As I approached Astor Wine and Spirits located at 399 Lafayette Street, New York, NY was surprised by how large the store was.  It appears to be a large warehouse but once you walk inside you are surrounded by elegance.  If you are a lover of wine, this is the place to shop.  From moment you walk in it is a learning experience.  Even if you have no knowledge of wine when you walk in when you leave will feel like an authority on the wine that you choose to buy. They have an aisle for every wine, and the wines are separated by region.  Above each they have a sign that lets you know about the region from including soil type, climate, and type of grapes grown in that region.  The sign also tells you about the taste to expect from the wine.  It will tell you if the wine is sweet, semi-sweet, what hints of flavor to expect in the wine.  If after reading the signs you still find yourself with questions, the staff is very knowledgeable and will courteously answer you.

If you are having a dinner party you can speak about the wine you buy as if you are a certified sommelier.  I noticed wines from Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley, California, Spain, Greece, New York, and many other regions that I did not know about.  Astor Wine and Spirits also has a cold room, and the walls are made of glass.  The glass wall has a sign painted on it inviting everyone to come in and look.  At Astor Wine and Spirits most of the wines are stored and displayed lying down.  For each region they have a staff recommendation of a wine.  The store gives equal attention to each wine that it sells.   The Staff at Astor Wine and Spirits are very friendly, welcoming, and helpful.  The employee that I spoke to seemed very knowledgeable about wines.  The store also offers free wine tasting.

They have a section of the store set up for wine tasting, and a calendar is posted letting you know when they are.  Astor Wine and Spirits offer a wide price range, and they have some wines on special which appeared to be a great bargain.  The wines are priced from the very expensive to the $10.00 bottles.  They are located below the Astor Center which offers classes and events about wine and cocktails.  The fact that the store and the Astor Center are connected allows for the possibility for this to become a social networking environment where individuals with the common interest of wine can meet.   The sales associates are not rushed when they assist you.  They were available to answer all my questions, even invited me to come back for their next wine tasting.  Although I did not buy anything, I felt comfortable and will come back to the store again.  I cannot think of one thing that would improve this store, they seem to attend to every customer’s needs.

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Retail Wine Analysis
Misha Billinghurst
New York City College of Technology
Wine & Beverage Management
Professor K Goodlad
October 15 2015

For my retail wine visit, I visited Astor Wines & Spirits (www.astorwines.com) located on Lafayette Street in the Downtown section of Manhattan. Astor Wines & Spirits has been in Greenwich Village since 1946. It is located in the De Vinne Press Building, a New York City landmark. Andy Fisher has been the president of the store since 1971 and expanded it nine years into his position. After Astor Wines moved to the De Vinne Press Building in 2006, he opened Astor Center, and educational center located above the retail store. Astor Center offers classes and events focusing on contemporary food and wine.

The 11,000 square feet spaces offers over 4,500 wines organized by region or country. The layout is customer friendly to those who have basic knowledge of wines. Most retail stores I have been to were organized by taste, and not location. I mostly saw wines from Spain but otherwise, it was evenly distributed in the wines they offered. While identifying where the wine comes from, they also provided information with the most common grapes and tastes of the area. Also, each shelf had a “staff pick”, which highlighted and particular wine a staff member liked and their opinion on it.
The first thing I saw when I walked in was a showcase of wines with a sign that “Great Wines under $12”. This immediately showed me that Astor Wines & Spirits was not just for the high end community. Wines ranges from $6.99 to over $1500 and from very common to extremely rare. This was a wine store for any type of wine or spirits drinker. They also offered a variety of organic wines.
While Astor Wines & Spirits offers an extensive line of wines, Astor Centers offers informative classes for beginners to experts. There are two to three classes/events a week that range from wines by specific regions to specialty cocktails. They also offer free tastings on certain days. One of the benefits directly located in the retail store is their Cool Room. The room is temperature and humidity controlled and properly stores delicate wines at an angle. The Cool Room is designed for just expensive wines but for all wines that require a gentler handing when being store.
When I visited the store, there weren’t many customers but the staff didn’t directly acknowledge. They looked like they were busy with the upkeep of the store but didn’t ask if I need any assistance. I wish they would’ve spoke to me, but the stores layout and helpful tips around the store allowed me to find enough information on my own.
My recommendation for Astor Wines & Spirits is to be more approachable for their customers. I purposely stood near staff members to get assistance, but no one asked if I need help. Most of the customers looked like they knew what they were getting, so it’s possible that I could’ve gave the same impression. Otherwise, Astor Wines & Spirits is a great choice for anyone looking to buy affordable quality wine or experience some vintage and rare wines. Astor Wines & Spirits can be a wine store for a beginning wine experiencer to the biggest wine enthusiasts.

