International Wines & Craft Beer was founded in Birmingham in 1974 and is the oldest continuously operating family-owned alcoholic beverage distributor in Alabama. Before the company was founded, the Yeates family, brothers Charles and Rutherford Jr. and their father Rutherford Sr., had been interested in wine for many years following their travels in Europe and across the United States. As the Alabama market opened to private distributors in the early 1970s, they took the initiative to bring quality wines, both luxury and budget, from the United States and abroad to the state. They were the first to introduce Alabama to some of the most iconic wine brands of the world including Ridge, Joseph Phelps, Louis Jadot, and Louis Roederer.
After continuous growth for over four decades, International currently employs over 50 sales representatives and 12 sales managers, representing a diverse portfolio of over 3,500 wines, beers, sakés, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages, and specialty food products throughout the state of Alabama and as a broker in the state of Mississippi. The company’s management team is constantly tailoring the curated portfolio to meet the needs of customers and the consumer as well as being committed to sharing the artistry of winemaking and brewing. International takes its greatest pride in long-term business relationships, friendships, and in building new partnerships.
We are so proud to have remained family-owned for over 50 years, with Charles Yeates still actively working in the company and his son Jesse serving as CFO.