The best wine shops in Miami to stock up and expand your palate

Boutique owner, buyer, delivery man and chief dishwasher Jefferey Wolfe has deep relationships with small, independent wine growers around the world, stocking his racks with bottles that are typically produced in quantities of 50,000 or less. He’s so entrenched in the neighborhood that he makes most of his deliveries himself, which helps him get to know his customers so he can finetune all of his recommendations. Wolfe’s hosts a wine tasting every Friday and pours by the glass on weekends, along with food pop-ups and private events. 124 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

The shop recommends: “100% tank-aged Malvasía Volcanica, a grape that is truly indigenous to the Canary Islands, a crossing of Marmajuelo (an indigenous peach-skinned white grape) and Malvasía Aromatica. I call this my slutty white that is just delicious on its own or with some of your favorite goat and sheep milk cheeses.” —Jefferey Wolfe, owner

If you like sipping wines at Ariete, The Gibson Room and Brasserie Laurel, then you’ll love The Allocation Room, where wine director and sommelier Adrian Lopez presides five days a week, helping customers find the right bottle for any occasion. By day, it’s an expert  spot to purchase wine and sake (from juice boxes to cups and even Mexican sake), as well as enjoy a glass and light bites at the tasting bar. At 5:30, it flips to QP Tapas, Miami’s buzziest pop-up, where you can pair a dish of paella or spicy chorizo nuggets with a chilled Garnacha or Albariño. 3540 Main Hwy; Tue–Sat 1–5:30pm

The shop recommends: "Exclusive to us is Ermita del Conde, Albillo Mayor, which retails for $26 a bottle. It’s from two single vineyard sites with 100-year-old vines… and an elevation of about 3100 ft. It is a crisp dry white wine with intense minerality and salinity. If you want to try something different and not pay Chablis prices, this is a great substitute!" —Adrian Lopez, wine director and sommelier

Vinoteca recently opened in Coconut Grove in a prime and central location next to Sandbar. Stumble into this neighborhood wine shop and store owner Alex McDonnell will walk you through everything she’s learned about wine, both from her travels through Europe and the master’s program she completed in Viticulture and Enology.

She carries a lot of Italian wines but also brings in smaller producers from places like France, Spain, Portugal and South America along with lesser-known regions like Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia. I came across the shop by pure happenstance and left with a lovely Barolo for just $21 and a longing to return. 3070 Grand Ave; Wed–Sat 2pm–10pm; Sunday 2–8pm

The shop recommends: “A Soave Classico. It’s a white wine made from Garganega grapes grown around a small medieval village, Soave, in the Veneto region. It’s a dry, light-bodied white wine with notes of peach, citrus, honeydew, almond and some minerality from the volcanic soils. It is a great alternative to a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc and a perfect white for a typical warm day in Miami.” – Alex McDonnell, owner

A gas station you actually want to linger around in? It must have tapas and wine. El Carajo is one of those best-kept-but-not-so-secret gems in Miami, a place where you can both gas up and guzzle up a complex tempranillo and a plate of albondigas—and take a case home with you because you liked it so much. All the wines are selected by their staff sommeliers, particularly those in the cellar. 2465 SW 17th Ave

The shop recommends: “The father of all Super Tuscans, Tignanello, is known for its power and elegance. Nose of dark and red fruit with hints of dried flowers, spice, and chocolate. The wine opens up with more layers of herbs, coffee, vanilla and crushed stones. While the wine tastes amazing now, it will only improve with five to ten more years of aging.” —Richard and Carlos Fonseca, sommeliers 

Getting into wine can be intimidating, but Vinya does a fantastic job of making it approachable and affordable by offering classes, tastings, events and even a $49 monthly subscription to their Vinya Drinking Cru. You could wine and dine at both the Coral Gables and Key Biscayne locations. But the market is the focal point of the latter and, after sampling a few glasses at the super chic tasting bar, you could easily walk out with an $18 “patio pounder” or a $750 Grand-Cru Burgundy. (Take it from us, the patio pounder will be pretty good.)

If the Vinya experience wasn’t already best-in-class, check out Off-Site by Vinya, which offers private and customized wine-tasting experiences, including a wine trip abroad planned for next year. 328 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne

The shop recommends: “At this moment, we pick Ca’n Verdura’s Supernova white wine made from Mallorca’s native Moll grape. This wine is a total crowd-pleaser with an irresistible chilly minerality that reminds me of a cold climate, but it has the wavy texture of a wine from a warmer place. It’s mind-bogglingly tasty.” —Nick Garcia, president and Allegra Angelo, partner/sommelier

If you’re buying $1,500 in wine, your shopping experience should match. Co-owner Matthieu Yamoum’s mission was to replicate the luxury experience one encounters when shopping for clothing, watches or handbags, and he’s done it with this sleek, modern and spacious store in the heart of Downtown Miami. You’ll as easily find a lovely $29 bottle of hard-to-find Bordeaux as you will a $7,200 bottle of Pomerol from 1998.

