Discovery Wines

Great selection from all over the world with a valley of prices. Helpful staff and pleasant atmosphere

Selection is great and well thought out. The staff is what really makes this place a gem. They are willing to take the time and find out what you like, what you want, and what wine will pair nicely with dinner. Also, no judgments when I’m in there just to grab a big ol’ bottle to get drunk.

I wasn’t even planning on getting a bottle when I was in the area but I love my wine so I decided to pop in. Within a minute, someone assisted me. The gentleman helped me pick out a wine that suited my palate best.
Layout of the store is Simple and elegant. Everything is organized!
They have wine tastings every Friday and Saturday from 6−8pm and offer 10% off the featured wine so swing by and check it out for yourself.

They seriously have a wonderful selection of wine of all kinds from all around the world. The staff is super nice, knowledgable about the wine makers and labels they carry and are helpful in finding something you have a taste for. I am so glad I finally took a walk to check this store out as they carry one of my favorite Oregon wine makers — Evesham Wood/​Hayden Fig! I know I will be coming here when I am in the mood to enjoy my own personal wine bar at home!

This is the ideal neighborhood wine store. I remember shopping with them years ago at the now-​Union Market location around the block (it was so beautiful and large and more amenable to wine tastings), but the new location doesn’t miss a beat. The staff are very supportive, their affordable (unfortunately $ 15 is the new $ 10 in wine it seems) wines are often delicious, and they beat other neighborhood wine stores by a mile (combination of friendly service, first of all good wine, fair for Manhattan prices, and quality selection when I state what I am looking for and they match it).
As a contrast, not to step on Trader Joe’s toes, I once went on an experiment to try a dozen TJ wines. Rest assured, I am back to Discovery and NOT to TJ’s for anything other than groceries.

Great wine store on 2^nd street and ave B. friendly staff that will help you find what you’re looking for. A great selection of chilled wines in the back fridges. I often can’t find what I’m looking for chilled — but they has a great assortment. Highly recommended.

Best wine spot on Ave B. Easy recommendation.

Great Place, very friendly.
I run in for a nice brand well priced vodka, however have been in with friends for a dinner party and checked out the wine. They are super cool, nice well made reusable bags. A/​C blasting in the summer. No problems, no pretentiousness if you have questions.

Love this place.
Been shopping with them since the previous location. I usually browse around the store before purchasing just to educate myself.
Staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. Was asked multiple times if I needed help and every time I had a question it was answered perfectly.
Every time I come here I leave learning something new.
Haven’t been to their wine tasting yet but looking forward to one very soon.
Wine tasting every fri and saturday from 6p-​8p…

I look forward to going into Discovery Wines because the experience is always a positive one. The staff really make this place special. Great selection of wine and booze. I haven’t gone for beer yet, but I’m sure they have a good variety.
The staff is very friendly, and very willing to help with any suggestions, in any price range. They are not pretentious, which is always a big plus.
It is not uncommon to find a fun new liquor tasting during the weekends, and they have a great tasting bar set up in the back of the store. It’s even fun to just browse their large selections.
Lastly, you can’t beat the prices here. They are not over the top marked up, and actually are the most reasonable I’ve found the in the neighborhood. That really tops the chart for me :)

Staff acknowledged me the minute I walked in and immediately offered their assistance. I asked for a specific vintage and unfortunately they didn’t have it in stock. Regardless they offered several viable alternatives based on budget and their recommendations are definitely stellar contrary to some other establishments who had no knowledge of their products.
I’ll definitely be coming back to get more wine from them. On a side note they also do delivery in the local area.
TLDR Good place to get wine if you’re not too picky but if you’re looking for specific rare vintages go somewhere else.

They are wonderful! Very friendly, knowledgable, and delivery is quick and reliable. I often call asking for recommendations, and every bottle they’ve chosen and delivered has been reasonably priced and great.
I left my phone there once. They tracked me down, and then told me they would hold it until my party was over so I wouldn’t have to leave the event early. So great!

A+++ energy, staff, vibe and wine selection. Wonderful feeling from moment you walk through the door. A real hidden gem. AND, they deliver if you are too lazy or drunk to go get some more good libations. :-)

Definitely the best liquor/​wine store in the area. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great selection of liquors — many unexpected choices and new things to try. I am a big fan!

Cute little wine store in the EV/​LES. Decent selection & helpful staff. Seeing as it’s only a few blocks from my apt, I’ll be back for sure.

