I used to live across the street from this wine shop in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood (1994-2002). They have another shop atop Queen Anne within walking distance from another former apartment. McCarthy & Schiering have provided one of my earliest introductions to an accessible wine education of which I am grateful. I had joined their wine membership eons ago, enjoyed the discounts, and kept up via newsletters, attending special events and periodic shop tastings on Saturdays. My last dedicated visit was last year on various sakés, and also bought some Malbecs (5/14/22). Recently, I had followed up on my March inquiry about a Leonetti merlot release last week. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a reply back from Jules (5/25/23). I lucked out on an available bottle. Guess others chose not to pick up or pay for their request. The bottle was a major splurge and now a worthy addition to my collection, as I had to give away earlier vintages to others. I'm glad that the pandemic and new ownership has been fairly seamless with McCarthy & Schiering remaining in business. Just updating my post. Highly recommended! read more

See all

McCarthy & Schiering was the first wine shop for me in Seattle and that was back in 1994! Great to see that they are still around! There may be larger stores, but they pack a TON of quality wines in a small space here. With age comes relationships, and they have great relationships with premier vineyards in Europe to smaller producers in WA state. Do not be afraid to ask questions as they are very knowledgeable. They have frequent tastings as well, and as others have mentioned, they do have a club which has an initial fee. But what I like is that you can get discounts on a single bottle rather than buying a case. read more

Great wine selection and very knowledgeable owners and staff. I joined the wine club for a reasonable price and I guess once you join, you are in for life. You get a discount on bottles that don't have a red mark on the price label when you join the club, along with some other benefits. Like that they are close to home and open often. read more

Part of this is in support of the idea of the idea of your knowledgeable neighborhood wine shop, and some of it is to support M&S specifically. Are McCarthy & Schiering the only place around you that might offer a weekly wine tasting? No. But if you attend tastings at BevMo or Total Wine, they're probably going to be a collection of wines you can get at your local grocery store. Or they'll be wines they get a special distributor's hook up on. Think cheaper California wine. But, do you love wine and want to gain a true insight into the world's wine regions? They won't do that for you. But your local neighborhood wine shop will. For those who live close to the U-Dub, that's why it's great we have McCarthy & Schiering. They love wine as much as you do. And if you're curious to learn about Bordeaux reds that won't break the bank, wait for their Cru Bourgeois or other tastings they might have throughout the year. They'll pour you a small taste of the good stuff, so you can understand what you're buying. Throughout the year, you'll get the chance to taste some great wines from France, Italy, Spain and other world regions. Along with the very best Washington producers that other wine shops could only dream of bringing to their shops. Is the $150 worth it to join their Vintage Select Buyer's Club? Do you think you'll buy 20 bottles or more over the next couple of years? If so, you've paid for that membership, and you get the cheaper prices for the rest of the time you're a customer of the shop. I look forward to many more years of wonderful tastings that let me fill my collection with wines that I know my family and friends will love for years to come. read more

Super friendly and helpful staff. I asked them to help me find a white and a rosé based upon my description of what I like and the wine they picked out for me was great! The store is small but has a gigantic selection (just don't try to walk in here with a stroller or a duffle bag on your hip). Highly recommended! read more

*I would dock them a star for being borderline snobby but dammit, they know their stuff *Join the lifetime club for a hundred bucks for 17% off all bottles, it's a steal *Just tell them what you want and they will grab the perfect bottle, "I'd like a red wine under 15 bucks for my new york I just bought at A&J that will rip my face off" See. Easy. read more

One of the funny things about these types of wine specialty shops is how many people are too intimidated to go in. You don't have to be a wine snob to go to a great wine shop! I often go here and say "Hey, I have 18 dollars, and I want something red, French, and dry" and they make a recommendation. They really know what they sell, unlike other places. Even if you have less than 18 dollars, don't hesitate to go here. There is nothing like getting good advice! The staff is wonderful, kind, thoughtful, and won't make you feel like a dumbass. read more

I visited today after reading all the great feedback on here, and I left empty-handed. The selection is is decent, which garnered this shop an extra star. However, I received no service while I was in here. I wandered in while about four or five other customers were in the store. The staff talked to the other guests as they browsed, gave suggestions, and offered tastings from the day's featured winery. But not once was I acknowledged. I was not greeted, no one came out to talk to me, I was not offered the wine being tasted, and no one even glanced in my direction. I was there for more than 15 minutes (and it's a small space, too), making three circuits around the store, including going up to the counter. I was in my work clothes, so I probably looked a little bit blue-collar, but my wife and I actually have a considerable wine budget. Had anyone bothered to talk to me, I likely would have taken something home. Instead, I ended up leaving and picking up a bottle at PCC instead. I've never had such treatment at a wine shop before. There's no excuse for deliberately poor service at a small specialty store. read more

