Astor Wines & Spirits Inc

01/21/09

great selection

by AWAREBEE at Citysearch

the scotches here are really great. 25 year old mccallans, lagavulin, etc. decent prices too. wines are good, but not the biggest collection i've seen yet. i go here to pick up what i cant get in jersey.

12/19/08

Worst Customer Service -

by sthakrar at Citysearch

I signed up for a class but could not make it because of a snowstorm (all returning flights that day were cancelled). I called to see if I could reschedule to another class and before I could even finish 'Kimberly' cut me off and told me no changes within 48 hours and then hung up!

Will never buy from them again.

10/22/07

Worst customer service - Do not buy online

by kostasg at Citysearch

I bought a box of wine along with several other wines in May and opened it in June. The wine was oxidized although I had kept in a cool air conditioned place.

I brought the wine to their shop and they refused to exchange it. I asked them why as the return policy allows for store credit and they answered "because we never exchange wine-only hard liquor"!!

• Pros: Wide selection
• Cons: Poor customer service, Terrible online return policy

04/10/07

Down-to-earth staff and a giant selection keep this Noho wine emporium in the premier cru.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Background
Novices and seasoned oenophiles alike will find much to rejoice about at this popular Manhattan wine vendor. Unlike so many pretentious boutiques, where mispronouncing a French label is a cardinal offense, Astor employs some of the most approachable staff around. The clearly labeled sections, wide aisles, and astonishing selection tempt customers to linger, checking out staff picks or sampling exotic vintages at one of the tasting nights.

The Appeal
Whether stopping in for an old standby or scavenging for a unique bottle from regions unknown, Astor's inventory is incomparable, including giant jugs of Carlo Rossi chablis, organic wines, rare Scotch, and everything inbetween. The store tops off its glass with its free newsletter that includes tasting schedules and sale tips.

02/02/07

Wonderful selection.

by vreelander1 at Citysearch

The ten under ten selection is one of the city's few real bargains. The only bad thing about Astor is that thye won't guarantee a delivery time, and get abraasive if you try to request one, even if you're call way in advance.

• Pros: Good selection
• Cons: Deliivery service expects you to wait around for them; only delivers in Brooklyn after noon, forcing you to alter your plans around them

01/13/07

good selection...

by suebeelin at Citysearch

Astor actually has a very good selection, and the new location is much more spacious than the old location (tho I miss the feel of the old place!!). They have a substantial single malt selection at reasonable prices (the maccallan 25 is $349, while other places it was $400). I'm also an avid sake drinker, and they have a nice selection appropriately located in the fridge section. The prices are decent-- sometimes it's a few dollars more, and sometimes it's a few dollars less-- so you need to shop around if you're making a big purchase. On the plus side, Astor does deliver for free if you buy more than $75.

12/20/06

The only Wine Store in the City to carry the Corkscrew I needed - for $15 less than online!

by ansleyvanepps at Citysearch

I have to agree this is the best wine store ever...they were the only store to carry the "Cork Jet" wine opener I have been calling every store around to find.

And - only $16.99 instead of $32.00. Hurray!

11/09/06

Best wine store in the city!

by ms_hayley at Citysearch

It seems everyone and their brother is opening up a new wine store these days, but I have to say, the new Astor just raised the bar so far above everyone elses heads it's not even funny. Not only do they continue to stock their massive store with wines that are interesting and unique (as opposed to the usual Parker rated selections that every other store tends to carry), but their treatment of the wines themselves is just remarkable. Their cool room (a feature many other stores have) is not just for the high end wines (as is the case with the others), but rather houses all their natural and biodynamic wines that are sensitive to temperature changes. The store itself is gorgeous, and the sales staff is always ready to help you pick out a good bottle. Anyway, if you're shopping anywhere else, you're undoubtedly over paying and cutting yourself short in terms of selection.

Love it, love it, love it.

• Pros: selection, prices, general ambiance
• Cons: further from the 6 train, so I actually have to walk the whole block to get there.

06/24/06

Died and gone to wine heaven...

by winowino at Citysearch

Man oh man, and I thought the old Astor was great! I'm embarassed at how long it took me to make the trip to the new store - and boy howdy, they've really outdone themselves. The selection of wines is insane. And the stuff in the cool room? I mean, first off, I think it's really neat that the cool room isn't just for fancy high-end wines - it's got a bunch of stuff that mere mortals like myself can actually afford (in addition the the stuff that makes me want to quit my job and and become an investment banker). And as for whatshisname's quip about the sales staff - I have to say, I had the complete opposite experience. Very knowledgable and friendly, and not at all pushy (which is very important to me).

Two thumbs up from this here alcoholic!

• Pros: Selection, service, prices!!
• Cons: signs are a little confusing...had to ask for directions!

06/22/06

Love it!

by voneldritch at Citysearch

I like Astor Wines - granted, I'd got used to the old store where I knew where everything was, but I was in the new place the other day and they still have the same great selection at good prices. I'm not a wine buff by any means, but I do know that I like to stock up on Wynns Coonawara, Valdemar rioja, and a couple of spicy Malbecs at around $10 a bottle. I find the staff to be knowledgeable and helpful - they listen to what you're looking for, they make suggestions for food to go with it, and they're happy to help you find what you want. I couldn't say whether it's the place to go if you're looking for a $500 bottle of Lafite, but for what most of my friends need in a wine store (good selection, sensible prices, knowledgeable staff, unpretentious environment, passionate about what they sell) it's ideal. I'm in there probably 6 times a year buying 4-6 cases at a time (what can I say, we Brits like a drink!), and I wouldn't go anywhere else if I could help it.