I’ve ordered different wines from this place on a half-​dozen occasions and have yet to have been introduced to anything that was even remotely good. The wines that this place peddles have yet to be «discovered» probably for good reasons — they’re bad wines.
I remember one of the first times I called them, I asked if they carried Ruffino and the guy on the phone actually laughed. I was instead sold their mid-​range Chianti which was supposed to really knock my socks off. When I uncorked what seemed to be a gatorade and vodka mix, my socks were indeed knocked off.

CLOSED DURING MOVE TO 16 AVENUE B.
Love the selection and the service. Hate that I have to wait for the new spot to open! (and that I missed the 30% off sale during which inventory was sold off). Only sad that they will be a few blocks further away from me at the new digs!

Are the staff at 2A, Mary O’s, Double Down Saloon, Kelly’s and Benny’s Burritos tired of your meandering, irksome, repetitive hogwash? Try home boozing instead.
You couldn’t pick a better place to start than Discovery Wines. The staff — especially Tim and Mark — are like trusted AA sponsors, only the opposite. I’m no sommelier, but I trust these guys like the local parish priest.
Me: «I’ve pissed off the neighbors and need to make amends?» DW– «This awesome Sancere rose should do the trick»
Me: «Making fish supper». DW «Try this White Bordeaux»
Me: «I’ve got ten bucks and it’s hot as balls outside». DW «Try this Vinho Verde, its effervescent»
Me: «I’m making vindaloo». DW: «go to to the bodega and buy beer, fool».
Yes, I will be back.

My next stop on the, Where does Andrew Bell, President of the American Sommelier Association, get his wine tour?
Discovery Wines on the Lower East Side — tadah!!!
Remember in my last posting when I mentioned that I had a tendency to choose wine by the label art? Well Discovery honors my visual vocabulary and presents the wine as if it was a work of art — kudos to my fellow label whores.
I felt like I was browsing at the MOMA. Each bottle is neatly presented in an individual cubby and looks special as its own focal point, which makes it very hard to choose. Lesson #1 from this journey when you go to a crappy wine store — the kind with cases stacked against the wall and value jugs in every corner it is easy for them to up-​sell me by simply making a display not look ghetto. Well, Discovery makes everything look good so how is a girl to choose?
So, as usual I went in search of help and got Scott. I explained my reason for the visit and he asked if I new Andrew, no I don’t, but Andrew if you are reading I feel like I know you from following in your wine soaked steps.
Scott decided to school me in oxidation. Oxidation, I figured had something to do with air but other then that I decided to remain ignorant until after I drank my examples. I would not want my Unilocaling taste buds to be influenced by outside information. No, all I was told by the trusty Scott was the 2007 Domaine Lucien Crochet — Sancerre had no oxidation and the Vino Cubillo Rioja is swimming in it after two years of aging in an oak barrel. Would I be able to notice the difference? The challenge was set.
I called on a friend and a leisurely Saturday afternoon by the water in Battery Park to see what I would discover from the Discovery wines recommendation and did I ever get a taste of oxidation.
The wine with no air (the Sancerre) felt thicker, heavy and syrupy. It did not have much after taste but I may not have noticed it because I was too busy chewing (ok that is an exaggeration, but you get the point). The texture bothered me so much that I could not enjoy drinking it. However, that does not mean I didn’t get through my allotment from the bottle I certainly was not going to let non-​oxidized wine go to waste.
So with one bottle down, the sun sparking off the water and my awareness of what oxygen gives wine growing we cleansed our palates and opened the next bottle — I needed some air.
Ahhhh…oxidation, sweet wonderful, oxidation. The Roja was wonderful from the first sip. Much lighter and exotic (I think that was my friends word, but she was right). I was experiencing the wine with each taste and it was lovely. Plus, the bumble bee that kept landing on the rims of our glasses also voted for oxidation.
Lesson #2 from my Discovery wines experience — I love wine that has traditional oxidation and my thanks to Scott for giving me such extreme examples for testing — I certainly now know the difference.
Next stop on my tour Veritas Restaurant, stay tuned.

If you’re finished with Union Square Wines and Liquors and want a new place for wine tasting, why not check out Discovery… The people are super knowledgeable and friendly.
That said I personally buy wine mostly at Trader Joe’s as I’m not so «cavalier about price» as they say in Economics…