The staff are very knowledgeable and the selection is great with new wines offered every week. Their wine tastings are fun and always lead by people very familiar with the wines being tasted. The first impression of the store is "chaotic" but once you get over that first impression, it becomes an adventure to roam around. And if you can't find a specific wine, ask the staff and they can typically find it almost immediately. read more

Very nice people. I went to a paid wine tasting for South America wines that was good. The store is a pretty basic setup. Lots of boxes all around, lots of bottles. Good if there is a lot of turnover but I wonder how long they keep the wine. It's like any wine store. Everything is stored standing up. Lots of sunlight but most things are in boxes. read more

They have a very useable website, good support staff who are knowledgeable, good wine selection, and good prices at different price points.

This is our favorite place, bar none, to try and buy wine. The staff always has choice wine at the best prices. Skip the masses at the big-box store and come here first! read more

Westgate Wine Store - a man sitting at a bar with a glass of wine - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Had a fantastic tasting here last Friday and stocked up on some hard to find gems that Chrish and I both agree are drinking like wines 2-3x their price. Folks were knowledgeable, generous and very helpful in ordering some wines for us and helping select some value bottles for an upcoming party. We'll certainly be back - might bring some cheese and bread along for the next tasting too :-) read more

Little gem to buy great wines for cheaper than you can find them. Also, come in for free samples and tastings on the weekends. read more

Westgate Wine Store - Little gem to buy great wines for cheaper than you can find them. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place is close to our home, so I really wanted to like it. Sadly, we didn't. We went on a Saturday afternoon specifically because that's when they have wine tastings. The center of the store is filled with rectangular folding tables and folding chairs, which is where they conduct wine tastings. It didn't look very comfortable and certainly isn't charming or even attractive. But all the seats were taken, and we inquired about participating in the tasting. We were told (pretty bluntly) to come earlier another day because the "regulars get here early." Okay, then. I guess we're SOL. We wandered around the shop looking at the inventory, and no one ever offered to help. I noticed they carrued several wines from South Africa and asked if they had more. The staff member said they did, but he clearly didn't know where it was located in the store. Nor did he know anything about the wines. The shop is warehouse style. I'm good with that if the inventory is well organized and the retail prices reflect the no frills environment. Neither is true at Westgate. We did purchase a half dozen bottles (rather blindly since we couldn't taste or get assistance from the staff). I waited to write this review until we had opened most of those. None were outstanding values, or even good values, but all were serviceable. We see no reason to return. Now that I've written this out, I'm wondering why I didn't give them one star. . . read more

I am a frequent online purchaser. Great prices Great service Love this place. I order nationally: K&L, Lincoln, BestWinesOnline, etc. These folks deliver on everything. read more

I have used Westgate a fair amount in the last few months, and I am satisfied so far. I am aware that one of the owners had a store that went under, and I understand there were bridges burned. However, in asking Westgate about this, I've been told that the financial backer for the new company is actually running the business with special legal considerations for avoiding any risk at all of the property seizure that occurred at Carolina Wine, and is handling all business logistics, and allowing the other owner to handle wine selection, etc. All that to say, so far so good, and I recommend giving Westgate a new try- don't take my word for it! Find out yourself! Cheers. read more

Westgate Wine used to be Carolina Wine Company, who filed for bankruptcy protection and left lots of customers (including me) without wines that they had purchased as futures/pre-arrivals. The same person who started Carolina Wine Co started Westgate Wine and has no ethics. I had pre-purchased a bunch of wines (Bordeaux futures as well as pre-arrival Italian wines), and lost nearly a thousand dollars because of this company. What was especially unethical was that they kept saying "we're getting your wines in any time now", and that kept going on for weeks, then months. After I realized that they were just stringing me along, I asked for refunds, but they would not give any. They simply held on to my (and other customer's) money. If you're looking to buy wine that they physically have in their store, and they have a great price on it, by all means, go for it. However, if you are ever offered any wines to pre-purchase or as pre-arrivals or futures, I would highly recommend that you stay away from these people. They can not be trusted as I and hundreds of customers found out the hard way. The owner should be banned from the wine industry and never allowed to rip off customers ever again. read more