References
Astor Wines & Spirits www.astorwines.com
Astor Center – Wine and Food Experiences in New York City www.astorcenternyc.com
Finding a Customer-Friendly Wine Store. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://guides.wsj.com/wine/buying-and-storing-wine/finding-a-customer-friendly-wine-store/

Daniel Mendoza

Professor Dagorn

HGMT 2402

Wine Visit assignment

            For my wine visit, I want to try something different from what was suggested behind the assignment sheet. At first, I was just looking for an easy liquor store that can be located nearby my home, but I became interested in wines as I progressed in the wine course with Professor Dagorn. With the neighborhood of Greenpoint becoming gentrified day by day, new establishments are opening and one wine store that caught my attention was Grapepoint Wines. Grapepoint Wines was established in 2012 by Joanna Zablocki and she is even a fellow Greenpointer and Brooklynite. The fact that she is from the neighborhood and the terminology she used to describe and compare wines gave me the sense of comfort that the owner is willing to meet with, inform and guide her customers during the wine shopping experience. Also I did not feel dumb at all because of certain details that I remembered from previous classes with Professor Dagorn, I even impressed some of the customers there too.

The pros about this establishment, they hold free weekly wine tasting events, the large selection of wines are handpicked by the owner and offer good quality wines at a convenient price. For example, the store offers a $15 & under table and you will find wine notes indicating the wine’s region and description that are written by Joanna herself. The cons is this is a new establishment compared to other liquor & wine shops near the area that were established many years before hers.  When the shop is full, I am little nervous to move around because I am afraid to bump into the selection, but that is just because of my size. Honestly, I can’t seem to find any more cons, I am just very satisfied with the customer experience I had at Grapepoint Wines that it overshined any concerns I had before I stepped in.  I am definitely going back there!

$15 & under table at Grapepoint wines

Used to be video rental store but now its an awesone wine shop

Inside of GrapePoint Wines and I met shy Chaz who was very insightful

For my retail beverage wine shop analysis, I choose two retail shops, both located in Manhattans busiest communities. When selecting a winery I was not bias nor did I research the establishment before visiting. I simply went with the most appealing name on the list of wineries issued to us and crossed my fingers. The first winery I visited was located on East 27th street, just a minute off of the main street, somewhat tucked away but in a rather bustling area with lots of people, local bars and crowded restaurants. When I first entered Vino’s fine wine and spirits there was a women who greeted me and announced that they were actually having a wine tasting just to the rear of the store. As I explained to her the reason for my visit and that I was interested in the knowledge that she had pertaining to wine and about the store in general I noticed her face had changed from being enthusiastic to a deer stuck in headlights, I knew that wasn’t a good sign. She quickly stated that she wasn’t 100% sure about the attributes withheld in the store but she would answer the questions she did know. The first thing I noticed about the store was that the room was in a dim light setting that made the store feel larger. The wines were displayed upright, tall and high and separated by regions. On top of each variety of wine there was a mini chalkboard with a handwritten region or a specific selection i.e. the USA, Australia, Sparkling or Red Wines (picture B) Of course the most expensive wines were placed towards the top and the least expensive were placed closer to arms reach. There was a gentleman in the back of the store that was very familiar with the inventory and the outline of the store and was more than willing to help me. He pointed out the temperature controlled case just towards the back of the store that contained the stores rarest vintage selection. I found it interesting that the wines in the case were set to lay on its side compared to the ones not displayed in the case (picture A). The stores main goal was to offer the most modern day collection of wines and liquor to its clientele with recognizable labels, which makes this store unique. On the other side of the case was where the hard liquors and “quick mixes” where located. I also found it interesting that some of the wine descriptions were labeled “Try me I’m Local”, referring to the tight knit community between producers and the buyers wine glasses. Some of the “Try Me I’m Local” wines were from Long Island and Fingerlakes NY.
The second winery that I visited was near Chelsea Market and right across from the highline, Appellation Wine and Spirits. Just as the first store they were having a wine tasting event and were very professional about the merchandise displayed in the store. Patrick, the gentlemen who helped me around the store was very familiar with the store and answered all of my questions. The differences with this store were that the wines were set in wine racks that caused the wines to tilt back but not fully in a flat out position. When a bottle is kept sideways, the wine stays in contact with the cork, keeping it wet so the cork won’t dry out, shrink, and let air get into the wine. This also leads up to premature oxidation (picture C) The wines were separated by flags and arranged so that the lightest white wine was displayed first and as you proceeded onward the heaviest white would conclude that specific country. Each wine had a descriptive note specifying the region, producer, and vintage and so on. Every country started off with a white wine and the cost preference wasn’t depicted according to the set up. The least expensive wine in the store was about $7 and the most expensive was a Cognac bottle ranging about $500. Appellation had a bright ambiance, I wouldn’t say a tight knit environment but rather spacious enough for you to complete a 360 degree spin and be able to view another country in the same vicinity. They also had a separate fridge at the front of the store that held one of each regions white wine just in case a buyer came in for a quick pick me up for dinner. I learned about a consolable wine called Tetra Pak, which allows people to travel with wine more conveniently without the actual weight of a wine bottle and the precautions of cracking the wine bottle (picture D)

