Where to shop for wine

Global Finance, May 1998 by Moline, Julie

Whether you're looking for the quintessential business gift or a few bottles to complement your collection, specialty wine shops are not only a marvelous introduction to new vintages but to new cultures as well. Here are some of the best places to shop: New York. Sherry-Lehmannaccording to the Zagat Survey, "if Bacchus owned a wine store, this would be it." It has been catering to oenophiles since 1934. It introduced America to the charms of Dom Perignon, Chivas Regal, and Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais. The shop's 4,000 selections include the top French and California producers, as well as a solid list from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Australia. And, while Sherry-Lehmann has its share of rare and obscure vintages, it also has 300 wines under $10. The shop's staff is not only trained in wine but in the fine art of customer service. Delivery is free on orders of $95 and over. 679 Madison Avenue; 212 838-7500.

London. Berry Brothers & Rudd is the United Kingdom's oldest wine and spirit merchant and one of the oldest in the world. Founded in 1698, it has been a purveyor to the British Royal Family since the mid-18th century, supplying a rather eclectic list of clientele: Lord Byron, Beau Brummell, Pitt the Younger, the Duke of Wellington, Napoleon III, Laurence Olivier, Evelyn Waugh, and prime ministers Balfour, Melbourne, Peel, and Asquith. But the shop hasn't allowed tradition to get in the way of progress. In 1923 the partners decided to produce a whisky for their customers, which went on to become Cutty Sark. In 1994 BB&R became the first specialist wine merchant to open a duty-free shop in a major international airport, London's Heathrow. 3 St James Street in Mayfair; 0171 396-96680. Paris. Small and specialized, more like a boutique than a supermarket, Vins Rares-Peter Thustrup is a classic French wine shop, reflecting the personal taste and world view of the owner rather than catering to the mass market. Swedish wine expert Peter Thustrup turned his passion for rare vintages, which he scouts at auctions all over the world, into a respected metier. His shop in the tony le arondissement offers more than 5,000 bottles. This is the place to splurge on an antique Yquem, perhaps, or a Mouton Rothschild. For budgets not quite so stellar, Thustrup has recently added a selection of younger bottles from major wine-producing regions, including California, Australia, and Chile. 30 Avenue de l'Opera; 46.33.83.53.

Singapore. A "virtual" wine merchant, Happy Vines is not only renowned for its selections, it's also famous for offering advice, by phone and e-mail, and will send orders anywhere in Singapore. The directors' choices were inspired enough to impress the wine buyer at the exclusive Oriental Singapore hotel, which now uses Happy Vines as a supplier. The current concentration is in wines from New Zealand, Australia, Italy, and Spain. (065) 775-5676; e-mail: hvplWpacific.net.sg.

Tokyo. Because Les Caves Taillevent is managed by the Chateau Restaurant Taillevent Robuchon, one of the best Gallic restaurants in the city, the slant here is definitely toward French wines. Colin Talcroft, a columnist for Tokyo Wine News, praises the shop's excellent selection, but warns that prices are extraordinarily high. Still, "it's the place to go if you must have a bottle of Menetou-Salon or Bonnezeaux or something equally obscure by Tokyo standards." The sales staff at Les Caves is earnest, and you can also tap the expertise of the sommeliers at the restaurant. Ebisu Garden Place Complex, below the Westin Hotel; 03-5424-2581.

Santiago. La Vinoteca's owner Cesar Fredes is a journalist, specializing in food and wine, and is also one of the world's experts in Chilean wines, which is the only kind he sells. On the subject of gastronomy, he is effusive, informed, and totally charming; his customers not only pick his brain on what bottles to try, but which go best with what dishes. Fredes offers beginner and advanced wine courses and hosts regular tastings at the shop. Isidora Goyenecha 3520; (56)(2) 3352183. -Julie Moline