Wine shops in Atlanta are gathering spots for residents. Orchestrated tastings, winemaker visits and food and wine pairing events have made these shops in vogue in the city. Many carry natural and biodynamic producers, while others hoard a stockpile of collectable wines.
To understand the city’s intricacies, one must explore its distinct neighbourhoods and the wine shops among them. Inman Park claims an eclectic population with local restaurants and bookstores. Buckhead is home to the city’s finer things, with high-end hotels and boutiques. An up-and-coming West End neighbourhood has distilleries and a buzzing nightlife. The city is lassoed by a ‘beltline’, a 35km paved trail for pedestrians, cyclists, muralists, and musicians.
And at the wine shops, you will see a representation of almost all pockets of the city. The shop owners have certified staff to help visitors find the perfect bottle for dinner or explain what tannins mean without the pretension one often finds in wine. Whether it’s a natural wine with a side of sardines, a Burgundian rarity, or what is lovingly called a ‘porch-pounder,’ here in the South, Atlanta’s wine shops have a find for everyone.
Fantastic selection at Perrine’s Wine Shop. Credit: Perrine’s Wine Shop
Perrine’s Wine Shop
A fresh cheese delivery from France scents the air at Perrine’s Wine Shop in West Midtown, owned and operated by Burgundy-born Perrine Prieur Gallardo. If it’s not cheese, it’s the seasonal truffles that have made a landing.
With three locations around the city, the flagship Westside store is home to the ‘Burgundy wall’ lined with producers like Domaine Leflaive, Château de Béru, Domaine Michel Magnien, Domaine François Mikulski and Domaine Ponsot, among other grand cru heavy-hitters. Prieur is a certified sommelier and focuses on organic and biodynamic wines from around the world, including a stellar Champagne selection. It includes the 2013 Champagne Salon for $1,305 and special club Champagnes such as the 2018 Famille Moussé ‘Les Fortes Terres’ for $154. The 2019 Pere Mata ‘Cupada No. 26’ Cava at $20 is a great budget-friendly option. If inclined towards adventure, a shiny sabre rests in its box atop the rows of wine, though it is unclear if it is for sale.
All three shops, in Westside, Buckhead and Sandy Springs, offer educational tastings. Certified staff and visiting winemakers guide guests through a seated lineup, always paired with cheese and charcuterie at long tables dotted with bouquets from the local florist.
Helpful staff at 3 Parks Wine. Credit: Andy Leverett
3 Parks Wine
With locations in Glenwood Park and Old Fourth Ward, 3 Parks Wine is an Atlanta staple. Sarah Pierre runs the shops, focusing on Black-owned brands and wines made by women. Among Black producers, Pierre has a selection of sommelier André Mack’s Maison Noir wines for $21 to $27, Brown Estate wines plus McBride Sisters, among others. Sought-after fine wines such as the 2018 Domaine Jean Macle Côtes du Jura Blanc for $72, 2017 Didier Dagueneau ‘Pur Sang’ Pouilly Fumé for $130 and 2022 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir for $105 are unique finds.
The shops embody Atlanta’s culture of casual finesse. The Inman Park location feels like an upscale coffee shop but with wine, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and communal seating. Daily wine flights are offered for $25, and customers can enjoy bottle purchases on the outdoor patio.
Dom Beijos. Credit: Andy Leverett
Dom Beijos
This quintessential neighbourhood wine shop is next door to a butcher and bakery. Dom Beijos is tucked in the historic Kirkwood community and boasts an extensive selection of Portuguese wines. More than 60 regional producers line the shelves, like Folias de Baco, Vieira de Sousa, and the stellar 1994 São João Quinta do Poço do Lobo Arinto for $62. The latest additions are the Azores Wine Company volcanic soil wines, including a 2019 Arinto dos Açores. Wines from other Old as well as New World regions are also sold.
Melissa Abreu and her husband, Justin Stewart, run the shop. Abreu grew up with family in Portugal and recalls stomping grapes in the Dão region as a child. She pays homage to her Portuguese roots, bringing a taste of the area to the neighbourhood.
The shop offers daily $10 flight tastings, including by-the-glass pours. It also sells speciality olive oils, like the one from Sicilian biodynamic producer COS, and tinned fish.
Hop City Beer and Wine. Credit: Hop City Beer and Wine
Hop City Beer and Wine
One of the Hop City Beer and Wine locations is inside the Krog Street Market food hall in the Inman Park neighbourhood. The casual spot is a key watering hole, with craft beer on tap and one of the city’s largest López de Heredia Rioja selections. The store stocks several vintages of Viña Tondonia Reserva from 2001 to 2012, including a 2011 for $55. You can also pick up a 2001 Gran Reserva for $155.
The relaxed nature of this wine shop, which shares the food hall space with ramen shops, pizzerias and chocolatiers, is inviting to the casual drinker and collector alike. The shop also offers some first-growth Bordeaux producers, Château d’Yquem, a Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon and an extensive craft beer selection.
Inman Park’s VinoTeca. Credit: VinoTeca
VinoTeca
A lineup of tasting events and live music makes this Inman Park neighbourhood shop a warm location for wine enthusiasts to gather. Katie Rice runs the store and brings in small-batch, family-owned wines focusing on natural, organic and biodynamic picks.
The selection includes diverse regions showcased by the 2022 Mersel ‘Phoenix’ field blend from Lebanon for $26, the 2019 Los Bermejos Brut Nature Espumoso from the Canary Islands for $43, Bodegas Luis Perez ‘El Triángulo’ Vino de la Tierra de Cadiz for $32, and Nine Oaks Khikhvi from the country of Georgia for $33. A collection of older vintages is also available in a cellar space such as 2008 Can Ràfols dels Caus Xarel·lo Pairal. The shop specialises in Spanish wines, with a particular love for Grenache.
Honourable mentions
Other wine shops worth a visit include Sherlock’s Wine Merchant, which opened in 1986. With three locations in Buckhead, Marietta and Kennesaw, the shop features a collection of older vintages and fine wines, including Bordeaux selections from the 1980s.
Elemental Spirits Co. in the Poncey-Highland neighbourhood touts a selection of natural wines and low-intervention production spirits. Highland Fine Wine in the Virginia Highland and Morningside neighbourhoods offers an extensive collection of family-owned wineries, fine reserves and older vintages. Fermented wine boutique in downtown Alpharetta is ideal for a getaway from the city. A 40-minute drive lands you in a charming neighbourhood with restaurants and boutiques alongside this wine shop with small producers, natural wines and a large tasting room.
