The 9 Best Wine Stores
Which Wine Store is the Best?
It's 5 o'clock somewhere, and wherever you're located, shopping for the right wine can be a wonderful way to relax at the end of a long day. Whether you're looking for a perfect pairing to go with dinner or searching for a gift to surprise your in-laws, there's always an occasion for wine. And, it's no wonder wine is a favorite. It's been around for thousands of years.
The oldest known traces of grape wine production have been found in digs in Georgia (in Europe) that date back to 6000 BC. Wine has been a staple throughout Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and modern times. And it isn't location-specific, either. You can find wines made all over the globe, from the USA to the Middle East, to world-renowned wineries in Italy and France.
Tuesday, October 8th
2024 Wine Store Reviews
Wine Access
Wine Access offers a professionally curated selection of 406 wines, focusing on high-quality finds from around the world. The website is easy to navigate, using detailed filters that make you feel like a pro sommelier from the get-go. With a no-time-limit return policy, Wine Access puts in the effort to support customers. Considering all the impressive features, dedication to wine-specific site filters, and impressive service, Wine Access earns a 5-star rating and the top spot among wine stores in our review.
Total Wine
Total Wine offers an impressive selection of over 8,000 wines both online and at its brick-and-mortar locations across the US. With its massive variety, expert staff, and competitive prices, it can be a great place to browse, whether you're a casual fan or an expert wine taster. While some reviews are mixed, these often depend on which Total Wine location you're shopping at (and don't necessarily apply to online orders). Considering the positives like solid customer service and top-tier ratings for many locations around the US, Total Wine is our second-place pick for the best wine store.
Wine Insiders
Wine Insiders is a great option for an affordable wine store that offers quality wines delivered to your door. With 220 wines to choose from, you can expect a decent variety from 10 different countries and regions. While Wine Insiders could improve its customer service, the reviews for this wine store are generally positive with praise for its selection, prices, and packaging. For this reason, it earns a solid rating in our review.
Wine
Wine is a massive online wine store that offers over 16,000 individual wines. This is a top choice if you're looking for variety. Plus, the simple website makes it easy to wade through the massive inventory. While shipping can get pricey if you don't want to subscribe to Wine's annual Stewardship membership, it remains a competitive choice and a solid one-stop shop for unique wines.
Parcelle
Parcelle is a New York-based wine store that got its start as a restaurant/bar in Manhattan. Offering 690 different wines (including rare selections), you can find wines from as little as $19 or up to almost $4,000. While the selection is impressive, the short 7-day return policy and limited customer service brought down its rating a bit. For now, Parcelle earns a respectable rating, but make sure you check it out if you're in the market for rare wines.
Fresh Vine Wine
Fresh Vine Wine offers a small selection of low-calorie, low-sugar wines made in Napa, California. With just 7 wines on its wine list, Fresh Vine Wine is not going to be the wine store you pick if you need variety. But if you like competitive prices, healthier wine choices, and a VIP club that allows you to subscribe to wine shipments each month, you might like to check out Fresh Vine Wine. While its wines receive praise from shoppers, there are some restrictions for returns that make this wine store less competitive, earning Fresh Vine Wine a moderate rating in our review.
Splash Wines
Splash Wines is a family-owned business that offers a mix of affordable wines and subscriptions for wine shipments. With only 65 wines to choose from, this isn't where you'll find the most exotic wine, but prices won't break the bank. While Splash Wines has high customer ratings on Trustpilot, we have concerns about the transparency of membership enrollment (and the possibility of being enrolled by accident). Overall, it's a good wine store for cheap wines, but you may want to be cautious about the subscription terms.
Buy Wines Online
Buy Wines Online has a selection of over 5,500 unique wines available, with vintages as old as 2003. While the website is easy to navigate and purchase from, shipping fees can add up quickly if you're buying more than 15 bottles at a time. Further, reviews are mixed with some serious concerns about customer service and return policies. For now, Buy Wines Online has room for improvement before earning a spot as one of our favorites.
Naked Wines
Naked Wines operates as a pay-as-you-go wine store as well as a subscription service. You can pay $40 per month to get discounts on all of the Naked Wines selections. However, with concerning reviews from shoppers and complaints about unwanted credit card charges and poor customer service, we're not impressed with Naked Wines. For this reason (along with restricted return policies), Naked Wines earns one of our lowest ratings.
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With so much history behind wine, it's not such a surprise that there are so many kinds to choose from. Whether you have a staple favorite or you're a burgeoning sommelier hoping to try them all, there are tons of choices from around the world. From Sauvignon Blanc to Merlot, or Chardonnay to Pinot Grigio, there are plenty of flavors, grapes, and vineyards to pick from.
You can even find some unique distilleries like those in Japan that offer Plum Wine or Rice Wine (better known as Sake). Whatever your pleasure, there's wine (or wines) out there just for you. You may never get tired of this longtime favorite boozy beverage. But the trick is finding the best wine store to score those sweet reds, fruity whites, or balanced rosés.
There are tons of places to find good, great, and rare wines, and it can be hard to decide where to start browsing. Whether you're looking to pick out a single bottle or stock your home wine cellar, shopping online can take a lot of the travel worries out of purchasing your favorite flavors. With access to wineries around the world, online wine stores offer a wider variety than at your local shop or a winery that just produces its own vintages. Plus, someone else can do the heavy lifting for you, so if you are buying a case (or two), getting the wine shipped through an online service can save you some sore muscles from moving the bottles from the shelf to the cart to the car.
Now, if your head is spinning from too many options, we've got your back. We get it, the internet is overflowing with wine stores and wines to choose from. How do you pick out the best wine store for your needs? To help you narrow the field (or vineyard, we should say), here are a few factors you can consider:
- Cost. Whether you're looking for your everyday red wine or something a little exotic, the price matters. If you can find a wine somewhere for a slightly lower cost, it's definitely worth a look. Some wine stores charge you a retail price that's padded for extra profit. So, make sure you get good value for your money. Check sizes, vintages, and quality to make sure that if you want to pay top dollar for some fancy wine, you get your money's worth.
- Shipping. Since you're shipping something breakable and perishable, you'll want to check out the shipping policies for the wine store you're considering. Make sure the shipping costs are competitive with other stores, and check for guarantees against breakage or damaged bottles.
- Wine selection. The selection of wine is a big deal for choosing a wine store. You don't want to pay for shipping just to find the same few wines you'll get at your local grocery store. Make sure the wine store you pick has a competitive variety that carries all the wines you want plus all the ones you want to try too.
- Reputation. A wine store's reputation can tell you a lot about the quality of its vintages and service. Look for wine stores that have "A+” ratings from the Better Business Bureau or that have lots of positive reviews from other amateur (or pro) sommeliers out there. That way, you'll know you're getting the best wine for your money.
To help you with your home wine cellar (or maybe just a wine shelf), Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked today's top wine stores. We hope this helps you sit back, relax, and enjoy a glass or two of your favorite bubbly or fruity vintages. You deserve a little treat. And maybe, you'll be able to try some new flavors or wines you've never considered. Cheers!
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