I was down in Raleigh from NYC and my friend took me to her local go-to wine place. At first glance I was skeptical (the decor leaves a bit to be desired!) but the staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and they made me feel comfortable, despite my less than expert wine IQ. They immediately greeted us and invited us to sit and taste their wines of the day. After I expressed my interest in rose (it is summer after all) they gave me a taste of their personal favorites and helped me pick out the perfect bottle. I left with a couple of my favorites and some newly discovered wines! If you would like to visit a wine store staffed by passionate and knowledgeable wine lovers, this is absolutely the place to go. They care about their customers and their wines alike - I now understand why it is my friend's favorite spot! read more

Westgate Wine carries great wines at very reasonable prices. Typically, their prices are lower than you can find anywhere else for the same wine. Chrish has been selling wine in the area for a very long time, and he certainly knows his wines and typically only stocks very good to great wines. The environment is very low key, and maybe this is not the place to go if you are looking for a high-brow tasting, but it is a great place to go to find great wine, and this is one of the only stores in the area that will give you a generous taste before you buy as long as the wine is on the tasting bar. I have always been treated professionally and with respect, and the staff has always been courteous and efficient. read more

Not a typical wine store. And thank goodness Chrish is back. Westgate Wines is in a small, lower-cost, storefront in the back of an industrial zone behind a used car lot not far from the seedy side of the RDU airport. Definitely NOT a place you would pass by and stop. What it does have is access to Chris Peel, perhaps the finest wine expert in this or any area. Over the many years that I have been buying wine, I found that it is important to find someone who has taste similar to your, not just someone who reads wine reviews articles and attends distributor tastings. I've worked with many wine professionals, who offered great selections at great prices, but their taste in wine was not exactly like mine and while perhaps excellent for others. Not so much for me. I've known Chris for nearly 20 years, dating back to his Carolina Wine days, and always found complete alignment between his tastes and mine. Sometimes I'm looking for an inexpensive wine for a quick dinner and a movie. Chrish recently selected something I had never heard of for $10. Superb. Sometimes I need something expensive as a premium gift. Again Chrish offers great suggestions and I always get great feedback from the recipient. If you are impressed, or like to impress others, with high review numbers or brand name vineyards, you should seriously shop elsewhere. If you simply like to DRINK great wine, you as missing a remarkable life experience if you are not working with Chrish Peel. Worth the trip. Highly recommended. read more

Friendly staff. Very helpful. I went in and was greeted promptly. I was asked questions about what types of wines I like and then given suggestions on different wines they had in stock. Also they will find wines for you if they don't have them. read more

In the past, most Westgate Wine tastings on the weekend were free. This past weekend the store offered four wines in a free tasting and five other more expensive wines for a $10 tasting fee. This seems very reasonable to me and is certainly more economical than taking home bottles you haven't tasted and then maybe don't really like when you open them. Several of the staff members have extensive knowledge of the wines they sell and can be helpful in recommending wines for your preferences. The store also does a lot of its business through online sales so I feel fortunate that I live close enough to Raleigh to try some of the wines before purchasing them. To those upset by a charge for tastings, remember that most restaurants don't let you sample a variety of dishes before purchasing a meal and wine tastings in Napa Valley can be quite costly. The free tasting for less expensive wines and the small fee for more expensive wines seems a good compromise read more

This is a very different wine store as you don't go to browse aisles and aisles of wine, but rather have a seat and taste some delicious wines from a well curated list. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Chrish has an encyclopedic mind for wine and they do a great job of finding the best value for their customers. Stop by for a taste and a laugh. read more

