1997 Meridian Wine Merchants was founded on 19 September 1997 by Johann Laubser and Alex Dale of Longridge Winery as a distribution company for their wines, as well as a selection of other local and international wines in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

1998 Meridian Wine Merchants, operating as a wine distribution business in Gauteng only, was acquired by Gavin Dittmar on 1 November 1998.

1999 Solly Kramer joined as a partner in July, followed by Historic Wines of the Cape owned by Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg and Anthonij Rupert, who acquired 50% of Meridian Wine Merchants in November 1999.

2000 Meridian Wine Merchants Cape franchise was created in Cape Town.  Meridian Wine Merchants Coastal franchise was created in Durban. 

2001 Meridian Wine Merchants Garden Route franchise was created in Port Elizabeth 

2006 Meridian Wine Merchants acquired 50% of the wine distribution business, Liquid Assets. 

2007 The 'Cool Wines' temperature-controlled distribution concept was launched.

2009 All regional franchises as well as Liquid Assets were merged and three separate companies were created:

- Meridian Holdings (holding company, management and services)
- Meridian Wine Merchants (sales and marketing)
- Cool Wines (logistics and operations) 

The shareholding was restructured. Hein Koegelenberg and Cobus de Villiers acquired shares, while Solly Kramer sold his shares.

We were awarded the Business Day Best Wine Company award.

2011 The national sales team was restructured from an individual brand sales and marketing approach to area-specific portfolio representation and national key account management aligned to industry best practices and improved service to our clients and customers. 

2013 We were awarded a PMR Africa Diamond Arrow Award for the first overall distributor and marketer in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages in a random survey of 145 trade customers.

2014 We received the PMR Diamond Arrow and the first overall distributor and marketer award in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages for the second year.

2015 For the third consecutive year, we received the PMR Diamond Arrow and the first overall distributor and marketer award in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages.

2016  We received the PMR Diamond Arrow Award and first overall distributor and marketer in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages for the fourth consecutive year.

2017 Meridian Wine Merchants celebrate 20 years of business and we received the PMR Diamond Arrow Award and the first overall distributor and marketer in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages for the fifth consecutive year.

2018 It's our 21st Birthday and we are delighted to celebrate another PMR Diamond Arrow Award and the first overall distributor and marketer in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages for another consecutive year. That's every year since 2013! 

Meridian Holdings acquires the Cape Wine Academy.

2019 We receive another PMR Diamond Arrow Award and the first overall distributor and marketer in the category of wine, spirits and other beverages for the seventh consecutive year.

Shane Allchin is appointed as our Managing Director and Gavin Dittmar becomes Group Chief Executive Officer. 

Cool Wines (Pty) Ltd changes its company name to Meridian Wine Distribution (Pty) Ltd. in October 2019. Meridian Wine Distribution continues exactly the same service as the distributor for Meridian Wine Merchants and Craft Liquor Merchants.

Meridian Collective Europe is established as a South African company exploring opportunities in the Netherlands.

2020 Meridian Collective Europe partners with Your Wine Partner in The Netherlands to provide a wine brokerage service to the Netherlands.

The Meridian Foundation is registered as a non-profit company and approved public benefit organisation (PBO) offering bursaries for educational enrichment, academic support, supplementary tuition and training programmes for disadvantaged youth and the unemployed.

Heidi Duminy is appointed the Principal of the Cape Wine Academy.

2021 Meridian East Africa and Meridian Wines Kenya are formed.

Meridian remains the major funder and custodian of a newly invigorated Cape Wine Academy that is registered as a non-profit company.

2022 Meridian celebrated 25 years of connecting wine with people.