These Are Our Favorite Wine Shops in the West

Gabby Terracciano and Brant Ozanich didn’t expect to build out an entire wine shop by themselves in the middle of a pandemic, but that’s what they did. The Oregon couple wanted to provide “honestly made wines for any palate and price point.” 

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So tucked into a tree-lined street in northeast Portland is Dogwood Wine & Flowers, a cozy yet modern wine and flower shop that offers more than just vino. Not only does the couple curate bottles from across the West Coast and Europe, but Terracciano also creates stunning bouquets with the likes of Ann Cousins peonies, Distant Drum roses and Jacob’s Ladder. 

“I believe it should be customary to have a fresh bouquet on the table every week,” says Terracciano, who’s worked as a florist since 2016. 

Alissa Slater/Courtesy Dogwood Wine & Flowers

Terracciano sources the blooms from local farms, proudly displaying each week’s list of purveyors in the shop. That same mentality translates to the wine: While Dogwood’s selection is not entirely natural per se, the shop highlights small production and family-owned wineries, giving “preference” to organic and biodynamic farming practices, the couple says. And several in their selection are Oregon gems.

Take Landmass 2020 Chenin Blanc, for example. Winemakers Melaney Schmidt and Malia Myers are making “stellar whites, sparkling and rosé from all over Oregon,” the Dogwood owners said. “Their new release of Rogue Valley Chenin Blanc has ample acidity and a beautiful texture. It’s rare to see Chenin in Oregon, so one made in a reserved Loire-esque style is a treat!”

Then there’s Lavinea 2014 Tualatin Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir. “Winemaker Isabelle Meunier makes taut, focused wines of the Burgundian style, with incredible age-ability,” the couple says. “We were lucky to get some of this library release from the first vintage and are excited about the bottle age. It’s just starting to really come alive.” Bonus points: Dogwood is the “only merchant to carry this wine,” Lavinea vintner Greg Ralston says.

Gabby Terracciano/Courtesy Dogwood Wine & Flowers

More of the couple’s current favorite include Morgen Long 2019 Willamette Valley Chardonnay made by Seth Long, who trained in Burgundy. “Out of respect he’d never say this, but his wines are near-dead ringers for Meursault. They have an electric, wild energy about them but remain incredibly elegant,” the pair says.

You also can grab a bottle of Redolent Wine Co.’s 2019 Brother from Another Mother, made with “Nebbiolo from Washington’s high deserts and Pinot Noir from Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley co-fermented in the passetoutgrain tradition,” the owners say. “It’s a vibrant wine with high-tone fruit from the pinot and gritty structure from the Nebbiolo.”

Ultimately, Terracciano and Ozanich say they hope Dogwood customers leave with an overwhelming feeling that it is “indeed always worth it to treat oneself to a beautiful bouquet and a thoughtfully selected bottle of wine.”

Here are a few more of our favorite wine shops serving up good sips. We’ll keep updating this list as we make our way across the West:

Bottlehouse

Seattle, Washington

Courtesy Bottlehouse

Owners Henri Schock and Soni Dave-Schock call this a “wine bar with benefits,” and we can’t think of a better description: Take your pick of bottles from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, or sit down for a signature cheesemonger board with seasonal meats and cheese.

Castro Village Wine Co.

San Francisco, California

Courtesy Castro Village Wine Co.

If a wine shop has a window display detailing “Great Women of Wine,” we’re going to walk in the door. That’s the vibe you’ll find at this Bay Area gem. It first opened in 1980 as an “homage to the merchant association started by Harvey Milk,” says co-owner James Kelm (who calls Milla Handley and Alison Smith-Story two inspiring women in California wine). Now, shop manager Joseph Estrada curates a selection of small-production California wines.

Dead or Alive Bar + Shop

Palm Springs, California

Lance Gerber/Courtesy Dead or Alive Bar + Shop

This is where you can find a well-curated selection of California natural wine in the low desert. Palm Springs Wine Fest founder Christine Soto turned her bar into a bottle shop during the pandemic, though it was already a gathering spot for young and old locals alike. Grab a bottle to go or sit beside a glowing orb that changes color all night.

Miracle Plum 

Santa Rosa, California

Sara Sanger/Courtesy Miracle Plum

Sallie Miller and Gwen Gunheim are behind this market, natural wine shop and bar—plus the kitchen and take-out window a few blocks away. Grab everything from Sonoma Coast Pinot to Sichuan chili oil. “We ask a lot of questions when folks come in looking for a bottle of wine or something for dinner,” the pair said. “There are no wrong answers.”

Molly’s Bottle Shop

Seattle, Washington

Courtesy Molly Ringe

If you love natural wine, you’ll love Molly’s Bottle Shop. Well, make that shops. Owner Molly Ringe now has two locations in the greater Seattle area. The shop also has a bottle club, so you can receive curated bottles of natural wine each month.

Petite Soif

Seattle, Washington

Brooke Fitts/Courtesy Petite Soif

Snacks and wine are the specialties here, from roasted shallot dip with kettle chips to tinned fish with romesco, saltines, and piparras. Expect natural vino, including American favorites like Old Westminster cans.

Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop

Oakland, California

Courtesy Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop

Enjoy the outdoor patio at this Oakland bar “serving natural wines, beers and small-production ciders.” The space is kid-friendly, and the menu features small bites like marinated goat cheese, and hummus and crackers.

Valley Bar + Bottle Shop

Sonoma, California

Emma K. Morris/Courtesy of Valley Bar + Bottle Shop

Head to Sonoma’s town square to nab dinner or weekend brunch at this cozy shop—think olive oil cake with sour cream and preserves, and fried chicken with cucumber and coconut-peanut curry. Or, you can simply drop in to pick up a bottle of wine. The newly dubbed Bib Gourmand team focuses on producers that are farming with “organic, biodynamic, regenerative, and traditional agricultural practices,” as they write on their website.

Vinovore

Los Angeles, California

Courtesy Vinovore

“The future is female winemakers.” That’s the mantra of this Los Angeles bottle shop celebrating natural wines made by women. If that’s your jam then run, don’t walk, to check out the bottles (and wine club) curated by owner Coly Den Hann.

Wine & Rock Shop

Yucca Valley, California

Courtesy Wine & Rock Shop

Go digging for crystals inside this wine shop right off the highway near Joshua Tree National Park—just look for the alien standing outside the building. The vibes are a high desert combination of disco balls and black onyx. Owners Justin Boyes and Monica Navarro are also behind several popular shops in Los Angeles, including Wine & Eggs.

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