WASHINGTON, March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Benchmark Wine and Spirits, affiliate company of Benchmark Wine Group, today announced that it has named Jason Whiteside as the head of business development in Washington D.C. As business development manager, Whiteside will be responsible for building brand awareness and increasing sales and acquisitions of wine and spirits for the company by working with private collectors, restaurants and other entities.
“We selected Jason based on his unique experience in service, distribution and retail in the top-end wine, rare wine and spirits space,” said David Parker, owner and president of Benchmark Wine and Spirits and Benchmark Wine Group. “We were very impressed with his broad background and dedication to the customer experience, knowledge of Benchmark’s special place in the industry and the energy he brings to every client interaction. We feel he’s the perfect fit to drive company growth and help our team improve access to the best products in the world for collectors, investors, top restaurants and other buyers.”
Whiteside brings over 20 years of experience in all tiers of the fine and rare wine industry with him to Benchmark. He most recently served as the senior wine buyer for Company Fine Wine and spent over 11 years at Winebow managing the wine sales team. Prior to that he was one of the top salespersons in off-premise and restaurant accounts for Henry Wine Group, one of the top distributors in the country. Whiteside earned his Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits and taught at The Washington Wine Academy and Capital Wine School, where he became the primary WSET instructor and certification specialist in Washington, D.C.
“Benchmark Wine and Spirits has a great track record with the world’s finest wines and spirits, and I’m proud to join their high energy, service-oriented team,” said Whiteside. “They provide access to the world’s best wines and spirits in a way no other company can. I am ready to leverage my background to enhance their operation and drive their growth.”
About Benchmark Wine and Spirits
Benchmark Wine and Spirits (BWS) in Washington, DC, was founded in 2022 by David A. Parker, owner of Benchmark Wine Group, in Napa, CA the largest rare wine reseller in the United States. BWS brings the same focus on rare and back vintage wines in exceptional condition at about the nation’s best prices to the northeast and additionally deals in rare spirits, having sold the most important rare spirits collections to come to market in the last few years. Together, the companies have the largest inventories of rare back vintage wines in the country and are top sellers to many of the nation’s biggest wine collectors, investors and top-rated restaurants.
About Benchmark Wine Group
Established in 2002, Benchmark Wine Group is a licensed importer, distributor and retailer in California, and the leading source of rare and back-vintage wine for wine retailers, restaurants and collectors in the U.S. and throughout the world. To learn more about Benchmark Wine Group, visit www.benchmarkwine.com.
Contact:
FINN Partners for Benchmark Wine Group
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74cfa697-de4d-4cdb-8207-ad9d99cf29a7