Meet Disruptor: Jeanine Lum, Founder and CEO of 3rd Bottle, the First of Its Kind, Wine Bag with An Interlocking Ice Pack System for Travel
Jeanine Lum is the Founder and CEO of 3rd Bottle™, the company behind the patent-pending insulated wine transport system designed to help protect wine from heat exposure and travel shock. A retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant, retired SkyWest Airlines flight attendant, and successful construction company owner, Jeanine brings a unique combination of leadership, problem-solving, and real-world experience to product innovation.
As a lifelong wine enthusiast and WSET II-certified wine professional, Jeanine became frustrated by the lack of effective solutions for safely transporting wine. After experiencing heat-damaged bottles and seeing firsthand how traditional wine bags protected the bottle but not the wine itself, she set out to create a better solution.
The result was 3rd Bottle™, a premium wine cooler bag transport system featuring patent-pending interlocking ice packs that create a structured cooling chamber around each bottle. Designed for winery visits, wine sales routes, air travel, RV adventures, boating, and everyday wine transport, the product was developed to help wine arrive as the winemaker intended.
Building 3rd Bottle has required the same determination that defined Jeanine’s law enforcement career. She navigated multiple manufacturers, patent and trademark challenges, supply chain disruptions, and personal setbacks while remaining focused on her vision. Today, 3rd Bottle is gaining recognition among wine lovers, collectors, and industry professionals who understand that protecting wine means more than protecting the glass.
Jeanine’s mission is simple: bring cellar-inspired protection wherever wine travels. Through 3rd Bottle, she is redefining how wine lovers transport, preserve, and enjoy their favorite bottles without heat damage.
Have you always been a wine enthusiast?
I’ve always enjoyed wine; my appreciation for wine really grew through travel. As a flight attendant, I had the opportunity to visit different wine regions and experience how deeply wine is connected to culture, food, and place. What started as simply enjoying a glass of wine evolved into a genuine passion for learning about wine, meeting winemakers, and exploring wine regions around the world.
Over the years, I’ve traveled extensively through wine country, visiting regions throughout California, Texas, New York, Michigan, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, as well as internationally, including Italy, Spain, France, and Australia. Those experiences inspired me to pursue my WSET Level I and Level II wine certifications and deepen my understanding of wine beyond just being a consumer.
Wine travel became more than a hobby; it became a way to connect with people, discover new places, and create lasting memories. Like many wine lovers, I often brought bottles home from winery visits and vacations, which eventually led me to recognize a problem that most wine travelers face: how to properly transport and protect wine from heat and the rigors of travel. That realization ultimately inspired the creation of 3rd Bottle.
Looking back, my journey into wine wasn’t a single moment; it was a collection of experiences, travels, conversations, and discoveries that gradually turned appreciation into passion.
Tell us about 3rd Bottle™. Why is it a must-have for the summer?
3rd Bottle™ was created because I discovered a problem that most wine lovers don’t realize exists until it’s too late. Wine is stored in temperature-controlled environments for a reason, yet once we purchase a bottle and leave the winery, wine shop, or tasting room, we often transport it in conditions that can damage it.
Heat is one of wine’s greatest enemies. A bottle can leave a winery in perfect condition and spend hours in a hot vehicle, RV, boat, or airport, potentially affecting the wine before it’s ever opened.
Most wine bags are designed to carry bottles. 3rd Bottle™ was designed to protect the wine!
What makes it different is our patent-pending interlocking ice pack system that creates a structured cooling chamber around the bottles. Combined with thick insulation and an airtight zipper, it helps maintain a more stable temperature while reducing bottle movement during travel.
Summer is when wine is most vulnerable. Whether you’re visiting wineries, heading to a beach picnic, spending the day on a boat, sitting by the pool, attending outdoor concerts, traveling in an RV, or flying home with bottles from wine country, 3rd Bottle™ helps protect your investment and preserve the wine experience.
I often say that wineries spend years perfecting a bottle of wine. We help protect it on the journey home.
Take us through the process of developing the product. What lessons did you learn?
Developing 3rd Bottle™ was far more challenging than I ever imagined, but it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
The idea wasn’t born in a boardroom; it came from real-life experiences as a wine lover and frequent traveler. One day, while transporting a case of wine, the box tipped over in my vehicle, and the bottles went flying everywhere. Then, during a trip to Paso Robles, I left a bottle of wine in my car while wine tasting. When I returned, the cork had pushed out from the heat. That was my wake-up call. Wineries go to great lengths to protect wine, yet once we purchase it, we’re often left transporting it in conditions that can damage it.
As I started looking for solutions, I realized there were plenty of bags designed to carry wine bottles, but none of them were designed to protect the wine itself from heat exposure. Once I identified that gap, I became determined to create something better.
What followed was a steep learning curve. I had no background in product development, manufacturing, patents, or supply chains. Everything I know today was learned through research, trial and error, and persistence. There were countless prototypes, design revisions, and testing phases. I worked with multiple manufacturers before finding one that truly understood my vision and shared my commitment to solving the problem.
The journey was filled with challenges beyond product development. I navigated patent hurdles, manufacturing delays, fulfillment issues, and personal obstacles, including helping my husband through serious medical challenges. There were times when it felt like every obstacle imaginable was standing in my way.
The biggest lesson I learned is that persistence matters more than perfection. As a retired Sergeant from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, I was accustomed to solving problems and remaining calm under pressure, but entrepreneurship challenged me in entirely new ways. I learned that innovation isn’t simply about having a good idea; it’s about having the determination to keep moving forward when things don’t go as planned.
