Wide World of Wines

I came here looking for wine for a sushi dinner party I was hosting. Upon entering, I asked the cashier if they carried sake. «No,» she said, «we only carry wine made from grapes.»
Hmm. Then maybe you should change the name of your store to wide region of wine, not wide world, because, uh, some parts of the world don’t make wine from grapes. Sayonara.

Wide World of Wines is an outrageously great wine store in Glover Park DC. Elliott has been in the biz for about a million years and has sources and knowledge that are unmatched in the typical or even upscale trade. Hugo also seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of wines as well, and I think is more focused on South American and Spanish wines as well as French Bordeaux where Elliott seems to be oriented to Australia, French (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne etc) as well as ‘new world wines. What set this store apart from others in DC is that they often buy full collections from private owners who need to liquidate or just raise some fast cash (can you say ‘divorce’?). So you can find really amazing bottles that you may not see very often or at all. As for pricing — I’d say ‘competitive to very competitive on many items, and for some a bit more — a bottle that sells for 36.95 might be 39.95. In general pricing is competitive with other shops in the are.
The sales are really fab — and the ‘close out rack’ always has something worth trying. Both these guys have very good suggestions for things you might like if you tell them you like another wine. Focus is definitely on wine — they have a small selection of Whiskey’s and such. Also — ask about champagne. great depth of knowledge here and a great if not eclectic selection

It is my opinion that some of the best wine shops are tucked away in strip malls and a few steps below grade — like this one. It’s not enormous, but the selection is alllll over the map. Literally. Americans, Italians, French, Spanish, Germans — like any great wine shop should have. The dessert and bubbles sections are relatively impressive for the size of the place, and the man (owner perhaps?) who helped us set us up with some lovely items. There was an issue with one of them once we got it home and opened, but the shop owner agreed to a refund/​exchange with ease. The 2001 Sauternes was one of the best I have ever had. An excellent find, the wine and the shop.

Totally professional yet down-​to-​earth wine shop. Not huge, but a great selection of wines, especially Spanish, Australian, Rhone, and Champagne. Also quite a selection of older vintages of high-​end labels. Storage bins available for rent in their basement warehouse. Sat. afternoon tastings (free) among the best in town, and they host several large tastings every year, many exceptional.

This is a great wine shop right on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and W Place. It’s kind of a long, meandering way in, but then as soon as you get to the main room, you are surrounded by shelves and shelves full of wine. All regions, all types. I only get nervous that I’m going to knock something and send all the shelves crashing down. I will say that the reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is because many of the wines are super-​expensive ($ 50+)and not exactly for the budget-​conscious (or cheap like me).
However, they do have a decent selection of bottles under $ 15 (that’s more like it), plus the people are super-​friendly and love good conversation. On your way out, be sure to snag a look at the sign posted on the door that never fails to make me smile: «This is a door, watch your face.»