Garnet Wines & Liquors

Garnet has been sold! Just one salesman who was at lunch at 4pm. All of the knowledgeable ones are gone. One idiotic cashier who just giggles.
That’s the end of a wonderful store.

with the new ownership the selection is not good at all, they don’t know anything about wine and is just a bunch of commercial brands. if you want Kendall Jackson, Yellow Tail, Cupcake and all that garbage here you will find it. (if the sales were good with the bottles they carried before why would you change them?)

Atrocious service — I ordered a bottle of wine to go to SF, FedEx ground. So far it’s taken 8 days to arrive. Don’t use Garnet for mail order. Unprofessional — they switched my tracking number, didn’t alert me, so it appeared that only a label has been printed a week later. Had to call to get new tracking number, and now see that the bottle has yet to arrive. Waste of money and time.

New ownership. Trying to bring good service, including delivery to the area. I moved here recently, and checked out a half dozen wine/​liquor shops in the area.
This is the friendliest, best stocked and best priced, as far as I can see, compared to what I reviewed.
SL @ 59/​Park will reign above them all as premium wine shop, but this little gem has it all: a great selection of wine and spirits at a good value with same day delivery in the area!
Also – important to me alone maybe, the people are very nice!
Life is short … Buy from nice people!

New ownership.
Should have known when the usual entrance door was locked and I had to enter through the exit door something was amiss. Oh yes, the big yello and tacky signage on the window screaming sale should also have been an indicator but I was in a hurry and in need to get holiday shopping done.
The aisles looked the same br when I went to The counter to ask for a boxed champagne that cos $ 150 I noticed all the rude Russian and Hispanic cashiers were replaced with young Indian ones. They seem to struggle with gift wrap and even yelled back they were not professional gift repairs whrn I asked they not leave big unwrapped square on the bottom of the champagne.
The owner or manager offered me 5 percent off for the rudeness, which was accepted, but I’m sad the Garnett I’ve loved and relied on for over a decade is now gone.
Good luck new owners! I’m a supporter of small businesses but ill probably shop elsewhere.

This was an awesome store until the recent ownership change. Too bad, it had a great selection and helpful salespeople. I guess I’ll have to now go to Best Cellars, or the higher priced Sherry-​Lehman.

New owner… doesn’t know anything about wine or customer service. It’s going to be another store stock with plonks.

I am writing to report on the totally rude an inappropriate behavior received at the hands of the manager or person in charge. Middle aged, slightly built man with glasses. I 1went to purchase a wine I had purchase before at a reasonable good price. This individual spoke to me rudely and pedantically and informed me that they had sold 22 cases of that wine and there is no more. He never smiled, never offered me an alternative. Each time I visited this liquor store I received the same awful treatment. He should not be in charge if he cannot smile and be helpful and gracious

Overall I’m very happy with Garnett. Partly cause it’s a block from my apt which makes it convenient, but they also have a nice selection. I’m partial to moderately pricy Spanish reds and Chateuaneuf de Pape and the occasional reisling and they always have a nice variety of both in stock. It’s well stocked and the prices are reasonable — and downright good when they are having a sale.
I agree with some of the posters, the staff is mixed, more good than bad I think and I’ve never had a problem with the cashiers, but it’s not always possible to ask a question as they seem a little understaffed to provide regular help At least, it’s pretty hit or miss the occasional time I’ve had a question or two.
But overall I think it’s a good store.

Midtown’s best selection of Brooklyn Whiskey. The staff knows knows their stuff and are always happy to point out various choices based on your descriptions. The owner, Guido, is a true New York City icon — he’s been running the store for 30+ years.

racists. and rude
do not go into this store, if it’s the last liquor and wine store in the world, then it’s time to stop drinking.
they acost people of color and accuse them of stealing, even when they’ve had no indication that it’s occurred; they demand to search a bag, and when they determine nothing’s been taken, they don’t even apologize!
this is 2014: people of color — any color– and wearing any kind of dress they choose to wear — deserve to be treated with respect at all times.
do not patronize this store. ever

Great prices. Wonderful selection.

Not for nothing it is another typical liquor store located in the UES. No one asked me if I needed any help but I did find two wines under $ 15.00 that I enjoyed greatly but not due to the help of any one else.

