Garnet Wines & Liquors
929 Lexington Ave. (68th St.)
UES
212.772.3211
www.garnetwine.com
Subway: 68th St. (6)

Pros: This Upper East Side wine institution has a large selection (they claim to stock close to 6,000 bottles) and boasts some of the lowest prices in town. Service is generally friendly and approachable with a distinct old-school New York flavor—expect more personal attention if you become a regular. Nearly all major wine producing regions in the world are represented in their inventory including a decent number of wines from Greece and Israel, two regions not often well represented in the average NYC wine shop. Also noteworthy are their good selections of sake and spirits. Even though you’ll find some of the most prized wines in the world on the shelves, you’ll also find those familiar nationally advertised super-cheap wines festooned with labels featuring brightly colored kangaroos, penguins, and a menagerie of other creatures. Delivery to their local area (which they define as Manhattan from 1st to 5th Avenues between 63rd and 74th Streets) is free with a $35.00 purchase; to Manhattan Zip Codes 10021 and 10022 outside of the local area with a $75.00 purchase; to all other Manhattan addresses, Brooklyn, Queens, and Roosevelt Island with a $100.00 purchase. This shop is located just steps from the subway.

Cons: The varied selection, although irrefutably a good thing, might be overwhelming for beginners and the way wines are organized, or some might say “disorganized,” can be a bit confusing. Help is sometimes hard to come by during busy times and the generally no-nonsense attitude of the staff can certainly be interpreted as being gruff and rude. Although this might be a pro for some for others it might be a con that even though you’ll find some of the most prized wines in the world on the shelves, you’ll also find those over-produced nationally advertised super cheap characterless wines festooned with labels featuring brightly colored kangaroos, penguins, and a menagerie of other creatures. The generic storefront and no-frills, warehouse-like atmosphere doesn’t exactly invite you to linger as you shop. Parking is very difficult to find in this area.