Vintage Wines

qchic

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%
quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

I've visited this place a couple of times with mixed results. While more craft beer in Harrisonburg is always a good thing, I find a better selection and prices (they were noticably higher across the board by about ~15%) elsewhere in town. I was delighted by the enthusiasm of the owner on one visit, and another time I went to the register to purchase something and the guy hardly said a word, even after I made a comment about something I was purchasing. Unfortunately, I discovered that what I bought was outdated, so do check for freshness. Not a lot of room for beer, but they do make good use of space with offerings from Dogfish Head, Oskar Blues, Blue Mountain, and several other solid craft breweries. A small cooler holds some singles.

04-14-2010 15:44:58 | More by qchic

SirWalkAbout

Texas

3.94/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

I lived in Elkton for 6 months and stopped in once in a while to see what they had. This place is mostly geared towards wine, but there are some nice quality beer finds to be had. They had Stone's Russian Imperial Stout, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Dave's Pale Ale, and some beers from BrewDog which stood out.

The shop is a privately owned place, managed by what appears to be a married couple. The guy is the one to talk to about beer. I'm not being sexist, the woman told me this. He indeed had some great recommendations and was very knowledgeable regarding what is on the shelves (as he should be considering he buys it).

As mentioned, the place is primary a wine shop, so the selection is a bit small, but they make up for it in quality. I did find there beers to be a bit more pricey than you might expect to pay elsewhere, but for a small place and good service, it's worth stopping in once in a while.

01-12-2012 22:43:44 | More by SirWalkAbout

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -1%
quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Nice store tucked into a small strip mall. Very good selection-just not enough of it for me. Beer is towards the rear of the store. Small store but with a little organizing of the beer shelves the selection could expand some. Still, I did find a few Terrapin beers, Sierra 30th, 3 year old Samis and a few others. Full line of DFH 750s in season. Help was good-I could have stayed and talked longer but had to get my wife. Owner did say he had a few new beers coming in 2 to 3 weeks. Worth checking out, you never know.

04-15-2010 02:40:18 | More by lackenhauser

advill88

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I first stumbled across this store with my roommate earlier in the year. It mostly focuses on wine, but unlike many other similar stores, I was pleased to discover that the owner really knows his beer very well. Before I first came here I thought I knew my beer fairly well, but this guy just floored me. He was also willing to spend a good amount of time talking about what he had and making recommendations. It's a bit on the pricey side, but worth it once in a while for the better than average selection and the customer service.

11-28-2009 03:09:05 | More by advill88

kurrjur

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -1%
quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Over the past year I have visited this location nearly twenty times. Every time I visit they have new items in stock that follow the seasons. They have a well maintained selection of micro and imports. They always have my favorite rauchbier: Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen, which is difficult to come by in this area. The employees are very knowledgeable and helpful, and one man in particular is great at making recommendations based on personal preferences. They prices are average for this demographic. They aren't inexpensive, however they are not outrageous by any means, and I don't mind paying for beer of quality. Overall I would recommend this store to people in the area.

09-17-2009 00:13:50 | More by kurrjur

lostdesperato

New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +11%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

This store is a beer oasis. Amongst the wretched stench of wal-mart priced naddy and Sheetz beast is a shining example of what a modest beer store should be. They only stock good beer and always sell it with a smile. The owner is extremely knowledgeable and great to have a chat with. He certainly knows his beer and wine. Even though the beer is not the main event and is a little pricey it is worth it. No other store in the area offers the specialized selection or superb service. If your in the area or go to JMU like myself, visit vintage wines you won't be disappointed.

03-19-2008 19:26:36 | More by lostdesperato

tattooedtolley

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -1%
quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$$

A friend of mine work's with the owner's roomate so we figured we would stop by and check them out. The store is obviously focused mainly on wine but they did have a decent selection of beer. The staff is knowledgable enough to have a good conversation about beers, which is awesome since I feel like an exception in my small area.

One thing I wasn't super happy about was the fact that all beers are sold as singles. I realize the store is small and in order to keep overhead down and the stock fresh and small they cannot afford to have a large stock. However if you are in the mood to try a few different beers or grab that bomber of Gumball Head (thats what I got) its a good stop.

The prices on the mix packs are slightly high, of course that is expected when buying singles but the prices of the bombers are decent.

Overall it is a good stop if you are in need of a knowledgable staff to point you in the direction of something new to try, of course you have BA, so....

02-22-2006 22:08:52 | More by tattooedtolley

Jables

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +11%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

What a relief to find this place. Beer is definitely not the focus, but it is treated properly. The only beer here is good beer. If I were to compare this place to places in my hometown of Champaign....It wouldn't have the high marks that I gave it. But it gets those marks for being bold enough to try and be what it is in a town where no one else has the guts. This is like an oasis in the desert. The staff is as knowledgeable as they come in these parts. Don't come out of your way for this place but if you're in the area and you need some brew, there is no better place to go.

Cheers

01-26-2006 23:03:18 | More by Jables