Well, I managed to visit five of the places on my list. Based on Reese’s note, I didn’t bother with Costco and unfortunately Dedalus was closed on the days I was shopping in that area - will have to save it for next time. I also added Healthy Living Market to my original list - great selection of local/artisanal food, pretty good wine selection as well. I think it beats the City Market on both counts, but it’s amazing that a town of that size has two grocery stores of such quality. Puts my much larger city’s big box/chain stores to shame.
Of the other wine stores on my list, I found Burlington Wine Shop the least interesting. Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers had a pretty good wine selection -surprisingly though, their Vermont cheese selection didn’t match up with either Healthy Living’s or City Market’s.
My first impression of Beverage Warehouse was negative. As per T. Melloni’s note above, temperature regulation is an issue. It was baking on the day I visited. However, I noticed a small sign that said something like “Ask about our fine wine cave”, which turned out to be the owner/manager’s pet project - a tiny back room converted into a temperature regulated space, with a small but mighty selection of mainly Italian big names from the late nineties to early 2000’s. Several Giacosa’s, of which I snagged a 2000 Asili Riserva (red label) for a little over $200. Also, a couple of Burgundies. I snapped up a 2005 Fourrier G-C Cherbaudes for under $100. Some of you may have access to these wines at better prices, but where I come from those are both solid deals, if you can even find 'em.
My favourite by far though was Village Wine and Coffee in Shelburne, which will probably become a destination store for me. Amazing place, Rosenthal and Lynch selections everywhere. I had just finished Rosenthal’s book, great read - really whetted my appetite for some of the wines he writes about, so I was excited to see some of those very same wines right in front of me for the first time. I had a hard time deciding, but went with:
Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vigne 2009
Granger Julienas 2009
Puffeney Poulsard “M” 2007
Ferrando Carema 2007 (black label)
Coenobium 2010
Serge Roh Pinot Noir Grand Cru de Vetroz 2009
Was way over my alcohol exemption coming back into Canada, but the customs guy gave me a break, so I paid “only” around 50 bucks on my excess (most of which went to a “provincial liquor markup fee” protectionist bullshit). Thanks again everyone for your sage advice.