Barrel Hunter Club is a modern epicurean society offering curated collections of premium wines, spirits, and foods, along with exclusive experiences for its members. The Canadian business, founded by former tech executive David Racicot, reflects his passion for food, wine, and connecting people. This passion is evident in every aspect of the modern, epicurean business.
Under Racicot’s leadership, the Barrel Hunter Club emphasizes inclusivity, innovation, and community, aiming to reshape the wine and spirits scene in Canada by fostering a welcoming environment for all enthusiasts. It is a rarity in the luxury food and beverage industry. Their business model allows both newcomers to wine and wine experts to mingle and enjoy unique experiences. The Barrel Hunter Club intrigued us because there is really nothing like it in Canada.
Now, let us learn more about the Barrel Hunter Club, the inspiration behind it, what the experiences are like, and what’s next with CEO David Racicot.
Your background is in technology. How did this help with the development of Barrel Hunter Club?
I have spent 20 years of my life working in tech as a sales and marketing executive, traveling around the world, and gaining access to different cultures and great products. I have always been an epicurean. After finishing school, I started a small company selling high-end frozen food to high-net-worth individuals. That was my early start as an entrepreneur.
I then moved into technology and enjoyed my career as a sales and marketing executive because I genuinely like people. I love networking, and the money was good, allowing me to explore my passions for food, travel, and wine. However, at one point, I realized I was no longer enjoying my role. About two years ago, I was sitting with friends when they looked at me and said, “Why aren’t you doing what you’re passionate about? You always organize wine and cheese parties and networking events. Just make a business out of it.” This resonated with me, and I spent close to a year conducting market analysis. This revealed a significant gap in North America when it comes to combining wine, spirits, and food, as most wine clubs focus only on wine, while whiskey clubs focus only on whiskey, and the two don’t mix.
I was part of a wine club but was disappointed because, while I was tasting great wine, the storytelling aspect was lacking. They didn’t make it about the experience. The market analysis confirmed that there was a gap in this type of offering. It also struck me that there was a lack of offerings in this space for women and the LGBTQ+ community.
I realized there was an opportunity to offer wine, spirits, and food exploration in a more welcoming way for everyone—one that isn’t intimidating or overly academic, because that approach can be boring. Typically, attendees are all white, male, and very academic, which can be intimidating for anyone who is simply curious about wine. It is about making wine clubs more accessible to women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and the younger generation.
Tell us about some of the experiences that make Barrel Hunter Club so special.
It’s not just about wine. Since COVID, people have craved experiences and human interaction. At Barrel Hunter Club, we’re not just about wine, we’re about storytelling. We focus on the [wine] producer. Our master sommelier, John Szabo, sets the criteria for selecting products, which go through a strict process. The wine must be excellent, offer a compelling story, and provide excellent value.
During our in-person events, the story of the wine is always front and center, alongside the tasting. If you are serious about wine, we’ve got you covered with John, our master sommelier, and a team of certified sommeliers. If you’re simply curious about wine, we provide context to make you feel comfortable exploring with us. John has a talent for making wine approachable and digestible for everyone.
That is the main differentiator of Barrel Hunter Club compared to other wine clubs. Most wine clubs are bricks-and-mortar establishments with wine cellars. We aim to help you step out of your comfort zone and connect with like-minded individuals. It’s about building a community where wine, spirits, and food serve as conduits to bring together people who share the same sense of curiosity, open-mindedness, and love for epicurean experiences.
There are three tiers in the Barrel Hunter Club. There’s the Explorer, the Epicurean and the Executive. How does the consumer, pick the right tier for them?
We recently redesigned the tiers. From the beginning, the goal was to offer an Explorer tier, designed for people like one of our founding members. She is a 38-year-old single executive who enjoys wine, meeting people, and traveling. Since she is often on the go, she doesn’t have many opportunities to network when she is at home. She attended our first event and found it interesting to connect with people she normally would not meet, using wine as the perfect icebreaker. She is not a wine expert but rather “wine curious.” She chose the Explorer package, attends events, learns about wine, and most importantly, has fun.
Other members are more knowledgeable about wine and may even be part of private cellars. They chose the Barrel Hunter Club because our offerings are unique. These wine connoisseurs prefer more academic experiences, making the Epicurean tier ideal for them. The Epicurean includes all the elements of the Explorer package, along with the added benefit of consultations with a master sommelier. It’s a more in-depth package focused on advanced wine education.
The Executive package combines the best of both tiers but is tailored for corporate clients. If you own a business and want to treat your VIP clients or partners, this package is perfect for you. It accommodates three people under one account and includes three welcome kits—one for each member.
How do you determine which wines and products become part of your offering?
John Szabo, Master Sommelier, is the Curator-in-Chief, and I am the founder and CEO. I’m the ideas guy, responsible for vetting the storytelling and tours with all the producers and products included in the collection.
