When it comes to I Best Wines, there’s no such thing as the “terrible twos.”
Quite the opposite, in fact, as the brand has plenty to celebrate in addition to its latest milestone.
For Ingrid Best, the founder behind the award-winning wine brand, year two has been about momentum (the kind that would make Olivia Pope proud). The Oakland, California native spent two decades at industry giants like Diageo, Moët Hennessy, and Bacardi (including managing joint venture partnerships for Jay-Z’s D’USSÉ) before launching something entirely her own. Now she’s reflecting on what that second anniversary really means.
“We just celebrated our second birthday, October 10th, which is a huge milestone for a brand that has been founded by a woman, a Black and Brown woman,” Best says. “The data shows that we oftentimes don’t hit these types of milestones, unfortunately.”
But IBest Wines is thriving. And now, nearly two years after launching, IBest Wines has set its sights on expansion.
The biggest news? Last month, the brand launched a subscription service that brought IBest Wines to 49 states. For consumers in places like Ohio and Michigan who’d been following the brand online, it meant they could finally get their hands on it. “Places that weren’t able to get their hands on the brand…can now enjoy what they’ve largely been watching us do online, they’ve been hearing about,” Best explains. For a brand built on community and accessibility, it’s a promise fulfilled.
And the timing couldn’t be better, because at-home consumption continues to trend upward, with consumers seeking premium experiences without leaving their living rooms. “People really enjoy entertaining at home. Now you can have the brand delivered right to your doorstep,” Best notes.
Best’s strategic approach to building IBest Wines started with an unconventional choice: South Africa. While many new wine brands default to familiar regions like Napa or Bordeaux, Best saw opportunity in the underappreciated. “I think there was this assumption that the regions that are widely known were the regions that founders in the wine space should be thinking about,” she reflects. “I think one of the reasons why IBest Wines has had such tremendous early success is that we chose the South African wine region to launch as our first region for the brand.” South Africa wasn’t the “it girl” wine region back then. It was overlooked and underrated, which is exactly why Best bet on it.
Turns out, her instinct was spot-on. IBest Wines’ White Blend recently won best white wine of 2025 from Rolling Stone’s Wine and Spirits Awards—a significant achievement that validated Best’s vision. “It’s a big deal to represent South Africa and to be awarded something like that,” she says.
Still, building a wine brand as a Black woman means navigating challenges that remain frustratingly persistent. Best has always been candid about the obstacles, such as securing distributors in the notoriously complex three-tier system, raising capital in a climate where funding for Black and Brown women has dried up since the brief surge of 2020 and 2021. “If you don’t have the capital to sustain and scale, it is very difficult,” she acknowledges.
IBest Wines launched as a self-funded venture, with Best’s first five investors being Black women who believed in her vision. Since then, she’s brought on strategic partners like Monique and Melvin Rodriguez, the founders of Mielle. “When I think about the kind of investors and my approach to attracting investors, I’m also thinking about what strategic value the investors that we are looking to potentially close can bring the brand,” Best explains. “Because capital is one thing, but then there’s this whole other value that I don’t think we think about, advisory, relationships, connectivity.”
That scrappy, strategic mindset has forced creativity. The brand has supported over 200 events since launching, with more than half tied to art and creative communities—from fashion shows to museum exhibitions. It’s a two-way street that’s built genuine loyalty. “We have what a lot of brands oftentimes are trying to figure out how to have. We have a real community. And it’s not some kind of marketing strategy. It is organically a part of our DNA.”
Having her name literally on every bottle adds weight to every decision. Her 92-year-old father reminds her monthly, “You put your name on this.” The responsibility has sharpened her focus on the business fundamentals (everything from KPIs, three-year plans, commercial strategy) while balancing the public-facing demands of being a founder in the social media era. “You can’t lose sight and focus of your business,” she emphasizes. “I’ve become a leader that’s been able to quiet the noise and really focus on the beauty of the brand that I’m building.”
With the holidays around the corner, Best has some unconventional hosting tips. She’s a big believer in chilling red wine, despite what traditional wine rules might say. She also loves the idea of cooking with it—she recently attended a pairing dinner where a chef used the Red Blend to make chimichurri sauce, and it blew her away. And then there’s the red wine and ice cream trend she keeps hearing about. “I’m dying to try it,” she says.
But beyond the tips and trends, Best’s message during the holidays reflects her broader leadership philosophy. Because as much as she loves a good pour and a good party, she’s always thinking of community, “Let’s all remember those who are less fortunate and let’s be mindful in our gratitude. There are a lot of people that aren’t necessarily celebrating the same way. And I think we all have to remember those people during this time and always.”