Wine Spectator Online    Wine Spectator Forums  Hop To Forum Categories  Wine Conversations    StarV100 Has Landed in S Florida!!
Page 1 2 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
  Login/Join 
Member
Posted
Well the move from Toronto was long and tedious but we finally made it. And what a different world it is!

The new job is great, the people are terrific and so far, the weather is paradise (I know what's coming).

Wine stores don't have great selection individually (Total Wine and More, Crown Wines, Costco) but together it's not bad. Many prices are not as low as I had hoped ('01 Banfi BdM Normale $69 anyone?), although I did see the '99 d'Yquem for $99 compared to the May Ontario Classics of $196, 2000 Haut Bages Liberal for $55 vs $115 in Classics.

I'm looking forward to connecting with my S. Florida neighbours (oops, neighbors) for my first HOT off-line!!
 
Posts: 608 | Location: Palm Beach, Florida | Registered: May 05, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by StarV100:
Wine stores don't have great selection individually (Total Wine and More, Crown Wines, Costco) but together it's not bad. Many prices are not as low as I had hoped ('01 Banfi BdM Normale $69 anyone

I'm looking forward to connecting with my S. Florida neighbours (oops, neighbors) for my first HOT off-line!!


Welcome to the Sunshine State, of which I am a sixth generation native. Of the three stores you mention, I only buy about 20% of my wine from them. I think I only bought like 4 cheap bottles in the last year from Costco as their selection is nothing like what I read is in CA. You need to check out Wine Warehouse, ABC (great for Bordeaux), Leon's in Miami (flat $3 delivery to PB for unlimited bottles), and get signed up with B-21 in Clearwater as you can get overnight shipments for a flat $10 as long as you spend $150.

Look forward to an offline with you in the future.


"Wine is sunlight held together by water" - Galileo
 
Posts: 815 | Location: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Dec 29, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by vinole:
quote:
Originally posted by StarV100:
Wine stores don't have great selection individually (Total Wine and More, Crown Wines, Costco) but together it's not bad. Many prices are not as low as I had hoped ('01 Banfi BdM Normale $69 anyone

I'm looking forward to connecting with my S. Florida neighbours (oops, neighbors) for my first HOT off-line!!


Welcome to the Sunshine State, of which I am a sixth generation native. Of the three stores you mention, I only buy about 20% of my wine from them. I think I only bought like 4 cheap bottles in the last year from Costco as their selection is nothing like what I read is in CA. You need to check out Wine Warehouse, ABC (great for Bordeaux), Leon's in Miami (flat $3 delivery to PB for unlimited bottles), and get signed up with B-21 in Clearwater as you can get overnight shipments for a flat $10 as long as you spend $150.

Look forward to an offline with you in the future.

I will support Vinole's message, except to enhance that ABC can have some great deals/finds from all regions (they have a really good German selection) and different stores will have a slightly different selection, and sign up as a "member" you get 10% off all single 750 bottles on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.


"You throw a rock, I'm going to throw a concrete block back"
 
Posts: 654 | Registered: Oct 15, 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
Terrific. Thanks for the tips. I'll look into them right away.
 
Posts: 608 | Location: Palm Beach, Florida | Registered: May 05, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
We have a second home near WPB and scour the wine stores when we get down there. ABC and Crown are fine, but you won't find many top vineyard bottlings. You'll find more of them at Total Wine, but The Wine Warehouse is my shop of choice.

Crown usually has some decent buys on caviar.


Just one more sip.
 
Posts: 21220 | Location: NY | Registered: Oct 18, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
The Wine Warehouse is my shop of choice.


Board-O - Kyle moved to CO a couple of weeks ago. I met the new owner yesterday, who seems like a good guy.


"Wine is sunlight held together by water" - Galileo
 
Posts: 815 | Location: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Dec 29, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by inky:
ABC can have some great deals/finds from all regions (they have a really good German selection) and different stores will have a slightly different selection.


Inky is right about different selections at ABC. If you live on The Island, don't go to the closest ABC on Dixie south of downtown, go to the one just west of I-95 on North Lake Blvd.


"Wine is sunlight held together by water" - Galileo
 
Posts: 815 | Location: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Dec 29, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by vinole:
Board-O - Kyle moved to CO a couple of weeks ago. I met the new owner yesterday, who seems like a good guy.


I know. I was there on April 26th, Kyle's last day. I met the new guy, though I don't think he's an owner. I thought Kyle was an owner, but he wasn't.


Just one more sip.
 
Posts: 21220 | Location: NY | Registered: Oct 18, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I met the new guy, though I don't think he's an owner. I thought Kyle was an owner, but he wasn't.


I asked the new guy if it was a franchise, and he said it was a Ltd. Partnership. I think maybe they have an ownership stake, but it may be fairly small or just consist of profit sharing (no capital buy in).


"Wine is sunlight held together by water" - Galileo
 
Posts: 815 | Location: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Dec 29, 2006Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by StarV100:
Well the move from Toronto was long and tedious but we finally made it. And what a different world it is!

The new job is great, the people are terrific and so far, the weather is paradise (I know what's coming).

Wine stores don't have great selection individually (Total Wine and More, Crown Wines, Costco) but together it's not bad. Many prices are not as low as I had hoped ('01 Banfi BdM Normale $69 anyone?), although I did see the '99 d'Yquem for $99 compared to the May Ontario Classics of $196, 2000 Haut Bages Liberal for $55 vs $115 in Classics.

I'm looking forward to connecting with my S. Florida neighbours (oops, neighbors) for my first HOT off-line!!


What happen to your fairwell offline? Wink
 
Posts: 1379 | Location: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Feb 28, 2004Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
I think we did in at Biff's in January. Futronic still has my decanter as proof, but I have a stupid habit of always leaving one behind!
 
