May I Show You a Cabernet?

What to look for in a wine store.

By Max Chafkin |  @chafkin   | 
 

A local wine shop can introduce you to great wines, but it's tough to know who to trust. Inc. asked Peter Click, founder of the Click Wine Group, a Seattle-based importer, what he looks for in a wine shop. For Click, it's vital that the store be down to earth. "It's not rocket science," says Click. "It's a beverage, for goodness' sakes."

What to look for

  • Employees who base their recommendations on your preferences.
  • Smart organization. Click likes stores that arrange wines by taste, not country.

What to avoid

  • Aggressive upselling. Ask for a $10 wine, you ought to get the best $10 bottle.
  • Cryptic winespeak. "If you like it, it's good," he says.

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    • Max Chafkin

    Senior writer Max Chafkin has profiled companies such as Yelp, Zappos, Twitter, Threadless, and Tesla for the magazine. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.


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