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The 10 Best Online Wine Shops

Whether you’re hunting for a natural wine or an old-school California Cabernet, one of these sites is bound to have your back every time.

Wines stored on a geometric shelf.
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As someone who carefully researches a neighborhood's brick-and-mortar bookstores, florists, and grocery stores before signing any lease, I'm honestly surprised by how much I enjoy scrolling through a good online wine shop. Sure, I'm trading what I consider to be a genuinely enjoyable experience of chatting with my local helpful wine merchant for the pure comfort of my sweatpants, but there's also something to be said about the opportunity to research a region, varietal, producer, or even importer on my own time, on my own couch. Plus, I'm still able to support small producers and, in many cases, small wine shops when I buy wine online.

While I'm fortunate enough to live within walking distance of several wine shops whose selection I love and advice I trust, I have several friends who haven't quite found that spot in their cities yet — or they're daunted by the prospect of donning hard pants to venture out into the world and ask semi-intelligent questions about what pairs best with, say, savory oatmeal (no, just me?). In those cases, I point them toward the following sites for perusing wine online.

Astor Wines & Spirits

Walking into one of New York City's biggest wine and spirit shops, Astor Wines, feels a lot like taking an espresso to the face as soon as you wake up — it can be both overwhelming and overstimulating, which is why its equally well-organized digital storefront can be an especially appealing option, even for locals. I'd recommend getting creative with the many filtering options the site allows, from organic wines to price range to sub-region. Staff picks are also a great place to start; you’ll often find hidden gems there.

MYSA

If you want to explore the world of low-sulfur, organic, and biodynamic wines, MYSA's marketplace is a great place to start. This natural wine-focused retailer offers several wine club options focused on red wines, orange wines, and mixed bottles, so you can keep your cellar or fridge full of interesting options.

Primal Wine

Whether you're just dipping your toes into the world of natural wine, or looking to expand your gustatory horizons with sustainable wine producers that don't necessarily have the widest distribution, Primal Wine is the storefront to bookmark if you're looking to get funky with your drinking habits.

Chambers Street Wines and Spirits

It's safe to call Chambers Street Wines an OG of the natural wine movement in the United States, and their selection from small, biodynamic wine producers from around the world certainly backs up that point. If you're looking to get deep into lesser-known (but delightful) wines from the Loire Valley, Burgundy, and beyond, this is a must-browse.

Wine.com

If you're looking to give someone a nice bottle but have no idea what they'd enjoy, sending them a gift card to wine.com is probably the safest bet out there. Not only do these folks have a highly desirable domain name, they carry thousands upon thousands of bottles, from classic California Cabernets to Dom Perignon, gift box and all. And their online wine advisors (who do not work on commission, it's worth noting) can be surprisingly helpful.

Domestique

I first heard about Domestique through their wine fellowship aimed at diversifying and broadening representation in the industry, and was delighted to learn that the Washington D.C.-based shop is actually a collaboration between Jeff Segal and Selection Massale, one of my favorite importers. Their affordable subscription service, Wine Club, allows patrons to explore different types of natural wine with rotating selections each month. The wine program has other perks, like a discount on other Domestique purchases and free shipping. 

Urban Grape

Organized according to the "progressive scale", Boston-based Urban Grape makes shopping for wine easy and approachable, especially for those who aren't sure what varietals or regions they gravitate towards. Instead, wines are categorized by body, and the online marketplace has a quiz to help you determine where on the scale your palate might fall. Co-founders TJ and Hadley Douglas are also committed to increasing diversity in the industry, and help students find opportunities in wine through The Urban Grape Wine Studies Award for Students of Color.

K&L Wine Merchants

Old-school wine authority K&L has been around since 1976, and has three brick and mortar locations across California in addition to its sprawling online marketplace. It's noticeably less flashy than the newer, trendier online wine marketplaces, but that doesn't take away from the staggering breadth of K&L's inventory. They've also got a rather impressive old and rare wine collection, if you're looking to add something special to your cart.

Compass Wines

Looking to geek out on a producer's past wines, or different expressions of a particular grape? Compass Wines prides itself on a truly impressive inventory of past vintages, as well as popular club delivery options like Washington Wine of the Month and Washington New Classics, both dedicated to showcasing the best wines of the state.

Gary’s Wine & Marketplace

With 5,500 wines available online ranging in price from $1.99 to $2,999, I think it's safe to say Gary's adds new meaning to the old marketing adage "there's something for everyone." Plus, they've got a substantial cheese and pantry goods selection, in case you're looking to make a night of it.

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