I also learned to trust my instincts. There were times when others wanted to change or eliminate features that I knew were important because I was designing the product from the perspective of someone who actually transports, collects, and enjoys wine. Staying true to the original vision ultimately resulted in a stronger product.
Looking back, 3rd Bottle™ taught me that entrepreneurship isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about learning, adapting, and continuing forward despite setbacks. Every challenge became part of the journey, and every lesson helped transform an idea into a product I’m incredibly proud to put my name on. Entrepreneurship isn’t for the weak!
What makes your product unique?
What makes 3rd Bottle™ unique is that it was designed to protect the wine, not just carry the bottle.
Wine bags on the market focus on portability and bottle protection. While they may prevent a bottle from breaking, they do little to address one of wine’s greatest enemies, heat. As a wine traveler and enthusiast, I realized there was a significant gap in the market between transporting wine and preserving its quality during transit.
3rd Bottle™ was created to bridge that gap. Its patent-pending interlocking ice pack system creates a structured cooling chamber around each bottle, helping maintain a more stable temperature while reducing bottle movement during travel. Combined with thick insulation and an airtight zipper, the bag functions more like a portable wine cellar than a traditional wine tote.
What also makes 3rd Bottle™ unique is that it was designed from real-world experience. Every feature was developed for someone who regularly visits wineries, travels with wine, and understands the frustration of arriving home with a bottle that must not be compromised by heat exposure.
At its core, 3rd Bottle™ isn’t just about transporting wine; it’s about protecting the wine and the experience. Wineries spend years crafting exceptional wines, and I wanted to create a solution that helps preserve that quality from the winery until it’s opened and enjoyed.
How do the interlocking ice packs stay cold?
The interlocking ice packs are really the heart of what makes 3rd Bottle™ different.
Unlike traditional ice packs that slide around and leave gaps inside a cooler or wine bag, our patent-pending interlocking ice packs fit together to create a structured cooling chamber around the bottles. This helps keep the chill where it’s needed most while preventing the packs from shifting during transport.
Simply fill the modular ice packs with water, freeze them for 24 hours, and place them around your bottles inside the bag. The interlocking ice packs work in conjunction with the bag’s thick insulation and airtight zipper to help slow heat transfer from the outside environment. Rather than relying on loose ice or a single cooling source, the entire system is designed to create a cooler, more stable environment that helps protect wine from heat exposure while you’re traveling.
Because the cooling is distributed throughout the bag, it helps reduce temperature fluctuations and provides more consistent protection than a typical wine tote or carrier. The reusable ice packs also eliminate the need to constantly purchase bags of ice that melt and create a mess.
I like to describe 3rd Bottle™ as a portable temperature-control system for wine. It’s not just about carrying bottles from one place to another; it’s about helping protect the wine and the experience from the effects of heat during travel. For wine lovers, that can mean avoiding the disappointment and expense of opening a bottle that has been compromised by heat exposure.
Think of it as cellar protection on the go. Over time, it can save you money by helping preserve your wine’s quality while eliminating the recurring cost of buying ice for every outing, road trip, or winery visit.
Do you offer different colors? Is there availability for co-branding?
Yes! 3rd Bottle™ is currently available in two colors: black and maroon, and both colors are available in a 6-bottle and 12-bottle wine bag.
At this time, we do not offer co-branding or private-label programs. Because 3rd Bottle™ is built around our proprietary design and patent-pending interlocking ice pack system, we are focused on growing and protecting the 3rd Bottle brand.
That said, we are always open to discussing strategic partnerships, retail opportunities, licensing opportunities, and collaborations that align with our mission to help wine lovers protect their wine during travel.
Our focus remains on delivering a premium, purpose-built product that combines performance, durability, and style while staying true to the innovation that makes 3rd Bottle™ unique.
Are you looking for Influencers and Partnerships?
Absolutely. We currently work with a select group of influencers who genuinely enjoy wine, travel, outdoor adventures, and entertaining. For us, authenticity is more important than follower count; we value partners who appreciate the product and can share real-world experiences with their audience.
We are also open to strategic partnerships with wineries, wine clubs, travel, RV, and boating brands, hospitality groups, event organizers, and other companies that serve wine enthusiasts. Our goal is to collaborate with brands and individuals who share our passion for protecting and enhancing the wine experience.
As 3rd Bottle™ continues to grow, we’re always interested in connecting with creators and partners who align with our mission of helping wine lovers enjoy their wine as the winemaker intended, wherever their travels take them.
What is your vision for 3rd Bottle™ in the next 6-months?
Over the next six months, my focus is on increasing brand awareness, expanding strategic partnerships, and getting 3rd Bottle™ in front of more wine lovers who understand the importance of protecting their wine during travel.
We’re actively building relationships with wineries, wine clubs, retailers, influencers, and industry professionals who can help introduce the product to new audiences. I also plan to continue attending wine and lifestyle events where consumers can experience firsthand how 3rd Bottle™ differs from traditional wine carriers.
From a business perspective, my goal is to continue growing sales while exploring opportunities to accelerate the brand’s reach, including strategic partnerships and licensing discussions with established companies that share our commitment to quality, innovation, and the customer experience.
Ultimately, I want 3rd Bottle™ to become the go-to solution for wine transport, helping wine lovers protect their bottles from the moment they leave the winery until they’re ready to enjoy them.
TikTok: 3rdbottlewinebag
