My Visit to the Wine Store

On Flatbush Avenue extension in Downtown Brooklyn, there is a sleek, modern well lit store. Wright and Goebel Wines and Spirits at 147 Flatbush Avenue Extension is a smart, inviting store. The store is unfortunately located on a strip that most (me included) are not inclined to venture down. Business wise there is almost no stores in that direction. The employees of Wright and Goebel are open, warm and extremely helpful. They give off a casual and approachable demeanor while answering your questions with ease. They will speak to you with respect no matter what questions you ask. They are also quite knowledgeable about the wines they carry and will offer suggestion based on questions they ask to ensure you get what you are looking for. As the name suggests, they offer wine and spirits. They have top shelf to lower end wines, sparkling and champagne, gins, rums and whiskeys. They offer “party wines” which are sold by the case. A considerate note; they offer suggestions on a tag on the bottle of what is a good wine for a gift, and the price.

From a layout standpoint the store is not as large as the outside looks, but it is more than adequate. Upon entering the store, to your left, there is a vestibule type seating area with wooden chairs and tables. At the end of this is a shelf that sits atop several wine coolers. This is where Wright and Goebel keep and display their Fine, Rare and Collectible selection some of the selection includes; Celani Family Vineyard  Tenacious 2010, Serrapetrona Moro 2007 Fontezoppa Vernaccia Nera 100% and Puligny Montrachet  1^st Cru Les Folatieres. In this section they bottles start at $60.00. There was also a bright red Moped sitting in this area. Wright and Goebel offer free delivery and keep some wines chilled if you request it. The wines though divided were not distinguishable by just glancing at them. The Old World Wines: France, Italy, Germany and California are located on the left side of the store in wooden cubbies. The wines are stored on their side as well as standing up. Whites are reds are stored and displayed next to one another. In front of each bottle there is a small note that tells you the name of the wine, country/region, varietal, the flavor notes and price. The Spirits section is located in the actual wall of the store. There are cubbies carved into the wall that display their rums, gins and whiskeys. Throughout the store there are books relating to wine on the tables, shelves and cubby spaces that you can read and refer to.

From a marketing outlook they are very business savvy and have promotions to introduce the customer not only to them as a store but as a guide to wine buying and tasting. Wright and Goebel are rated by Zagat, has a website, Facebook and a Twitter page. The company also offers FREE wine tastings Thursdays through Saturdays and pairing events. Their business cards are coasters with their information printed on it. There is printed material throughout the store for customer use. They have gotten excellent reviews on Yelp about their customer service and selection. They also offer customers a rewards program and you get a free bottle of champagne with every $500 spent.

I would recommend this store to someone who is a novice, like me, at buying wine. The store’s layout is open there is ample room to maneuver and peruse or read about the different wines. There is no sales person breathing down your neck, but the store is small enough that by just a look around an employee will come right over to assist you. My salesperson Owen that recommended a Riesling to me said they would like to hear my thoughts on the wine extending an invitation to return. The location is accessible by public transportation even though it is located on a strip that is not thriving commercially. The employees are respectful of your space. The store is well lit, the layout is contemporary, the labels are easy to read and prices are clearly printed. The tasting notes and county of origin make it simple to choose a wine that best suit your needs and taste profile. The selection though I expected more, was definitely adequate. Wright and Goebel exceeded my expectations and put this novice at ease.