Posts: 608 | Location: Palm Beach, Florida | Registered: May 05, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
Welcome. So, when do you want to venture south to Broward for an offline???
 
Posts: 417 | Location: South Florida | Registered: Feb 06, 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
As MLV said, welcome to Florida and good luck. While farther from you, Sunset Corners in South Miami (Kendall wherever it technically is) is also an excellent wine shop as is Wine Watch in Fort Lauderdale although their pricing is not always great Both stores stock harder to find wines - With case discounts etc., you can do pretty well.
 
Posts: 2065 | Location: South Florida | Registered: Dec 30, 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
welcome from Palm Beach Gardens!

Total wine is a mess. Crown is the best. ABC is fair.

quote:
go to the one just west of I-95 on North Lake Blvd.
It's in Palm Beach Gardens.

quote:
and get signed up with B-21 in Clearwater as you can get overnight shipments for a flat $10 as long as you spend $150.
I concur with B-21. Good deals, but do not like their personal wine ratings very much.

http://b-21.com/


E A Edwards
Wine lover, food lover
Designer Clothes
 
Posts: 1790 | Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Registered: Nov 05, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
I cannot really add any more advice on where to buy wines locally, as I think the prior posts cover it well.

However, let me be the first to suggest that you make arrangements for off-site storage for your best wines, so that you don't lose them when the hurricanes come and your house is without power for a week or so in August.

The Store Room and Imperial Wine Storage are both in West Palm Beach and offer solid storage options with backup generators. I know several people who use Imperial Wine; I use the Store Room. There is also storage at the ABC in Palm Beach Gardens, but I don't think they have back-ups.

Let me extend my welcome to you as well. Now that sea lice season has begun, you'll get to experience the joys of itching after a dip in the warm ocean waters.

Remember, there are 3 seasons in South Florida: Stone Crab Season (Oct - May), Sea Lice Season (May - June), and Hurricane Season (June - Oct).

Stone Crab Season is also known as Tourist Season aka Snow Bird Season.
 
Posts: 3383 | Location: Palm Beach | Registered: Nov 08, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
To add to this, we use Imperial Wine and are very happy with it.
 
Posts: 2065 | Location: South Florida | Registered: Dec 30, 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Remember, there are 3 seasons in South Florida: Stone Crab Season (Oct - May), Sea Lice Season (May - June), and Hurricane Season (June - Oct).



You forgot the obvious "Snowbird season" Thanksgiving to Easter [passover].

No room at good resturant, crowed happy hours as they want the early bird special, drive very slloooowww on all roads.


E A Edwards
Wine lover, food lover
Designer Clothes
 
Posts: 1790 | Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Registered: Nov 05, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by flwino:
quote:
Remember, there are 3 seasons in South Florida: Stone Crab Season (Oct - May), Sea Lice Season (May - June), and Hurricane Season (June - Oct).



You forgot the obvious "Snowbird season" Thanksgiving to Easter [passover].

No room at good resturant, crowed happy hours as they want the early bird special, drive very slloooowww on all roads.


Yea, some bitch about the Florida heat during the summer. I like being able to sleep later during the week and still get to work on time...because there are fewer people on the road.


GO GATORS!!
 
Posts: 1232 | Location: Tampa, FL | Registered: Jan 27, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Chilepepper:
quote:
Originally posted by flwino:
quote:
Remember, there are 3 seasons in South Florida: Stone Crab Season (Oct - May), Sea Lice Season (May - June), and Hurricane Season (June - Oct).



You forgot the obvious "Snowbird season" Thanksgiving to Easter [passover].

No room at good resturant, crowed happy hours as they want the early bird special, drive very slloooowww on all roads.


Yea, some bitch about the Florida heat during the summer. I like being able to sleep later during the week and still get to work on time...because there are fewer people on the road.


Dude it was 95 degrees here yesterday on May 11 - I am bitching -
 
Posts: 2065 | Location: South Florida | Registered: Dec 30, 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Jcocktosten:


Dude it was 95 degrees here yesterday on May 11 - I am bitching -


Yea, I see its hot down there again today...only 80 here today. Big Grin

I'll put in another vote for B-21...but then again I can regularly visit the store as well. They will also deliver for free to my office if the order is $150+


GO GATORS!!
 
Posts: 1232 | Location: Tampa, FL | Registered: Jan 27, 2005Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
Umm, I did cover Snow Bird Season.... [See the last line of my prior post]
 
Posts: 3383 | Location: Palm Beach | Registered: Nov 08, 2001Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by vinole:
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I met the new guy, though I don't think he's an owner. I thought Kyle was an owner, but he wasn't.


I asked the new guy if it was a franchise, and he said it was a Ltd. Partnership. I think maybe they have an ownership stake, but it may be fairly small or just consist of profit sharing (no capital buy in).

Kyle was not the owner, the owner of the Wine Warehouse "chain" is Tom Dorn, whose best store is in the Jacksonville area.

For a better selection, check out the Ft. Lauderdale store. Felipe runs the store, a great guy and extremely knowledgable, especially in Spain and S. American wines.


"You throw a rock, I'm going to throw a concrete block back"
 
Posts: 654 | Registered: Oct 15, 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
BTW, Crown can be seriously overpriced.

You also might want to check out Wine Watch in Ft. Lauderdale for some real gems and hard to find stuff.


"You throw a rock, I'm going to throw a concrete block back"
 
Posts: 654 | Registered: Oct 15, 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Member
Posted Hide Post
Clicky clicky for Wine Warehouse corporate info


"You throw a rock, I'm going to throw a concrete block back"