Four times a year, we launch collections featuring four to six producers, with one or two products per producer. The way we build these collections is with John as the curator-in-chief and Master Sommelier. Even he cannot be an expert in all wines from around the world, so he hires specialists with specific knowledge. For example, for the Gaudi collection, we brought on a guest curator based in Barcelona. John collaborated closely with this curator. The next collection we are launching will be the Sakura collection, and we’re working with a sake samurai (it’s a real title—it’s the final step someone can achieve in their sake expertise).
As a member of the Barrel Hunter Club, if you’re traveling around the world, you can meet some of the producers from our collections. Simply send your travel dates to the concierge, and they will notify producers who may not be open to the public. Four times a year, we also curate a Barrel Hunter Club trip. I accompany the members, and we spend three to four days visiting different producers. We strive to provide a next-level experience for our members. It’s not just about wine; it’s about discovery. The goal of each collection is also to push people out of their comfort zones.
If you love wine but are curious about tequila, we have got you covered. We will soon launch the Frida Kahlo Collection, focused on Mexican tequila. Four collections are launched each year, each with a gala that you can access with your membership. You also have access to monthly tastings, the sommelier team (including John Szabo), and the online store that houses our collections.
These wines are not available at provincial liquor boards…
We built the club based on my personal frustrations, feedback from market analysis and people seeking access to more diverse offerings. Our goal is to be disruptive by offering online products delivered hassle-free within three to five days, with temperature-controlled shipping. We are not here to compete with the LCBO or local private import agents, that wouldn’t be wise.
As a member of the Barrel Hunter Club, you can expect something more elevated. By paying for membership, you allow us the budget to deliver that elevated experience. Our team, including the master sommelier, spends significant time discovering hidden gems—those unicorn products. These are not necessarily unicorn products because they cost $500 or $2,000 but because they are high-value wines. It could be a $45 bottle of wine, carefully selected and tasted by a master sommelier. What sets us apart is that John, our master sommelier, isn’t restricted to working with one specific agency. He has access to products from around the world, and we select them not just based on their price but their overall quality and storytelling appeal.
When I went to Portugal, I discovered that the Douro region wines are amazing. I was willing to try them because they were what was on the menus and so affordable. It was some of the best wine I have ever had, and at first, I wasn’t excited about them…
You just said it. When we built the Gaudi collection, people tasted those wines and were surprised by the quality of Spanish wine. When it comes to wine, people often stay in their comfort zones. But if I offer you the chance to try a Portuguese wine at a decent price, you might discover that it is the equivalent of a more expensive French or Italian wine. French and Italian wines are excellent, but there is a lot of demand for them.
The mission of the Club is also to give people access to lesser-known producers. Many of the producers in the Gaudi collection, for example, are very small. When you visit them, they are so beautiful. These are not the traditional, large commercial wineries that are easy to find. That is why you need an expert to help navigate and uncover these hidden gems—and that’s exactly what we do.
What did you learn about yourself on the 30-day walk that you did from the South of France to Saint Jacques de Compostelle?
They say everyone has their own way of doing the Saint Jacques de Compostelle trip, whether by running or walking. It is an 800-kilometer journey, and some choose to complete it over multiple trips. I was going through personal struggles and decided to take a year off. I reached a point in my life where I felt the need to step back, reflect, and reprioritize. It is proven that when you walk for that long, your brain works in a much more efficient way. I am always challenging myself and stepping out of my comfort zone, and that’s what I’m also trying to bring to the Barrel Hunter Club.
We live in a highly connected world but are deeply disconnected when it comes to personal connections. For me, fostering those connections is something I value and strive to bring to the Club. I am not a master sommelier—John is. As the curator-in-chief, he brings wine credibility to the Club. My role is to vet the storytelling, event experiences, and travel experiences to wineries. John visits wineries in a very different way than I do. I visit them the same way my members would, and in this way, we complement each other perfectly. Teamwork and creating meaningful experiences were some of the things I reflected on during that walk.
Finally, what is next for Barrel Hunter Club?
Barrel Hunter Club is a chapter-based club open to members across Canada. We already have members in Quebec and Ontario, and we can sign up members from anywhere in the country. Some people join because they are looking for in-person connections, while others are too busy to attend events but sign up to access the marketplace, where they can find great products and connect virtually with other wine enthusiasts. To enhance this experience, we have added access to a virtual community on our website, allowing members to connect and even plan trips together.
Currently, we are focusing heavily on the GTA and Ontario. Our next step is to establish more invested chapters in Western Canada and Montreal. Our goal is to connect all chapters across the country. If everything goes as planned, we aim to expand into the U.S. market within the next two years.
So far, we are doing very well. However, it is a double-edged sword. While we would love to grow our membership base as quickly as possible, maintaining our vision of inclusivity is critical. We want to attract the right members and avoid growing too quickly. We are investing heavily in targeted outreach to specific groups because the first hundred members will set the foundation for the club’s value,
particularly in fostering inclusivity. It is essential to ensure that we bring in the right members because, at its core, this is a wine and social club—not a traditional wine club.