Maison Mura constantly hosts free tastings and ticketed events with winemakers, and there’s a private room in the back that you could rent out for private dinners (Bagatelle is their main catering partner). If you can’t make it to the store, no problem. Maison Mura delivers all the bubbly you need, whether it’s to your quaint apartment or, more likely, your supersized yacht. 333 SE 3rd Ave

If you’re trying to get into natty wines, head to NIU Wine. They only serve natural and low-intervention bottles from smaller winemakers and farmers, and their expert staff can guide you to something you’ll like, whether you love a super funky orange or you want something that tastes like what you already love and doesn’t use any pesticides or additives. Their list changes often (by-the-glass changes weekly), so there’s something new to sip on all the time. 134 NE 2nd Ave

The shop recommends: “Lampyres. They are a producer from Languedoc-Roussillon in France. Their reds are a favorite of ours. The Contre-Attaque, made entirely of Mourvedre, is a light chilled red option for enjoying with friends over a meal or simply by itself.” —Adam Hughes, co-owner

If you live in Edgewater, the Upper East Side, Little Haiti and Little River, check out VinoNueva, a chic and modern wine shop right behind Andiamo. They feature fine and rare wines, mostly between $25 and $100, but you can also find some reaching over the $1,000 mark. Their knowledgeable staff can walk you through the stories of winemakers and bottles to help you find the right ones for you.

If you join their wine club, you’ll receive a curated selection of wines delivered monthly, access to exclusive events and a one-on-one session with co-founder Bernardo Villanueva to help you increase your appreciation and land on what exactly it is you like. 5582 NE 4th Ct

The shop recommends: “Ladoix 'Les Buis' is the entry-level wine from Domaine Michel Mallard et Fils. With an inviting bouquet of red fruits… it's refreshingly light and effortlessly drinkable, introducing wine enthusiasts to the lesser-known appellation of Ladoix. It offers exceptional quality at a reasonable price, especially for a red Burgundy. Ladoix wines are scarcely found in the US market, making 'Les Buis' a hidden gem.” —Ana Baptista, co-owner

Krüs Kitchen is the airy, light-filled loft suspended above Los Félix, Coconut Grove's Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant. Helmed by the same team—chef Sebastian Vargas and co-founders Josh and Pili Hackler—Krüs began as a strictly takeaway shop during the pandemic, but quickly evolved into so much more. Today, Josh Hackler takes command of Krüs Wine, a natural, organic and biodynamic program based on seasonality with a focus on the industry's up-and-coming tastemakers and innovators.

Krüs' wines are also available to shop online, with weekly newsletters, wine events and a subscription wine club fostering Coconut Grove's next-wave community of grape enthusiasts. 3413 Main Hwy

Located in Miami Shores, this petite indie wine shop offers a curated selection of organic, natural and biodynamic wines from small producers with limited availability—plus a small selection of charming homewares and imported market goods. It takes a fresh, casual approach to learning about wine and its Instagram is always popping with fun programming, from wine tastings to hosting guests pourers from within Miami’s wine scene. We love their bustling pasta nights because really, there’s no better pairing. 70 NE 96th St, Miami Shores

The shop recommends: “The Pierre Henri Rougeot, Côte de Nuits Villages - Les Plantes du Bois 2021. This wine is an approachable, complex and wildly delicious pinot noir from Burgundy - one of our favorite regions in France. But because we have new stuff on a weekly basis and limited availability, we encourage people to speak with us to see what is exciting that week.” —Gaby Zamora and Aubrey Russel, co-owners 

From the husband-and-wife team behind Normandy Isles’ neighborhood staple Silverlake Bistro, Normandy Gourmandy combines all the best parts of a Napa Valley tasting room, a local French market and a chic gift boutique. Tucked inside the modest, well-organized space, find upscale items like truffles and caviar along with affordably-priced, high-quality oils, cheeses, frozen canapes, olives and more.  

Benoit and Sandy bring their same expertise and conviviality to their wine offerings with a variety of regular tastings and food samplings, from rare cheeses to Chef Ben’s legendary quiches. Monthly curated deliveries are also available via the Normandy Gourmandy Collective, featuring three tiers and perks like early access to sales. 932 71st St, Miami Beach