The Preston-Layne Story

The evolution of Preston-Layne & Partners has its roots in one simple, fundamental certainty: my love of wine.  

I wasn't always a wine enthusiast. My journey into the world of wine began on a memorable date in 1992 when the young lady suggested, “We should have wine with dinner.” I was astonished by how delightful it was. Until that moment, I was just a beer drinker, preferring cheap, domestic options. But after that one bottle of wine, my intrigue was piqued, and my passion only grew stronger.  

In 1994, I married my lovely bride, DeeDee, and we honeymooned in Napa Valley. Exploring wineries and tasting a variety of wines further deepened my appreciation, and I committed myself to learning everything I could about wines and the art of winemaking.  

Not long after, I became a moderator on a wine discussion board within the CompuServe community, a pivotal point in my journey with wine distribution and sales.  

Around 1998, I connected with a winemaker through that CompuServe board. His name was Bill Russell, whose family owns Westport Rivers Vineyards and Winery in Westport, Mass. Bill noticed my online alias, VPotts/RI, and asked, “What’s RI?” I introduced myself as being from Rhode Island, and our conversation sparked discussions about potential collaboration. In March 2000, I left Corporate America to take my first role in the wine business, working as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Bill and his family.  

By the summer of 2003, I decided to branch out independently, leading to the birth of Preston-Layne & Partners, Inc. After engaging with numerous buyers and brand managers in the Northeast, they all informed me that California and Europe were quite distant from Boston and New York, and many producers needed assistance. With their support and encouragement, we got started. The name “Preston-Layne” combines my middle name and my wife’s, while “Partners” reflects our philosophy of treating our clients and customers as true partners in brand development.  

Initially, we managed operations across four states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. By 2004, we expanded to a national level. Numerous wineries realized the value of our expertise in wine distribution, not only through our Northeast connections but also through our ability to strategize, network, and build brands anywhere.  

Today, our core objective at Preston-Layne Partners is to build trustworthy brands that suppliers and their customers can rely on for the future. Our “humble servant” philosophy is ingrained in our mission, as we believe that by helping those around us, we ultimately help ourselves.  

As I have expanded this business and incorporated importing into our core functions, I am reminded daily of our passion: we love people, wine, and everything related to it.