Hazels in Boulder, Total Bev in Westminster, Wyatts in Longmont, DaveCo in Thornton are very similar. High volume, somewhat competitive in pricing on mass market wine. Occasionally you can find good value in the $15 to $50 range, especially when they are having sales. Boulder Wine Merchant is certainly the most credible outfit out that way (they host a Burgundy festival that can be a good time), West End Wine Shop and Cured can have some unique bottles if you look hard enough or if you happen to be out that way…both have more of a neighborhood wine shop vibe and you’ll at least feel ok supporting a small business even if they are the most competitively priced.
You can check if Bookcliff (the vineyards are Western Slope but their winery production is in N Boulder) has excess fruit. I know they (John and Ula) sell grapes to Avery Brewing for a few of their seltzer’s and fruited beers.
Ack - bummed that I missed The Proper Pour closeout sale. Not sure how, I should have been on their list.
As long as we’re talking about what’s gone, anyone know whatever happened to Primo Vino in Arvada? Another pandemic casualty?
Back in the Ebob days I stopped by once or twice to say hi to Rico Thompson when was working there - always fun to talk Nebbiolo with him.
I occasionally stop in on the way back from the Cap Hill Trader Joes. It’s usually to grab a beaujolais or fresher style CA wine to take to a friends. It does seem like their emails are much more beer oriented. I never really talk wine when I go in. Browse and grab a bottle or two.
From my experiences there, Total and Applejack are good for breadth and everyday wine. It seems like a lot of the more interesting stuff went to restaurants.
Promo Vino sold before the pandemic. They always had a decent selection. It is now Spirits Wine Provisions. They have some wines, cheeses and other things. Where you use to enter from the back has been turned into a Speak Easy called the Stockroom. You come in through the front door and they bring you to the back. I was there this past Friday for a few Sazarac’s and they made some decent drinks.
Just picked up 3 bottles from Denver Wine Merchant:
1985 La Louviere Bordeaux Blanc
1991 Domaine des Beamont MSD
1976 Rudolph Muller Trittenheimer Apotheke Beerenauslese
A bunch of great and interesting bottles in there. Really enjoyed talking to Logan about what they have. Make sure to ask about their 60s and 70s rieslings - if they have any left.
Not Denver Metro, but I was pleasantly surprised by The Wine Gallery right off I-25 in Colorado Springs. Really a nice little store and worth a stop if you are driving through. (The good stuff is in the back.)
I’ve also been to Lukasliquors and can second them. This post is a couple of years old at this point - I just checked their website, and Goodfellow is still stocked. Will be making a trip there this weekend. Thanks for the tip!