocho that the large distributors weren’t as interested in. We amassed a broad portfolio of specialty craft spirits – we were at the front of it.
About the Vintegrity Portfolio
Word got around that Vintegrity had an amazing portfolio. According to partner Sean Ball, “We get calls all the time from wineries and distilleries going, ‘We looked at your book, we see you have Pride Mountain Vineyards and Champagne Jacquesson, so we know you’re the house for us. We want to be in a book with those brands.”
Service is Paramount
As every restaurant, bar or liquor store owner knows, there is more to the business than the portfolio. Great service is everything at Vintegrity and delivery of that service is paramount. Knowledgeable staff is critical. At Vintegrity, the ‘integrity’ in our name really means something. We are masters of our craft, with a broad portfolio. And, we’re a team of professionals that, on a daily basis, go above and beyond. In our business we believe that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon and that is the attitude we carry with us every day.
Our Mission
Our mission is to be the best fine wine and spirits company in the Midwest – and ultimately, the nation. Our business goals will be accomplished with integrity – to our employees, to our restaurant, hotel and retail customers, and to the wineries and distillers we represent. Vintegrity strives to be a company that the finest wineries and distillers in the world are proud to be represented by, a company where the very best sales professionals love working, and a company our customers enjoy doing business with.
We are committed to leading our industry through professionalism, work ethic and innovation. Most importantly, we strive to really listen to our customers and our suppliers, utilizing their unique knowledge to better inform our decision making. Ultimately, this will allow us to make decisions that make the most sense for Vintegrity, our suppliers and our customers.
