5 of the Best Local Wine Shops

Need that perfect bottle of vino? We’ve got you covered!

If you're looking for a solid bottle of wine in a pinch, good news: Richmond is home to a wide array of wine shops! This guide will give you information on the best place to find great wine around the Richmond area.

by Paige Poprocky, Contributing Writer

Barrel Thief Wine Shop & Cafe

Barrel Thief Wine Shop & Cafe is your local source for fine wine. They specialize in selecting wine based on your preferences! Wine shops can be intimidating, however, Barrel Thief is a place where everyone can feel comfortable shopping, whether you're buying your first-ever bottle of wine or you're looking for something high-end or hard to find.

If you want to try even more wine, they have an amazing wine club called the League of Thieves, which offers monthly and quarterly cases at three price tiers.

Barrel Thief is currently offering curbside pickup as well as free local delivery within a 10-mile radius. Staying home? Barrel Thief offers virtual tastings as well as private virtual tastings.

Due to COVID, they have temporarily closed their cafe and suspended their free Friday night tastings.

Location: 5805 Patterson Ave

Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 11 am - 7 pm; Saturday, 11 am - 5 pm

The Caboose Market & Cafe

Hop on this train! The Caboose is located on the railroad tracks of historic downtown Ashland, Virginia. If you’ve never been, the charm of this little town is fabulous.

The Market offers diverse and affordable wine from around the world — and Virginia wine, too! They also have a variety of local, national, and imported craft beer. Another amazing thing they offer is imported cheeses, snack meats, and house-made foods like pimento cheese so you can pick up all your supplies for a DIY cheese and charcuterie board!

And my favorite part during non-pandemic times: every Friday, they have free wine tastings. For my beer lovers, on the first Friday of the month, they have beer tastings to go along with that wine!

The Cafe offers a rotating farm to table seasonable menu. The menu consists of small plates as well as salads, sandwiches, and entrees. You can enjoy a beer on tap or wines by the glass. Want a bottle? Grab any wine from the market for a small corkage fee of $5. Post-dinner, you can sip on an espresso with a delectable dessert.

*Due to COVID, they have temporarily suspended their tastings.

Location: 108 S. Railroad Ave

Hours: Monday - Thursday, 7 am - 8 pm; Friday - Saturday, 8:30 am - 10 pm

J. Emerson, Inc.

J. Emerson, Inc. is the oldest wine shop in Richmond. This neighborhood wine shop has a wide selection of value-priced, everyday wines. At the same time, they also have a selection of rare and fine wine for the perfect occasion. They consider themselves a “wine library” and are sensitive to how they store their inventory.

J. Emerson, Inc. also offers an outstanding case-of-the-month club (no subscription necessary!). It is an excellent way to drink wines from around the world at a great value. Just come in and grab the case! If you don’t need a whole case of wine, you can buy the bottles you're interested in. If you want up to date information about their case of the month, check out their newsletter on their site!

Location: 5716 Grove Ave

Hours: Monday, 10 am - 8 pm; Tuesday - Saturday, 9 am - 8 pm; Sunday, 12 pm - 6 pm

Once Upon A Vine

Once Upon a Vine is your one-stop-shop for wines and beers from around the world. What sets this store apart from other wine shops is their display of wines that are based on price ranges rather than region. This helps you find amazing wines in a price range for your budget.

This independent wine shop has been family owned and operated for the past 16 years. Bob, the owner, oversees the wine program while his son, Rob, oversees the beer side of things. Once Upon A Vine is known to have the biggest selection of Virginia wine, and they also have a Richmond-heavy beer selection.

Location: 4009 MacArthur Ave

Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 11 am - 9 pm; Friday - Saturday, 11 am - 11 pm

Corks & Kegs

At Corks & Kegs, you will be introduced to new wine you may not have tried before. Their wine selection is focused around small batch, niche wines. There are sections dedicated to Virginia Wine, Value Priced Wine and a Sale Section, so you're sure to find something you're looking for.

If you don’t know where to begin, their knowledgeable staff can help educate you on the perfect wine for your budget.

Want to try new wine? Check out* their free Friday night tasting from 5:30-7:30.

*Tastings temporarily paused due to COVID

Location: 7110 A Patterson Ave

Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 9 pm; Sunday, 11 am - 7 pm