Chile: Wine Store Review - Wain
I have been in a lot of wine stores. From the mom and pop liquor shop that grudgingly carries a few bottles of indifferent wine, to the mega-mart style of outlet that does their best to stock everything under the sun.
Most of the best fall in the middle, small enough to give personal service, but large enough to have a decent selection. I recently visited a shop that is on the larger side, but it was more than the diversity that made it stand out.
In the upscale Vitacura neighborhood of Santiago a new player in the wine biz has just opened. Wain's visual appeal from the outside beckons you. As you walk into the store you are greeted by a modern open style of merchandising that is equally pleasing to the eye.
Looking more like an art gallery than the ubiquitous overcrowded bottle shop, Wain goes to great lengths to make their visitors feel at home. The wines are arranged by variety, over two floors and each in their own room. The temperature controlled wine bars in each section are your next hint that this is not your average vinous vendor.
Indeed, almost every wine they sell can be sampled before purchase. An outdoor seating area even allows you to taste in a relaxed comfort that seems more akin to a cafe than a retailer.
Tall tables for standing and sipping make it easy to stroll from room to room, sampling as you go. The decor is easy to look at, but my one complaint is that the wine is not. The sensual dark woods and dim lighting make for great ambiance, but without anything white to look through your wine at it is hard to judge its color.
A handy napkin or iPhone can solve this problem, and I am probably one of the few who would balk at this omission. For most guests the overall effect is one that is perfectly conducive to enjoying the usually daunting task of purchasing wine.
The selection is almost exclusively Chilean, as is the case for most wine stores in the country. Imports are all but impossible to find here. The price range is also typically Chilean. This boutique treatment is afforded to as many wines under $10 as over.
Time will tell if the consumer appreciates the approach of Wain as much as I do, but it is a great attempt to remove the fear inherent in wine shopping, and I am all for that.
Most of the best fall in the middle, small enough to give personal service, but large enough to have a decent selection. I recently visited a shop that is on the larger side, but it was more than the diversity that made it stand out.
In the upscale Vitacura neighborhood of Santiago a new player in the wine biz has just opened. Wain's visual appeal from the outside beckons you. As you walk into the store you are greeted by a modern open style of merchandising that is equally pleasing to the eye.
Looking more like an art gallery than the ubiquitous overcrowded bottle shop, Wain goes to great lengths to make their visitors feel at home. The wines are arranged by variety, over two floors and each in their own room. The temperature controlled wine bars in each section are your next hint that this is not your average vinous vendor.
Indeed, almost every wine they sell can be sampled before purchase. An outdoor seating area even allows you to taste in a relaxed comfort that seems more akin to a cafe than a retailer.
Tall tables for standing and sipping make it easy to stroll from room to room, sampling as you go. The decor is easy to look at, but my one complaint is that the wine is not. The sensual dark woods and dim lighting make for great ambiance, but without anything white to look through your wine at it is hard to judge its color.
A handy napkin or iPhone can solve this problem, and I am probably one of the few who would balk at this omission. For most guests the overall effect is one that is perfectly conducive to enjoying the usually daunting task of purchasing wine.
The selection is almost exclusively Chilean, as is the case for most wine stores in the country. Imports are all but impossible to find here. The price range is also typically Chilean. This boutique treatment is afforded to as many wines under $10 as over.
Time will tell if the consumer appreciates the approach of Wain as much as I do, but it is a great attempt to remove the fear inherent in wine shopping, and I am all for that.
posted by Wineguy at 9:22 AM
2 Comments:
its nice article
Thank you for another great article. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect way of presentation.
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