Worst. Delivery. Ever.
I have ordered for delivery several times and it always involves wasting an entire day waiting for them. They won’t schedule a delivery time, not even a 2 hour window. Last time they brought me the wrong order, so after waiting all day I was told I would have to wait until he finished the rest of his deliveries and then he would go back to the store and get my order. Horrible customer service. And it wasn’t a cheap order — it was over $ 150. Never again.

This wine store on Lexington and 69^th Street has a great selection of wines, but I have been very disappointed with the attention they give to their customers. I had purchased a not expensive wine there to be used for cooking, and I decided that I liked it very much and wanted a case of it. I went to the store yesterday and asked for help finding it again. The man who helped me took me to an area where he thought it would be and said he had no more. Well, right in front of me were 6 bottles that he didn’t see. I told him I wanted a case and he told me he would retrieve another 6 bottles and send e a case. I went to the checkout, paid for the case, and was told it would be delivered the next day. Well, the next day it did not come, and I called the store at 5pm. They could not find my order, I was left on hold for quite awhile. Then they told me they would call me back. To make a long story short, they told me they only had 4 bottles. But, said, there were 6 on the shelf and you were going to make a case for me. The person apologized. I think they sold the six bottles and just had 4 left. If I did not call them today, no one would have called me. They will send me the 4 tomorrow and wait for more of the wine to come in. The store is not organized and they do not afford their customers the care they deserve. Perhaps tomorrow I will cancel the whole order and search for the wine online and have it delivered.
I do NOT recommend the store. It’s not a friendly place to visit. I have had much better wine experiences elsewhere. Really a great disappointment.

Only been here once but I found it, while clearly huge and stocked with a range of impressive wines, quite off-​putting in terms of service.
I don’t spend a lot of money on wine – 10 and under on daily basis, will splurge for 15 on special occasions – and I’m sure if you have money to spend on great wine this is a perfectly reasonable place to go with staff you become friendly with who want to help you find your perfect wine.
(Actually, the amount I pay for wines by the glass in restaurants, I could consistently drink 15 dollar wine and 15 at Trader Joe’s or Bevmo! buys you a very nice wine indeed. Or a combo of 10 and 20 wines rather than a mean of 7.)
Embassy Wines has a bargain basement where I bought the most truly disgusting 6.99 wine of my life – Tail Poppy – but I love the service there and should I spend 10 to 15 on a bottle, I’d rather go there.
67 Wine is my favorite uptown place. Great under 10 wins but you can spend 20, 40, 60 too.
With my budget, I see no need to return to Garnet, though I really liked the Old Vine 58 which I picked out by myself based on the label’s claim that this was the «house pour at fine dining establishments for years» or something like that. 12.99 and very good.

They have wine from the Canary Islands! I’ve had trouble finding this type of wine in the NY/​NJ area.
Perfectly acceptable service and selection.

I have been a client of Garnet for over 7 years. Even though I moved to the West Village, I continued to order from Garnet. But no more. Recently I attended their wine tasting event (costing $ 20). I tasted and ordered 2 bottles of Nobilo Icon 2009 along with several other wines. They confirmed my entire order but when delivered, I received Nobilo 2011. I spoke to a very rude salesman to question my order who insisted that they only had in stock 2011 (even though their website confirmed that they had 31 bottles from 2009). The only solution he had was to send their truck over to pick up these bottles. After making a formal complaint on line, I was contacted by Garnet. Their apologies are not enough, I consider their sales borderline fraud or at least very poor management!

Simply said, order online or by phone but avoid going into the store for help; it is unlikely you will get any.
I went to find a particular Spanish vermouth. When I asked where I could locate it, the salesman looked up from his texting to direct me to the «guy up front.» Since there were several gathered there, I asked which one. «The black guy,» was the response. Another fellow, the manager it turns out, was too busy checking his watch to ask whether I needed any help. It turned out that the African American salesman actually did know his business. So, if you must go into the store, be certain to find him and avoid all others. They have no interest in helping.
This advice is based on several visits throughout the years. [see my previous review] If anything, things have gotten worse.
Prices and selection remain good.

Rude and condescending staff.
I asked an employee (he is older with white hair and beard) if he could recommend a wine. He sarcastically replied that he could not, but in a way that was obnoxious and implied that my question was stupid. When he picked out a wine I asked if he could describe the flavor. He proceeded to sarcastically use buzz words before laughing at me and telling me that «flavors cannot be put into words.» Now that is certainly a valid opinion, but the rudeness was uncalled for. To top it off, after I thanked him, he went back to the counter and talked about me behind my back to another employee. I left without making a purchase and won’t be going back.