Catskill Cellars

Catskill Cellars replaced a nice shop up in Unadilla as my favorite local wine store, after that place closed down a few years ago. The selection isn’t very because it is in a sparsely populated area, but better than everything I’ve seen in the area outside of Oneonta… Actually the absinthe and whiskey selection is better than anything In Oneonta, which must have at least a dozen traffic lights to Dowsnville’s one… The staff are friendly and fairly knowledgable, with the owner Julie being very, not fairly, knowledgable.

The best wine store in that area. Period. The owner has a passion for what she offers and it shows. If you have the chance to have her recommend anything to you, listen carefully to her explanation: it comes from the heart and it shows. As a French man myself, it is the only place in the Catskills where I can find moderately priced white and red French wine that is moderately priced — their selection of «crus bourgeois» is something I would have expected only in the best wine stores in Manhattan. Their Loire valley white wines are priced so that you have no excuse not to try them. In summer, they have some great rosés that are wonderful to drink casually and well chilled. They have learned to understand my taste and I trust them always when they recommend anything to me from California, South America and other regions.
These points alone justify my 5 star rating. I would give them a sixth star if I could for having initiated us to Absinthe. Once again, discussing with the owner was so helpful to get the right kind for us (not too much anis), understand how to prepare it and get the right gear… We are addicted… For the taste of course, not for the hallucinogen compounds that used to be part of its preparation in the 19^th century — have you seen any Toulouse Lautrec painting?
We feel so blessed to be able to rely on Catskill Cellars for our entertaining needs. Thank you for your dedication and passion.