It is always a terrific experience visiting this wine store. They change up their inventory fairly regularly by bringing in wines of the highest quality that one does not find in the mass market. Their staff, especially Sallee, the VP of Customer Delight (yes- that really is her title), learn your tastes very quickly and remember you for the next time with recommendations that are right in your sweet spot. Definitely worth a visit for their tastings. A first class establishment. read more

I used to enjoy going to their wine tastings on the weekends, but went in yesterday with some friends and they allowed a patron to bring their pet dog with 2 young children who were allowed to crawl on the floor while other adults were trying to enjoy their wine. Some of the patrons can be allergic to dogs, so I don't think pets should be allowed (unless they are seeing eye dogs, etc.). The dogs and young children were a distraction and the person who is supposed to be telling us about the wine, opted to go play with the dog and children rather than tell us about the wine we were drinking. If they want to be a serious wine store and discuss wine with their patrons who want to learn about wine and maybe even purchase some, they need to do a better job of focusing on their adult customers! read more

I have made many online purchases from Westgate over the past year and have found them to be completely delightful to work with. The wines are priced quite competitively and at times offer an astounding discount from other venues. If ever there is an error of any kind, they offer a prompt and courteous refund with no questions asked. I can recommend these folks most highly. read more

I enjoy every visit to Westgate Wine. I've even introduced my family and friends to this unique wine buying experience. All of the associates are helpful and knowledgeable, and the best part is that I get to taste the wine before I buy. Now I don't waste money on wines that are better in the bottle than on the palate. Thank you to Westgate Wine for a consistently excellent wine experience! read more

I've never visited the store because I live in another state, but in recently using their mail-order service I discovered that shipments must be signed for when delivered If there is no one home when UPS arrives, the package will not be delivered. This information is not prominently stated on their website. Because this is an inconvenience for many working families, the Westgate Wine Store website should warn potential buyers about the necessity of having someone home to sign for the package. read more

I love this place. Great wine at incredible low prices and a friendly, knowledgeable staff. Wine tasting on Saturdays is fun and I've walked away with quite a few excellent Pinots and other great wines. The selection varies from week to week and is not as extensive as some other large stores, but I have not been anywhere that can touch the value. read more

I belong to a wine society and attend wine tastings on a regular basis, in addition to enjoying in store and winery tastings in the area and whenever I travel. I feel Westgate offers a great selection of wine for daily tastings that usually surpass MOST of the tastings I've attended. While you can learn more from Crish than the others, you can also learn from the other folks tasting. The store draws a lot of wine fans. Prices are good especially for the middle to higher end wines. read more

Chrish was a wonderful host and presented the wines with just the right amount of information. This is our first visit but not the last. We had a nice variety of whites and red but the Sauternes was an unexpected pleasure. read more

I am a person who loves to experience and enjoy wines. While I primarily enjoy reds I also like and enjoy some white wines. I am retired and have purchased wines for a very long time and at many stores and vineyards within the USA. About a little over a year ago I discovered Westgate Wine Store. It is unique in many ways. They have a unique business model that if you are interested asks them to explain. What I like is they offer good to great deals on wines. What I especially like is you can stop by almost any day of the week and they are offering free tastings of many wines daily and in a real wine glass not a plastic pill cup. Even better they email you what wines they have on special and are tasting in the store. For me this is great. Because who wants to purchase a bottle of wine for $15 - $30 or higher only to find out that it has too much tannins, or is to thin or not fruity enough, or not a good vintage, etc. At Westgate I can taste many of the wines first and know exactly what I am buying. This method probably also leads me to buy more then I should. But that is my problem. Lastly, I must mention the staff that are a pleasure to work with and very knowledgeable about wines and the wine industry. From the time you walk in you know this is going to be a different wine buying experience. It's kind of like a little social event centered on wine. Not a bad thing. I suggest if you have questions ask anyone. One last thing I like is if I get an email from them with a wine special at a price I like I can just email or call and purchase the wine or have the wine held. This helps my personal schedule and fewer trips to the store. But then I miss the free tastings. Anyway try them out its well worth the trip. read more