Featured: Wine Shops

Portalis Wine Shop and Wine Bar is Ballard's Euro-style answer to wine shops that ask you to buy before you try. Tasting and savoring over 400 wines will expose you to affordable new favorites, but the knowledgeable staff will definitely encourage you to splurge on finer bottles. Regular special events and a light menu of small plates add to the casual appeal of the popular Ballard hangout. Enhanced by rotating art exhibitions by local artists, and vintage street signs from Old Ballard, it's as appropriate for a relaxing night out with the guys as for a romantic after-dinner date. 5205 Ballard Ave NW, 206.783.2007 www.portaliswines.com

True to its billing as 'Seattle's ultimate wine destination', Mercer Island's Cellar 46° has led oenophiles from raising their eyebrows to raising their glasses, with a top-notch shop, wine bar, 100 temperature-controlled lockers, and shipping services in one classy facility. They offer a collection of wines from the Pacific Northwest, as well as Old and New World favorites. Guest winemakers host regular tasting opportunities to complement a regular schedule of wine education classes, in a warm living room atmosphere with posh leather seating, high bistro tables, and occasional live music. Although you might face some traffic getting there, parking is easy, and you'll enjoy indulging in a glass or two while you select a treat to bring home.7650 SE 27th Street Suite 120, Mercer Island, 206.407.3016 www.cellar46.com

Founded over 30 years ago, Pete's Wine Shop has made the transformation from neighborhood convenience store to a local wine institution. They stock the usual assortment of grocery items and make a great turkey sandwich, but don't be fooled by their blue-collar façade – Pete's is the place to find a huge selection of wine and champagne, by the bottle or case, at extremely low prices. The shop offers special pricing and planning services for weddings and other special events, and hosts informative and inexpensive wine culture classes with 'field trips' to local wineries. Free weekly tastings will help you choose from Pete's monthly specials, but with many bottles at half off the retail price, why not buy one of each? 58 E Lynn St, 206.322.2660 www.petes.cc

Esquin Wine Merchants' two weekly tastings (Saturdays 1-4pm, Thursdays 5-6:30pm) are one of the best ways to take the chill off a damp Seattle afternoon, and will help you build your knowledge base as you peruse the wares of Seattle's oldest and largest wine shop. The Merchants' reasonably-priced, climate-controlled storage units hold over 110 cases, and the shop also offers a great selection of wine accessories, monthly wine specials with many bottles under $10, and over 100 international and microbrew beers. 2700 4th Ave S, 206.682.7374 www.esquin.com

100 wines under $10? As soon as you walk in the door, you'll be greeted by a display of tempting and inexpensive selections for everyday drinking, but Wallingford's City Cellars offers much more. The focus is on full-bodied French and Italian vintages, but they carry plenty of special tastes from Spain, Australia, South Africa, and of course, the Pacific Northwest. City Cellars' monthly wine clubs are our favorite way to explore their selection, but Friday evening tastings, with 3 wines for $3, are always a tasty option. The owner has an uncannily good memory, so don't be surprised if the next time you walk in, you're presented with a 'recommended drinking list' based on your last purchase. 1710 N 45th St Ste 1, 206.632.7238 www.citycellar.com

Whether you're an advanced aficionado looking to round out your cellar, or are still busy 'acquiring a taste' for the more robust varietals, McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants offers some of the best values in the city. Over 25 years of experience gives the shop's owners a deep knowledge base about the extensive selection of small estate wines they offer; there's a good representation of Old and New World wines from all over the globe, and their buyers' club provides special notices for rare and limited offerings. Best of all, both the Queen Anne and Ravenna locations offer free tastings every Saturday from 11-5, often inviting winemakers to discuss the wines available for sample, and frequently team up with local restaurants to host special wine events. 2209 Queen Anne Ave. N, 206.282.8500, and 6500 Ravenna Ave NE, 206.524.9500 www.mccarthyandschiering.com

The staff at Seattle Cellars is very enthusiastic - almost alarmingly so. At Seattle's high-end specialty shops, outstanding customer service isn't always a given, so once you get past the initial shock, you might never want to leave. The unusual cheer probably results from the staff's enviable burden of sampling and rating over 500 wines a month in order to select 20-30 new bottles to share with their guests. This routine helps them make creative suggestions for new varietals to try, and to help clients negotiate the difficulties of pairing wines with Thai, Indian, and other cuisines. 2505 2nd Ave Ste 102, 206.256.0850 www.seattlecellars.com

Pike & Western Wine Shop
1934 Pike Place
206.441.1307
www.pikeandwestern.com

Madison Park Cellars
4227 E. Madison
206-323-9333

European Vine Selections of Washington Inc.
522 15th E
206-323-3557