The first wine store I visited was New York Wine Exchange located on 9 Broadway. I have passed by this store plenty of times since it is near my job, so I took the opportunity to finally go in. Once I walked in I felt like I was being rushed to buy something, by several different employees just asking do you need help. Once I told them I’m a student and about the assignment they all just rushed away like if I wasn’t a paying customer then I shouldn’t be there. It was really unwelcoming. What I did notice was that they displayed their wines based on the regions they were from. Also that their front display were wine that were on sale. All of their white wines were on Fridges toward the back of the store and those were also organized by the different wine regions and countries.

The second Wine store that I visited was Pour located in the Upper West Side. I loved this store it was clean, bright, modern, and made it very easy to shop. They were also giving wine tasting so that’s always a plus. This store displayed their wines based on food paring instead of regions. They started with bubbly in the front of the store worked their way to crisp, mellow, plush, bright, velvety, bold and lastly sweet. Both of the employees were willing to help and answer any questions. They choose to display their wines that way to make it easier for the average customer, which are usually looking for wine to go with a special dinner they have planned. They also store their wines horizontally because it keeps the cork wet and the wine from going bad. They put their newer wines in the front display to let guest know what they have new in store and also put the grapes that are in season. For example she told me that in the summer the display was all Rose because those were the grapes that were in season.

This was a display of one of their red wines section. Under each bottle their was a card with information about the bottle telling the customer where its from, the vintage, and flavor profile.

This is one of their white wines display, this one is the Cisp section of the store. You could also see the bottles stored sideways.

This picture is the new wine display in front of the store when you first walk in. Behind that display is the wall of the bubbly section. That is where they display all their sparkling wines.

The first retail store I visited was “World of Wines and Whiskey” located on 55th and Lexington avenue. The shop was very welcoming and once we entered we were able to see labels on the shelves that distinguished the wine sections by different Countries, France, Germany, Spain, Africa, Australia, New York, etc. besides the store being divided by country, it was also within each section divided by types. For example, Merlot on the top row, Cabernet in the middle, and whites and blush on the bottom. Another benefit of this particular store was that they prefer smaller suppliers so they can have a higher profit in return. As a customer you could benefit from this because they offer an automatic 15% off when you purchase 6 or more bottles. Some draw backs that this store had was lack of inventory and variety. They also were quite pricey on most of their merchandise. Another drawback for them is that they are a fairly new store, only having about a year in operation. There was no exact reasoning or motive to where which wines were placed on shelves or on the floor just by category. This store provided a friendly and welcoming environment but prices and the lack of variety would probably be the reason I wouldn’t be returning anytime soon.

