Seattle - good place to buy wine and champagne for event?

[rln]

Hello everyone-

I'm a SF chowhound planning a wedding in September in Whidbey. I find myself with lots of questions!

Any recommendations for a good place to buy wine and champagne in Seattle? Wine probably more important.

We're looking for a store with good, quality selections and fair prices. In SF, equivalents to K&L.

Thanks very much!!

[bbqer]

Esquin Wine Merchants has a great selection and excellent prices:

2700 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98134
206-682-7374

http://www.esquin.com

[vanillagorilla]

Could you tell me what kind of wine and champagne you are interested in? True Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, etc? Do you want California, Washington, or European wine?

[rln]

Oh yes-- interested in champagne and equivalents! Prosecco and sparkling white are all good with us.

Washington is ideal, but will go California if we don't find something good.

Thank you!

[vanillagorilla]

Esquin is going to have the best overall price to selection ration. I find that often their staff is not as knowledgeable. If you know what you're looking for though, that isn't too big of a problem.

For Champagne I really like La Cantina Wine Merchants on Sand Point. They tend to have a really good selection of grower Champagne. They mainly specialize in Burgundy.

For Cava, you can't really beat the Spanish Table.

For Wine of a more European focus, I'd suggest the Vineyard Wine Shop on Greenwood. He's never steered me wrong when I want something a little more esoteric (Loire, Bandol, Cahors, Alsace, Beaujolais).

If price is your main concern check out the Seattle Wine Outlet. There are two locations. It usually seems to be odds and ends, but you can often get a great wine for an excellent price. And they tend to have cases and cases of what they do have.

Pete's had great prices, but I rarely see anything there that I can't also get at my QFC.

[rln]

Vanillagorilla, what is QFC?

[vanillagorilla]

Quality Food Center. It's a semi high end grocery store. A notch above Safeway, but a notch below Whole Foods.

[dylinw]

When you say equivalent to K&L, does that mean you're looking for primarily Californian and French wine?

Pike & Western Wine Shop is downtown (almost in Pike Place Market) and has an extensive selection and helpful staff: http://www.pikeandwestern.com/

If you're looking for a place with a great selection of French wine: http://www.championwinecellars.com/ - they also have a great selection of Champagne

If you like Spanish Wine (very near Pike & Western Wine Shop and you may be familiar, as they have an outposts in Berkeley and Mill Valley): http://www.thespanishtable.com/ - good selection of Cava

Pete's has an extensive selection, so if you're less focused on region: http://www.petes.cc/

Perhaps you could call these places ahead of time and discuss what kinds of wines/regions you are most interested in, then you can select a wine store based on feedback from that? Good luck!

[rln]

Thank you-- good to know about Spanish table.

No, we're not closed to any region. We'd like WA (or Oregon) since it will be a nice opportunity to have non-CA for our guests.
Thank you.

[winemd]

Pete's definitely has the best prices.

[Jeters]

Seconding (thirding?) Pete's. Recently used them for my wedding and they were fabulous - no fuss, no worry (yeah, just come by and pick some stuff out, take it then or maybe the next day if you ordered anything special) - Prices can't be beat. They also have a good deli for a sandwich while running around around with pre-wedding madness =)

[rln]

If you have any particular favorites you thought were great for your wedding, please do share.

We plan to have a selection of red, some white, and a sparkling/champagne.

Our family and friends (and us) tend to be red wine fans. A pinot or zinfandel I think is what we'll look for. Still have to figure out menu but my those should work.

Congratulations on your recent marriage.

[Jeters]

I really like mt st michelle (local winery too) - they do a good reisling and I think we got a red from there as well that went over very well (and like 6 bucks a bottle after the bulk discount!)

[celtic_tiger]

I like Seattle Cellars. They haven't steered me wrong thus far.

[missliss]

I was responsible for buying wines, red and sparkling, for the wedding of two friends several years ago. I went to West Seattle Cellars, a deceptively small shop in (whaddya know) West Seattle and got tremendously good wines at reasonable prices. They didn't try to sell me wine that was above the numbers I gave them, and they sold us a tremendous red from Eastern WA and a bubbly from California. A wonderful experience from the buying and drinking perspective.

[tilt]

Does it have to be a Bricks & Mortor "Store" ? We have had real good luck with MadWine, a local web wine store, www.madwine.com They have a very deep selection, good prices - usually a bit less than Esquin, and Petes, and they do free delivery for large orders... so look at them

otherwise I'd say your best bet would be esquin......