Find Your Wine on the Web
By Tyler Balliet • Aug 27th, 2008 • Category: Features
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There are a number of websites focused on helping connect retailers with customers. These sites get a regular update direct for a store’s digital inventory, so they are up to date on what stores have. Of course, this isn’t the most comprehensive list, as not all stores subscribe to these services. In the end, this is a great way to look for that hard to find bottle you’ve been trying to track down.
Wine Searcher - Probably the most powerful search engine for wine in the US, but also the simplest. Throw in the wine you’re looking for, enter a vintage and away you’re whisked to the potentially, hundreds of retailers in the US or UK that carry the wine you’re looking for.
www.wine-searcher.com
Wine Zap - Operating in the same fashion as Wine Searcher, Wine Zap charges retailers every time they send a person to the retailer’s site ($.25 to be exact). The big difference, is Wine Zap is a bit more visual than Wine Searcher. You can search by Country, Region, Grape, Style and even Food Pairing. With that said, if the retailer doesn’t have a deal with Wine Zap, they won’t be listed, so the list is less comprehensive. It is also difficult to pick out vintages, if you’re looking for a very specific wine.
www.winezap.com
1855 - For international wine searches, this is a great. If you need to send a wine to someone in France, Spain or the UK, this is the site you want to use. Named after the famed Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, the site boasts “the largest choice of wines on the Internet.” It’s not too shabby and a great way to look for that one bottle of Italian wine you had at a little restaurant in Tuscany. However, shipping it to the US, is pretty much impossible.
Wine Commune - This site is the eBay of wine. Buy, sell or just browse everything from cases of $10 vino to $30,0000 6L bottles of 2004 LaTâche. It is based on the same eBay “honor” system, so be careful of what you buy and from who. Otherwise, go crazy and keep tabs on those exotic back vintage wines you’re looking for. You never know who falls under hard times and decides to sell off part of their cellar.
www.winecommune.com
Tyler Balliet is the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of The Second Glass. He likes all kinds of wine and is constantly looking for unique bottles that don't break the bank.
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