The Wine Buff

Walking into The Wine Buff in Ranelagh, you will instantly know that you are in a different kind of retail wine shop. The store feels cozy and warm, with enough product to have a great selection, but not so many bottles that you can’t feel comfortable lingering a bit to look through the shelves and find something new and appealing. (It’s a bit like a great, intimate book store, but with alcohol in the mix!)
If you aren’t sure which bottle will best suit your mood, you can always ask the owner, Ivor, for some of his thoughtful insights. Being in The Wine Buff with Ivor is like walking into a high-​end store with a private sommelier, but with wines that are reasonably priced. Most seem to be in the 10 – 15 euro range, and the most expensive is under 30.
How can this be? Ivor is happy to talk about wines and The Wine Buff, and so I asked him a little about the business. As he describes it, the wines selected by Wine Buff business owners are «inexpensive,» not cheap. In part, it’s because they negotiate with and buy directly from producers in long-​term relationships. The owners also get to really know the producers and their wines («One of my best customers is myself,» Ivor says), and so they have good knowledge about what they sell.
While Wine Buff owners work together, each store also has unique touches. In Ranelagh, there are cards by Irish artist John Nolan. I have to admit that I’m a sucker for poppies, and so I bought a poppy-​themed card to send to a good friend back in the States. Oh, and of course I bought a very nice bottle of wine that Ivor recommended.
If you want to find a great bottle of wine, feel good about the sourcing of your purchase, and also feel a bit smug about the price you paid, go visit Ivor in Ranelagh.

A gem of a shop!
It looks a little fancy and intimidating — I walked by for months before I finally went in to check it out.
Surprisingly affordable and very nice wine. The owner is also very kind, as well as knowledgable and helpful.
This has become a regular stop these days.