Though I worked just a freeway exit away from it for eight years, I never got around to going to Applejack, one of Denver's more prominent liquor discount stores. I had a bit of extra time yesterday before going to the goodbye thang for Sara, so I dropped in.

The Good:

• The selection is pretty remarkable. Compared to Lukas and Davidson's, there were several wines they had that I know the latter don't (and only one where the reverse was true). They even had some Jackie wine (which I stocked up on).
• The prices were very good, too. 

The Bad:

• I like wine stores organized by varietal, for the most part. I don't usually buy Merlots or Pinots, nor most whites. I like being able to zero in on the Zins. Applejack sorts ... well, I couldn't completely figure it out (there was some regional sorting, but it didn't seem consistent) ... but it's mostly by producers. So if you love wines by Four Vines, you can find all the Four Vines wines they have all in one place (yum). If you want to see who else is producing Zins, though, you have to search the entire store.

The Ugly:

• Cash and carry. No credit cards. Which is annoying enough, even though they have a convenient ATM in the store -- but there were no signs on the door to that effect that I saw, nor at the registers (though all their register structures were being replaced). If I hadn't had the cash available, I would have been annoyed to have shopped and then not been able to buy. (Though philsophically I suppose that's a good idea, from a convenience standpoint it's annoying.)

It's not likely I'll be going back, given the location -- but I'm not heartbroken over it.

Filed under :: Big Business :: Food & Drink - Wine

The cash and carry thing is what keeps me from going there, even when I am down in that part of town.

Also, why do you think I keep saying Davidson's sucks? ;P It's because I have been to places like Liquor Mart and Applejack.

Liquor Mart Sorts things (depending on best way to sort) Country, Region, type, and then alpha by Winery within those catagories.

So all the Rhone Valley Wine is in one area, or all the Portuguese and then divided up into red and whites. California wines are all in one area divided by types, so the Pacific rim is easy to find in the Reislings, etc.

Having been to Applejack, I would not say that Davidson's sucks. It organizes things similarly to what you describe for Liquor Mart. And I've never left there feeling like I couldn't find anything to drink ...

That it's practically within walking distance (though who'd want to carry back cases of wine) is a bonus.

I checked out the new "super liquor store" Tipsy's Liquor World" out on C470 & Bowles. They had really good prices and a good selection. They're pretty convenient from C470 & Santa Fe, but probably not so much for you on a normal basis. However, they are a place that I'd recommend checking out, and they do take plastic.

They've gotten some pretty good word of mouth. I don't ordinarily go that direction any more, but I'll keep it in mind.

I visited Four Vines this January and have a Reidel stemless reds glass that proclaims that I'm a zin bitch. I have a Tshirt waiting for alteration that says the same thing.

One day I was in the pharmacy ine at Longs when a woman wearing that same shirt came into line behind me, and we had a nice chat. Confused the heck out of the woman in front of me.

Zin Bitch and Naked Chardonnay stemless in the breakfront. I'm not a huge fan of the stemless, but the logos are nice.

Zin Bitch and Naked Chardonnay stemless in the breakfront.

Thou dost speak in tongues!

Sorry -- "stemless wine goblets with those two inscriptions are in our breakfront / china cabinet."