Holiday Biz Fills Area Wine Shop

Buying wine for your holiday party, but aren't sure what to pick up?

You're not alone.

You could walk out of Lynbrook's with an inexpensive bottle of Merlot, or spend far more, and buy a carefully aged Cabernet.

"When people come in this time of year, they'll go 'Can you recommend something?'" said Tim Dillon, a wine expert working at the 16-month-old Atlantic Avenue shop. "We'll ask, 'What's your budget?' Once they tell you that, then you can go and you can say what the best thing is in that price category and try to work with that."

For those customers looking for a generic wine — perhaps someone just stopping in before their holiday dinner — Dillon recommends a Merlot or Pinot Grigio. For those seeking a higher-end bottle, there are fine Italian wines such as Baralo, Brunello and Amarone, which can easily run above $60 per bottle.

The most popular bottle in the store, Dillon said, is a Cantina Zaccagnini, an Italian red wine that will run you $14.99.

"Put this on the table, it stands out against any other bottle we have in the store," he said, referring to the Cantina Zaccagnini's unique packaging, something Dillon says can entice a customer to purchase a particular bottle. "It's beautiful, and it goes with a lot of different types of meals because it's a similar grape to chianti."

Owners Amit Ram and Shania Kapoor have years of experience in the wine business, and say they always try to help people find what they are looking for. They're happy to suggest a particular wine to a customer, and encourage them to return and offer feedback.

The business also makes customized gift baskets for the holidays, weddings, and other events.

"We're here for good customer service, great wine, and just to try to help people out," said Ram. "We're always here to get stuff to people that they can't find, that's hard to find. Number one is customer service."

For more information about Wine & Spirits Shoppe, visit wineandspiritsshoppe.com.