I have never been so impressed at entering a new shop as I have here…read more.. The staff were warm and welcoming allowing us to try as many things as we liked, with no pressure. The concept of Demijohn is that of a liquid deli, selling both vinegars and oils for your cooking, as well as wines and spirits for afterwards. You buy your bottle from them, due to EU regulations, but you can then fill it with anything you like, and take it back for refills. The staff were incredible friendly and welcoming, allowing us to try many different products, even after we'd chosen what we were having, as well as advising us on various combinations we could try. If you're ever in York you simply have to try this place!

From the owner: Demijohn is unique - both its method of selling, which is similar to the continental markets, and…read morethe products it sells, which are all carefully sourced from small producers around the UK. Many of the liquids are only available at Demijohn and are as unusual and distinctive as the British culture. Visiting Demijohn is better than a trip to a bar as customers are encouraged to taste the products before their purchase is bottled for them in the shop. The staff are more than sales people - they are passionate about the quality of the liquids and the provenance. Such is their passion they even close the shops occasionally and all head to the hedgerows to collect elderflowers for Elderflower Vinegar or sloes for the Sloe Gin. Demijohn doesn't just sell alcohol. One whole area of the shop is devoted to unusual vinegars and oils. With flavours such as rich red Bramble Vinegar from Perthshire or beautiful, first class extra virgin olive oil from a small estate in Tuscany. Wild Bullace has only a little left, so get there quick and Rhubarb Vodka is back on tap.... Come and try!

Excellent range of beers, this is where we got the Bitter for our wedding. They also have a nice…read morecheese counter as well. They have a website: http://www.yorkbeerandwineshop.co.uk/beershop%20Site/contents.html

This small shop is a little hidden away on a side street. When coming along the river, look for the…read moresign to the shop about few hundreds meters from the Blue Bridge - that's how we discovered it. Wonderful selection of beers and ciders from small breweries around Yorkshire and the isle, and good selection of wines from around the world. Owner was welcoming and knowledgable. Nice little discovery.

Well stocked decent sized wine shop with easy access by foot or car. In a good part of town so not…read moreso many problems with teens massing outside or swiping cans of cider. Excellent offers and open until late.

This is a small but very well stocked Threshers store which sells alcohol of all descriptions! The…read morestaff are friendly but not pushy and there is a good range of mixers etc to buy to go with your drinks (although more expensive than you'd get them for in Tescos etc). Threshers run some fantastic offers for seasonal events and their window displays are fantastic (will add a picture next time I'm in town!). Located in the market square there is two hour free parking (which is changing in October) and they stores will accept cash and credit and debit cards. Highly recommended for a gift purchase as the staff will help you find the right gift for the rightperson to suit your budget and will offer but not bully you into buying tags / bottlebags etc. The only problem with threshers is that it is very small (as in width) and I have ben in several times with a pushchair in the past with my heart in my mouth as it was a tight squeeze to say the least. How wheelchair users would fare Im not sure and although the staff would be helpful, its not the same as being able to browse yourself.

This is the biggest shop in the Oddbins chain. It has a large warehouse at the back but a really…read moremassive floor space at the front. The selection of wine is massive with cheap bottles mingling happily with a fine section as well as some beer and cider. The staff here are very attentive and hark back to the Oddbins I used to shop at in the early 90's. These guys are seriously into their wine and love to talk about it. There is always a bustle about the place as they run a large wholesale operation so people whizz about with trolleys loaded with boxes, but will always find time to help you with your wine buys if they can. If you want good wine and decent advice this is the plce to go in leeds. The selection is really excellent and the advice to go with it is always available with special offers always on.

I'm a generous kind of person. What can I say it's the type of girl I am. So I'm feeling the need…read moreto spread a little love. So how can I resist a quick stop at Martinez Wines? Ilkley is awash with great shops and I must admit Martinez Wines is definitely up there with the best of them. It's a great shop, packed obviously with wines and all sorts of treats. To my delight I also found a cheeky bottle of Frangelico liqueur. To those not aware of the joys of this beverage, it's a quite stunning hazelnut number that is pretty hard to track down. Trust me to like expensive and hard to find Italian drinks. It's a bit like the men I look for as well. Armed with so much choice, I asked for some advice on top tipples and got a very knowledgeable and friendly man to help me find a cracking bottle of red for my dad. Everything they stock goes through a rigorous tasting process and they were happy to tell me that all the staff are involved in the tastings. They even have wines from Lebanon and more spirits than you can shake a stick at. If you're looking for that special drink or to indulge yourself on a Saturday night then they have the stock and staff to help find a delightful drink. Excellent.

Martinez is just the sort of wine store you'd expect to find in a posh little place likely Ilkley…read more Near the world famous Betty's, it has a similar reputation of class and expense, and the owners and staff of this independent place really know their stuff about wine. I actually went in here with my wine-obsessed parents, and even they were struck by the range (and price) of some of the stuff on offer. With wine from every region of every country you'd expect (France, Australia, Argentina) and some you wouldn't expect (Lebanon) they offer any true wine lovers and absolute haven and are only too keen to recommend the wine that fits your bill. The rather exotic name doesn't do this image any harm either.