This is truly a hidden gem on Queen Anne. Their selection and prices are the best I've found in the Seattle area. Additionally, all the staff are always eager to help and have a very deep and broad understanding of wine. Their Saturday tastings are not to be missed - especially when the winemaker is around to discuss his/her wines! read more

I'm a recent transplant to Queen Anne and decided to stop in here to scope it out after hitting up A&J. They have a good selection of wine, but you can get that at Safeway. What set this place apart was the service. The guy who helped me was super friendly and made a bunch of excellent recommendations, even for things that they didn't have at the time. I'm definitely signing up for emails and keeping an eye on their web site for tastings and events. read more

I've been coming here every so often for too many years now. Figured it was time to sing it praises on Yelp. Yes, it's small, almost claustrophobic . But its small space means they're only bringing in great bottles of wine! I have yet to be disappointed by anything I've brought home. The staff, while friendly, tends to be hands off but always willing to help should you ask. Good range in price points. Added bonus is being next door to a stellar butcher. read more

Visited this store yesterday on the recommendation of a co worker who's very knowledgable about wine. Brought my friend in with me who's very new to wine and wants to explore and expand her tastes. The selection is wonderful and very expansive. Only reason I'm giving 4 rather than 5 stars is because the service was mediocre. My friend and I could tell that the employer was not very enthusiastic about helping two young girls who probably didn't look "high end", but believe me, our wine budgets are in no way skimpy. The service wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either, we were helped out and acknowledged but I guess Richard from wine outlet has set the bar extremely high for other wine merchants. Would come here again simply for the wine selection. read more

This is the my favorite wine shop in Seattle. They have an amazing selection of french wines at various price points. The people who work there are very helpful! Don't feel intimidated by the vast array of choices in the store. Just let them know the region that interests you (Alscace, Bordeaux, Rhone, etc.), red or white, your price point, and they'll have some great recommendations for you! They also have Washington wines such as Tranche (my new favorite WA wine) that can't be found at a grocery store. Every Saturday they have tastings from 11 - 5 and it's a great way to sample wine. read more

Myself and few friends just stopped in today to purchase wine after graduation and the two employees working were super snoody and made it obvious that we weren't the type of customers they wanted in their shop. We were looking for bottles of dry white wine and the gentleman working there looked at us like we were idiots for not knowing the specific grape varietal we wanted. Also, there was a woman working who was wrapping bottles of wine so slowly, it seemed like she hated her life. They were miserable looking people, but the wine is great! read more

Excellent wine shop with friendly, knowledgeable staff who welcomed us to the neighborhood. I joined their wine club and enjoy their monthly wine tastings. You can also walk through an adjoining door to the excellent butcher B&E meats next door. What a great combination! read more

GREAT service! I came in here not knowing anything about wine but wanting to purchase some as a gift for a friend who quite enjoys it. I told them what I needed and how much I wanted to spend and not only were they helpful, but they didn't try to up sell me, instead giving me plenty of options within my price range and fully explaining the details of all of the wines they recommended. Everyone was super friendly and offered great advice. A great selection and great people. Thank you! read more

A refreshingly old school wine merchant - the real deal. Hand picked selections, competitive prices, great service. And note the temperature - it's spot on. What a great store, if I lived in Seattle I would shop here on a regular basis. read more

Far and away our favorite wine shop in Seattle. Another review called them snobby, but I haven't seen it. They are always very helpful and interested in educating their clients as well as selling wines that are fairly priced (but since they don't stock "grocery store" wines, the prices are not bargain basement). Staff lean the palates of the clients and make sound recommendations. Weekly Saturday tastings are always a highlight. Joining their "club" makes sound sense for anyone who purchases wine regularly. read more

Not only was the selection of wines the ultimate best from all over the world, the patrons were eclectic and eager to share their worldly sipping experiences. I didn't even mind the cost. read more

I walked here from my overpriced urbane apt in Ballard. Although I'm the problem w people who live in seattle they still helped me pick white and rosé based on my degree of ineptitude. Almost demoted a star since I had to use a crosswalk read more

Wonderful selection of wines. They are the only wine shop that carries the same (or better) A'Maurice wines that we can only get in the wine club. Super helpful and knowledgeable. I have never felt pressured to buy but i've also never gone away empty handed. Great shop. They have another location in Ravenna. read more

I was getting married on Labor Day and went in to McCarthy & Schiering since I had also just moved to Queen Anne! The guys in there were fantastic! Super nice, knowledgeable and made sure to congratulate me on my wedding. I ended up buying 10 bottles of champagne from them--5 "regular" and 5 rose-- that they recommended after hearing my budget and EVERYONE at the wedding commented on how good they both were! I love being able to support good, local businesses. read more

thank you for being in my neighborhood! i love that i have such a steller wine store so close to my house, and that it is staffed with such helpful people. i most always find what i need, and if i somehow don't there is always someone close at hand to help me find something else i want. great selection, wonderful store! read more