Merchants of Thirst

Seek The Extraordinary

CURIOUS FOLKS IN SEARCH OF CURIOUS THINGS

It started with a rejection of the ordinary. Conventional wines, the manufactured and the mundane, were far from our realm of interest.

We’ve always been drawn to the wild stuff, the soulful, and the strange. Remarkable wines reminiscent of the land and hands that made them are what fuel our passion and inspire us to pursue the extraordinary.

Again and again, we’ve journeyed to the source, building a network of artists and obsessives, dreamers, and skeptics. We walked frozen vineyards and tasted in drafty barns, dank basements, and dark caves. We met the families crafting expressive wines with magic in their hands and tradition in their hearts. We listened, we learned, and we kept coming back.

At Merchants of Thirst, we sell what we believe in, what we want to drink, and the stories we love to tell. Because thirst isn’t just physical, it’s deeply human.

We represent the wines we love.

made by our friends, at home and abroad.

Merchants of thirst

Based in San Francisco, Merchants of Thirst is a wine and spirits importer and distributor built on relationships, curiosity, and an unapologetic love of soulful wine.

We specialize in small-production wines made by families who farm with care, and value integrity over chemistry in the cellar. Bursting with soul and verve, these are extraordinary, honest wines eager to express their origins.

Our background is rooted in service. We know what it’s like to hand-sell an obscure bottle while you’re in the weeds, to foster a knowledgeable team, to build a wine list with intention, and to need your deliveries to show up on time. That experience shapes everything we do. Our goal is simple: to make your work day better, not harder.

We work with independent restaurants and retailers across California who care deeply about what they serve and who they support. Whether your vibe is punk rock natty or classic and clean, if you care about what’s in the glass, we’re going to get along.

At the end of the day, we’re not trying to be the biggest. We’re trying to be the best at what we do: connecting people to wines they’ll love.