Picture shows the labeling of sections and primarily red wines. (World of Wines & Whiskey)

The second retail beverage shop we visited was “Ambassador Wines and Spirits” located on 1020 2nd Ave at 54th St. this shop had a vast variety of wine. Once you enter the store you run into wines that are good for the current season. Also the shop is two floors; upstairs there are wines from all over the world, while the lower level is completely devoted to wines of France. From a room of just Burgundy wines and another of just Bordeaux wines to a room dedicated to Champagne. Downstairs is also a room where tastings are held, while in the same room you can see storage of wines set to soon be on the floor. The General Manager, Andre Robert Guerin, of the store was very eager to give us the “interview” as he called it and he was very informative and excited to show us their wide variety of wines. The wines upstairs were all placed by price and from cheapest (bottom) to highest (top shelve). One of the draw backs is that they would only lower prices for an item if they get a deal from the actual distributor does since their rent is $22,000 due to location. The store does not have a separate section for aged wines but is looking to in the near future have either its own room or section. I will surely return to this store, and might even take part in their wine tasting deal.

Interview being had with the GM in the classroom/wine tasting room. Storage of wines to rotated onto the floor seen labeled in small crates on shelves.

Entire room dedicated to Champagne on the France floor. (Ambassador Wine & Spirits)

Wines upon entrance of store; season specific. (Ambassador Wine & Spirits)

Store Front

After countless hours of researching the best wine stores to visit in New York City, I finally decided to go to Astor Wines and Spirits which is just a block away from where I work. It’s located in 399 Lafayette St. in between 4th St. and Astor Pl. I already had a certain expectation in mind before I even got there just from reading great reviews about the place; but what I didn’t know was that this place was even better than what I expected it to be. Once I entered the store, I was immediately blown away by the massive space and the broad selection of wines and other alcoholic beverages displayed.

Front half of the store: old world wine and sparkling wines

Red and White Displays

The store was packed with customers carrying shopping baskets filled with wine bottles. They had a 20% off all Sparkling wines sale that day which is probably why a lot of customers were shopping. I started to look around to check the wines they were selling since all the employees were busy talking to customers. I’ve noticed that they had a display for “great wines under $12” (I was tempted to buy one). All the wines they sell had short descriptions about their region and their taste which were really informative. They also had some facts about wine regions and even sold wine reference books on the displays.

As I was looking at the wines, one of their employees approached me and asked if I needed help. I then replied: “Hello Sir, I’m currently a wine student at NYCCT, and I would really appreciate  if you can tell me about the wines and spirits you sell  and maybe give me a quick tour of your store.” He gladly said “Sure, where do you want to start?” with a smile on his face.

After a series of questions and a quick tour of the whole store, I found out that they arranged their wines geographically per bin in the front half of their store which were predominantly “old world wines” (Mostly French, Italian, and Spanish Wine regions). They had their french and american sparkling wine display right next to each other because of their 20% off sale. The sparkling wines were arranged according to their bubbles as well. The wines of the new world  are located at the other half of the store. He didn’t specify if they arranged their wines based on how they were fermented ( oak barrel/ stainless steel tanks, etc) The wines of the new world are arranged according to their grape variety ( a display of wines from different new world countries with he same grape variety). Other alcoholic beverages such as whisky, cognac, sherry, Madeira, rare wines and spirits, are located at

the back of the store. They even had Korean liquor like soju. They also boast almost 200 of the finest sakes which are stored on the far right side of the store;  a 57 degree, 70 percent humidity cool room for delicate, rare, and organic wines, a tasting bar for free wine tastings, a library of wine reference books, and lastly a 2nd floor space for wine-related classes and wine tasting events. They have everything a wine store needs–great selection of wines and spirits from around the world, knowledgeable and friendly staff who would take their time to help their customers find the right wine, well-labeled bins that are very informative, etc. They’re easily one of the best if not the best wine store in New York City.

I went to Warehouse Wines and Spirits which was just a block away. It’s located in 735 Broadway between Astor Pl & Waverly Pl. The place was also huge, but with a more “warehouse”  atmosphere. It wasn’t as great as Astor Wine and spirits, but what makes this store different is that it boasts a wide selection of wines and spirits at affordable/cheap prices which is one of the best in Manhattan. They also arranged their wines geographically. They didn’t have any descriptions in their wines regarding their taste and it was really confusing at some point. The huge turn off here was that their staff didn’t seem to know what they were talking about, but nevertheless, they still tried to answer all my questions.