Fermented Grapes (Credit: Shawn Rosvold)

By Laurel Brown and Ferentz Lafargue

While attending a small get-together this weekend someone mentioned that the Heights Chateau, located at 123 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights, will deliver wines to Crown Heights.

We were amazed, because as most of us can attest, it’s hard to cajole businesses to deliver to the “fringe”.  And we definitely wouldn’t expect a Brooklyn Heights wine bar to be so open.  Yet, even though our party was on Union Street between New York  and Brooklyn Avenues they had no compunction servicing the area.  Moreover, when it became evident that they had inadvertently brought a wrong bottle, they didn’t merely swing right back around to correct the order, they also gave us a complimentary bottle.

So add this to our list of local delivery options.  The one catch is that you may have to order a few hours in advance, because they deliver based on when their guys will be in the area.  Our host had ordered the  wine around 2:00pm and they delivered it around 6:30pm.

680 Franklin (Credit: Shawn Rosvold)

However, if you’re willing to expend some energy and do the unfathomable act of walking to get your bottle of vino, there are a number of options in the area.  One of Crown Heights’ hidden treasures is Franklin Avenue’s Liquor & Wines.  Located at 680 Franklin Avenue, this shop appears at first glance to be a run of the mill liquor store, but if one ventures into the back of the store you’re apt to find an enticing wine selection. One can find a good dinner party bottle for about $10 -12 and a few higher end bottles for that special evening at home.

Washington Avenue also boasts a number of wine shops, at least three in the corridor between between Park Place and St. John, all of which straddle the fence between liquor store and wine shop.  The selection varies at each one, but you will find more fare than the Yellow Tail bottles that line shelves of most liquor stores in the area.

Although, if you’re looking for the full wine shop experience, then it’s worth the trip to Vanderbilt Avenue’s Fermented Grapes. While not necessarily stocking significantly more than the Liquor and Wine or its counterpart on Washington Avenue & St John, Fermented Grapes offers far more depth and a knowledgeable staff fully devoted to wine.  They boast a number of splendid Rieslings and always have an NP favorite Bogle merlot in stock.

Regardless of which approach you take, delivery or a short stroll, there’s no shortage of options for someone looking to eat, drink and be merry in Crown Heights.

And while we’re on the subject:

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