Favorite online wine sites

Since moving to Boston I have struggled to find a great wine store and so have been thinking more lately about online options. What are your favorites? I used to use Chambers Street and Zachys back in the day and can revisit those.... but thought I would solicit ideas from this esteemed group as well.

TIA

What do you think of the Wine Bottega? I haven't been there in years, but it struck me as the Boston answer to CSW.

What do you think of the Wine Bottega? I haven't been there in years, but it struck me as the Boston answer to CSW.

I will check it out.... not familiar with it but looking online looks like all organic wines..... I will report back!

[David M. Bueker]

Also check out Marty’s in Newton.

I buy more than half my wine online and use Last Bottle, First Bottle and Wine Access. All seem reputable to me.

How do online wine sites operate in the USA? I've read a lot about restrictions on inter-state shipping of wine by wineries and presume the same applies to online sellers. Does this mean they are confined to their home state in most cases?

Here in the EU, which in most respects is a much less perfect union than the USA, inter-state online selling of booze works well with duties and VAT of the selling country being applied up to a certain turnover threshold. However, member states with high duties and restrictive booze retailing policies, of which Sweden and Finland are prime examples, do their best to impede inward traffic of this kind.

[David M. Bueker]

Retail wine shipping is becoming more and more restrictive. I am now reduced to one retailer that will ship to me, and I am wearing myself off of them, as the window is closing.

You may also want to check out Skinner auction house. As well as a lot of interesting older wines, they run pre auction tastings. Don't expect the prices to be lower, because it is not mainstream; I am amazed how consistent the pricing at auction is, regardless of where the wines are being sold.

Outside of having wineries ship to you, I don't think MASS allows out-of-state retail shipments to the Commonwealth, this applies either in or out. Plenty of good stores there.

I also use Wine Access a fair amount.....not always the cheapest but a good selection and I'm a sucker for free shipping. The service is pretty good too if, for example, you want to change shipping dates.