I guess, I wanted to explore and to recommend to you, the most important wine retailers online. I know what you are going to say, my papa/mama wine store around the corner is selling online too and now they deliver, I will continue to go to them… and sure, do that, it’s completely fine. But, there are some wine stores out there, that have taken the time, not only to build an incredible selection of wines for you, but they also ship, no matter where you are (even to other countries too, as we soon will see). It’s also good to check the prices. Sometimes, if you buy, let’s say 1 case or more of wine, you can get free shipping and if the store prices are really good, you will save a lot of money, too.
Wine.com
This eretailer has plenty of labels, actually more than 20,000, plus it lists scores too. It can ship to your house or you can pick up your bottles at any Wallgreens or Federal Express locations nationwide. $49 per year gives you free shipping for a year, good if you are planning to buy wines all year long. Prices are also good, you can also chat with a representative to ask for help. They have free virtual wine tastings and very interesting lists such as 90 pts and less than $20 or 94 pts and less than $50. 10% discount off, if you buy a full case of wines.
You can search your bottles by varietal, region or style, and sort your results, they even have a quiz to discover your wine style... I did the test and it was correct, I'm a crispy and minerally white wine fan, perfect for summer.
Vivino.com
The biggest wine community online. The good thing about Vivino is that it values consumers’ opinions and not wine critics’. Every time you scan a label with your phone, it will take you to the page of your wine to see what others think about it. Best wines must have received at least 3.5 points or up, I normally go for bottles that have received at least 3.8 or better 4 pts.
They sell all over the world, including outside the US. They work with stores that can ship to your address. In the US, deliveries can be tricky in certain states, so do check before placing an order. Shipping charges vary according to each store, sometimes a minimum of $150 is required.
You can do searches by varietal, region, food pairing. They list most popular wines in the community (they review an average of 100,000 wines per year, more than any trade magazine or wine critic). They also have a less than $10 wine list (if money is tight, look for recommendations here).
Benchmarkwine.com
This eretailer is for the rich and famous… a huge selection of top wines and collector’s items. They divide their categories in cellars, that include different styles: The Acclaimed Cellar, the Magnifique Cellar, the Explorer Cellar, etc. They also have a wine club, you can sign up to receive 3-4 bottles per month starting at $75 plus per bottle.
If you only drink cult wines, this is the place for you. They guarantee the provenance of all their stock. If you on the other hand, are a collector who wants to sell your fine collection, they can help you too.
JJbuckley.com
Besides having good prices and ratings, JJBuckley can also store your wines for $0.28 per bottle. Plenty of discounts here, including $25 from your purchase of $250. They also have wines discounted as much as 40-50% off. An impressive selection of high end brands.
Wineaccess.com
Good selection of wines, free shipping is included if you spend $120 on 6 bottles, they ship to most estates of the US. They don’t ship overseas.
A huge variety of wines to choose from, they also have a Wine club for $150 per shipment plus tax, 4 per year, which includes 6 bottles of wines, plus a guided video tasting of these wines and 10% discount in all their selections.
Reservebar.com
Huge selection of spirits with some solid wines. Free delivery with $150 purchase, Reserve Bar delivers to most states. Other specials include $10 off from a purchase of 6 bottles or $25 off from a purchase of 12 bottles.
Wine-searcher.com
This is not a wine store but the place where you can find your wines in stores, all over the world that sell online and also find out their price and vintage. I use it all the time. It includes information to help you find wines overseas, which is helpful when traveling on holiday.
Drizly is not a store per se, it lists brands that are available in retailers near your address, that sell and deliver the products to you. Delivery may or may not be included, depending on the store and how much you spend on your order. In my neighborhood for example, shipping is in most cases only $4.99. Delivery should be within 60 minutes. Prices vary, actually some of them are more expensive than in real wine stores. My recommendation is to check Wine-Searcher for the best prices.
Minibar.com
Minibar is similar to Drizly, it offers a $5 off on your first order. The selection is however limited, it is convenient because of the delivery option, but thanks to Covid-19 most wine stores deliver these days.
So, what are you waiting for? don't you think it's time to stock up on some wines? Cheers! Silvina.
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