Meet August Sebastiani, President of 3 Badge Beverage Corporation

August Sebastiani may share a family name steeped in California winemaking lore, but he has taken his industry ties to a much larger platform with the success of 3 Badge Beverage Corporation.

We spoke to Sebastiani about his corporate portfolio and the future of his brands.

Talk to us about the Corporate Portfolio at 3 Badge Beverage Corporation.

Under the 3 Badge Beverage Corporation umbrella, we currently have three portfolios: Enology, Mixology, and Zymology. Our Enology portfolio consists of a diverse wine lineup that is food-friendly and approachable. Our Mixology portfolio includes spirits that have been sourced from distilleries all over the world with a sense of craftsmanship in mind. Finally, our Zymology portfolio celebrates locally made craft beer.

Tell us about the company’s history and heritage.

3BBC was established in 2009; however, we purchased Sonoma’s historic firehouse in 2014 and learned quite a bit about its connection to this community and to my family. Specifically, we unearthed my grandfather’s—and my namesake’s—three service badges from when he was a volunteer firefighter out of this exact building! We found the connection too significant to overlook, and changed our name to 3 Badge Beverage to reflect that. My family has a long history in Sonoma, as does this building, and those three badges are the tangible intersection of both.

What are some major developments/successes for the company?

In recent years, we have put a lot of resources into developing our spirits portfolio, specifically our agave offerings. We have seen some early success with Bozal Mezcal, an authentic and craft mezcal produced by various family-owned distilleries in the regions of Oaxaca and Guerrero. In a category that is seeing explosive growth, mezcal is relatively new, which proposes the need for education. Similar to wine, mezcal flavor profiles can vary greatly based on their terroir and can also be elevated with food pairings. In fact, we’ve hosted a number of mezcal dinners around the country to celebrate the connection to fine dining.

Any marketing directive/future goals for the company as a whole?

We are looking at a push toward premium across all levels of our portfolio. We are seeing this trend occur naturally among consumers, pushing quality and authentic brands to the forefront. In true negociant fashion, we work with a number of wineries and distilleries all over the world to source beverages that we feel celebrate authenticity and tradition.

What would you like our readers to know about your corporate portfolio?

Our portfolio is diverse enough that there is likely something for everyone to enjoy, depending on his or her beverage preference. We often encourage the enjoyment of our offerings with food and among friends and family. Wine and spirits are sacred, and providing the drink helping to facilitate an experience with friends is very important. Culturally, we enjoy breaking bread with one another and enjoying the stories shared and time spent.

Any information you’d like to share about your brands with bartenders?

We encourage mixologists—both amateur and professional—to experiment with our brands to push the boundaries in the cocktail world. The creativity and willingness to try new concepts and ideas from lead bartenders in recent years has been remarkable. Our spirits are versatile in that they can elevate any craft cocktail, but also surely stand apart on their own. Enjoy!