Boston Retail Scene?

All,

Looks like in the relatively near future I’ll be moving up to Boston for work indefinitely. I’ve spent a decent amount of time up here so know a bit about the restaurant scene, etc. I was hoping to tap the brains of any current Boston residents on the board on the best retail shops in the area to help scratch my burgundy itch?

TIA

Welcome to the Hub! Big local guns are Gordon’s and Marty’s. The Burgheads on this forum can provide color on which one is best.

Gordon’s.

Hi and welcome to Boston! I’m fairly new up here, too (as of March 2018). If you’re curious about smaller producers, Ansonia Wines (an importer in Newton, which often has retail hours on weekends) might be worth checking out, too.

I’m in a suburb of Boston about 40 minutes southwest, and I love driving around to wine/liquor stores looking for great buys. There are lots of stores in the area.

One store that’s usually over-priced is Wines and More.

Lower Falls Wine is a nice store with a good selection.

What he said

Checked out the website, and wow… yeah. This is what I was hoping for and then some.

Any clue how their shipping is? or if it’s possible to arrange to pick up orders at their Boston location? Thanks.

We’ve a friend who is really aggressive in bringing in all kinds of good quality merchandise and has some unusual and not systematic approach to his buying.
He has one store in Lynn, and is opening a 2nd store & Now I forget the town, he told me about 10 or 15 minutes away.
he would have a lot wine, beer , spirits and it would cross many lines off the path of the norm. Lynnway Liquores, google it, see if it fits.
As well as lots of deals, purchase of private cellars, discounted items etc… if you go down during the week - drop our name to the owner - Cliff - he is a special kind of guy who would take care of you.
Aloha

Thread drift - Just got back from 10 days in the Berkshires suffering through the adverse effects of no BYO. You can’t bring your own wine to a restaurant, so there is no incentive for the restaurant to exert any effort to have a good wine list. Yes, I know, the lists at Blantyre and The Inn on the Green are good, but I shouldn’t have to leave my grandson at the house we rented just to get good wine with dinner. Maybe if there were competition from diners bringing their own wine, the lists would be better.

You should have cooked at home.

They are very generous with picking orders up at their Boston location. I’ve done it before and it usually only takes day or 2.

Their website is not the best so I would check with the store to see if its actually in stock.

Gordon’s does a great job with their emails also. It’s easy to stay on top of the latest offers.

If you’re working downtown, go to Federal Wine on State St and introduce yourself to Len.

Also, go eat at Troquet and get friendly with Chris Campbell.

I agree with all of this, as a former Bostonian and frequent traveler back home.

Agreed. MA is terrible for wine consumers.

If this were true than there would be no good lists in MA. There are plenty. You do have to work a little, however, to find them.

Did you go to The Old Inn on the Green? I don’t think you would have complained about James’ list.

Damn. You were not all that far away. I cook for Jets fans…and even have some wine you might enjoy.

I think it has more to do with a lack of demand out there than lack of BYO. There are plenty of nice wine lists in the Boston/Cambridge area, and countless areas in other states where BYO is legal and you can’t find a decent wine list.

As everyone said: Gordon’s (main store in Waltham) and Marty’s.

That is by merchant (and consumer) choice, not by state regulations which reduce choice and competition.

I’ve been vocal about my opposition to the protectionist alcohol laws in this state, but to say not having BYO reduces consumer choice and competition is quite a stretch.