carrie / April 23, 2008 2:49 PM

wine discount center on elston... because it's the best place in the world.

i just went there not 20 minutes ago. 3 bottles of malbec for $24!

cliff on rosedale / April 23, 2008 2:55 PM

The Sadie and I love Fine Wine Brokers in Lincoln Square, right across the street from the Davis Theater.

The staff is smart and willing to find a great wine for your budget. Plus they carry other limited/hard to find spirits like Basil Hayden Bourbon.

Go soon!

Andrew / April 23, 2008 3:03 PM

Fine Wine Brokers is excellent, as is Hahn's Liquors on Devon near Glenwood.

For full selection, though, it's hard to beat Sam's Wine & Spirits down in the snake pit North & Clybourn area.

annie / April 23, 2008 4:14 PM

We're a couple of winos but we are also car-less so when we have the nifty little IGO we hit the wine discount center. We are trying to spend lise on our bottles too, so sadly, we've been buying at Dominick's..it's in walking distance. When we splurge we hit Avision, which is across the street from us on Damen. And we're like kids in a candy store at Sam's..it's worth the hell intersection to get there..but I'd rather "shop local". Celler Rat is also a good spot. As for wine bars, we really dig BeviAmo on Taylor...doesn't hurt that the owner is a friend either!

jennifer / April 23, 2008 4:34 PM

trader joe's! (says the grad student with a very tiny stipend)

Mimi / April 23, 2008 5:12 PM

I buy wine at Fine Wine Brokers, Dominick's, Sam's and Trader Joe's. My favorite wine bar is Webster's, although it is far from my place.

fluffy / April 23, 2008 10:53 PM

Trader Joe's.

Leelah / April 23, 2008 11:28 PM

Webster Wine Bar has the flights, Juicy Wine Company has the cheese, and Sam's is the place to buy. I'm taking a wines of Italy course at Sam's now, and I think I now want to take every class they offer.

Provenance (near my house) has a lovely $10/under selection. Wine Discount Center has a great selection and isn't quite as daunting as Sam's.

ralph / April 24, 2008 1:40 AM

fan of roger's park fine wine & spirits on clark and colombia. also the beer selection there

d / April 24, 2008 10:05 AM

I've never frequented wine bars enough to have a favorite.

Used to have a wine club subscription at Schaefer's that sent some decent wine and info every month, but the shipping cost increased a good amount so I stopped it during a time of trying to cut monthly expenses.

Now it's just an occasional bottle of wine from whichever local store (Jewel or Cost Plus) I happen to be close to.

Mikey / April 24, 2008 10:56 AM

I'll third(?) Trader Joe's...

Their wheelchair-bound wine expert at the Lincoln Ave. location (I only mention that so you can more easily identify him)? That guy really knows his stuff, and you can't beat their prices for the quality and selection they offer...

Josh / April 24, 2008 1:06 PM

Kafka Wine in Boystown. Jewel actually has a few decent imports, too.

David / April 24, 2008 1:10 PM

I don't. Buy, that is.

My wife works for a liquor importer/distributor, so we get it all for free.

Downside: Since it is free, I've turned from essentially a non-drinker into a drinker.

Oh, and the stuff we occasionally do buy, we get at Sam's. It's still worth going straight into the gaping maw of hell (ahem, North and Clybourn) to get to Sam's.

Alexandra / April 24, 2008 2:36 PM

Avec is a great wine bar. Wine flights are reasonably priced and the small plates are great. Wish there was a little more breathing room there, but if you beat the crowds you can get a nice seat at the counter.

Spook / April 24, 2008 2:58 PM

Dorothy's
3219 W Armitage Ave,seating in the rear!

j / April 24, 2008 6:01 PM

Cellar Rat on North avenue...best in the city!

reenie / April 24, 2008 9:57 PM

Andersonville's In Fine Spirits does nice tastings on Saturday afternoons, and just opened a wine bar to complement the retail store. I'm a South Sider but I make the trek to visit a buddy up there.

For fellow South Siders, Sam's has a new location at Roosevelt and Wabash. Thank God!

Also, Liesel Bennett at Bennett Wine Studio (802 W. Washington) is a font of information and chooses great wine at good prices.

mike-ts / April 24, 2008 11:23 PM

Sam's off of Clybourn. I've been going there for years, and the staff has always been so smart and helpful, I've no desire to go anyplace else. And whee, Saturday tastings!

p.s.: they have a new store on Roosevelt, if you're a driver. Parking!

Jill / April 25, 2008 1:06 PM

Last week I went to Lush in Roscoe Village and was pleasantly surprised...oh, wait, that's because I was buying some craft beer. Any other good places to get some offbeat microbrews (preferably from the Midwest)?

Mike / April 25, 2008 1:56 PM

Jill, go to West Lakeview Liquors. Addison and Leavitt I believe. And Foremost ("Andersonville Liquors") at Foster and Clark has good beer and wine.

Jill / April 25, 2008 2:28 PM

Thanks, Mike! I'll definitely check out both of these places.