As Miami-Dade County continues to deal with curfews and other COVID-19 restrictions, people are trying to find ways to stay busy and avoid cabin fever. One way they’re doing that: wine—and a lot of it. Zoom happy hours and other virtual drinking activities are now the norm since bars are currently closed (with no reopening date in sight).
While you could stock up on wine at your local supermarket or big-box store, it’s more important than ever to support your local mom-and-pop shops. Here are four fun locally owned wine shops to help you build up your quarantine collection.
Happy Wine
The name says it all: Once you step in, the giant selection of bottles will have you grinning from ear to ear. This Calle Ocho staple has been supplying locals and visitors alike with reasonably priced libations since the early 2000s. It started as a humble retail store and then expanded into a full-fledged bar and restaurant with daily activities like live music and generous happy hours. Although the events have (unsurprisingly) died down a bit due to the pandemic, the wine selection hasn’t; expect to over a thousand different labels up for grabs. If you want to stay and chat with the owners Juan Carlos Restrepo and Joanna Fajardo, order a glass of wine and some of Happy Wine’s delicious tapas like octopus, Spanish sausage and piquillo peppers to enjoy on-site (and outside for right now).
Happy Wine is located at 5792 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33144. For more information, click here.
Lost Boy Dry Goods
While people know Lost Boy Dry Goods as a bar, the pandemic has forced the watering hole to shift gears and turn into a storefront until restrictions are lifted. The result: Lost Boy’s vast selection is available for purchase at a discount. Don’t expect anything fancy like natural wines on the menu; Lost Boy’s offerings stick to more conventional and familiar choices. But unlike the other entries on this list, Lost Boy’s menu extends beyond just wine—spirits, beers, and cocktails to go are also available. For a little bit of everything, check this place out.
Lost Boy Dry Goods is located at 157 East Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, click here.
Lucio Wine Shop
For rare selections, look no further than Little River’s Lucio Wine Shop. The family-owned gem focuses on natural wines and more obscure finds like skin-contact (“orange”) wines that you won’t find at other retailers. Each visit is a new experience, as owner Lucio Bueno is constantly restocking and changing up his offerings. The store usually hosts complimentary tastings, but due to everything going on, those have been placed on hold for right now. That said, Bueno won’t steer you wrong with his discerning palate. If you’re up for a wine adventure, this is the place.
Lucio Wine Shop is located at 207 Northeast 82nd Terrace, Miami, FL 33138. Click here to visit the official website.
Medium
Medium is a pop-up wine store located inside Downtown Miami’s NIU Kitchen. Since NIU Kitchen is taking a break until things die down, owner Karina Iglesias has transformed the space into a makeshift wine shop. The space itself is tiny—NIU could only hold around 30 people—but the selections are varied and flavorful. It’s an intimate little place, and Iglesias is more than happy to chat with you about the wines on sale as well as wine in general. Red, white, rose, orange … you’ll definitely find what you’re seeking here.
Medium is located at 134 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33132. View their wine selection here.
