For my retail beverage analysis I visited Astor Wine and Spirits. The store is located 1020 2^ndAvenue in Manhattan.  The store carries a very large selection of wine and liquor. I would assume that approximately 80-90 percent of store is filled with wines (both new and vintage) from all over the world. Throughout

the store, there are three main sections for wine, including imported, domestic, and a special temperature-controlled wine roo

m. In the imported wine section, there are varieties of wine mainly from Europe. For their selection of French wines, Astor displays bottles by region, such as Burgundy and Loire. In the back of the store there is also a section for domestic wines. Astor’s domestic selection includes bottles from both West Coast and East Coast vineyards throughout the United States. Valuable and vintage wines are stored in the temperature-controlled room.

I have been to the store a few times in the past, and I have always wondered how they store vintage wines, so I asked one of the employees how they keep these wines in good condition. The employee told me that they keep the store room temperature at 65℉, and 55℉ for the temperature controlled room. He also mentioned that wines need to be kept in the right temperature in order to keep wines fresh, though it is almost impossible to keep all the wine fresh. In my own past experience, I drank some wines that were corked and had gone bad. I asked the same employee, if a customer buys a bottle of wine and finds out that their wine is no longer good and wants to return it, is it possible to return the item? He explained that the customer can exchange the wine, but it needs to be exchanged within 30 days. He explained that the customer needs to exchange the wine within 30 days because the store cannot control how customers store the wine.

Riesling Feinherb” from Müller-Catoir 2016

Before leaving, I asked for his recommendation for a bottle of Riesling. He asked me what kind of taste. I told him I usually like on the drier side, but not too dry, and something around $30. I also requested a German wine since we were studying German wine at the time. He recommended a bottle of “Riesling Feinherb” from Müller-Catoir, a 2016 vintage from the Pfalz region. I purchased the wine and tasted at home. The wine was fantastic. It has a fruity aroma with notes of peach and lemon with a dry finish. The wine is still water, but when you sip the wine, you feel a bubbly feeling on the tip of tongue. The wine he recommended to me was one of the best Riesling wines I have ever tasted.

I highly recommend going to Astor Wine and Spirits for every bottle. The staff is welcoming, friendly and very knowledgeable. If you are looking for a wine, you should definitely ask for their recommendation. They carry a large variety of wines, from reasonable bottles to expensive and rare wine. They will undoubtedly help you find what you’re looking for.

Lenz Cuvee, Methode Traditionelle 2012: Sparkling wine from New York

Saperavi, Babaneuris Marani 2016, from Georgia

Saperavi, Babaneuris Marani 2016, from Georgia

Priorat “Clos Fonta,”Mas den Gil 2012

Priorat “Clos Fonta,”Mas den Gil 2012