Premier Wine & Spirits

Fantastic wine store. Great people work there and I got excellent advice on a Spanish Ribera del Duero. Delicious!

Best selection of beers in Halifax from the maritimes Canada and beyond. Only draw back is finding a place to park.

Short and sweet: If we lived anywhere near this store, Premier Wine & Spirits would be our go-​to. As it stands, however, it’s a treat to come here.
What a nice shop. Nice layout, amazing selection, very knowledgeable staff. You never know what hidden gem you’ll find each visit. They have a good selection of local wines, which is a focal point for Mike and me. It’s always an enjoyable experience to browse here.
The store is «finer» than the NSLCs without being uppity or snobby. Staff treat everyone with respect and professionalism, no matter how many questions you ask. If only they’d open a location in Clayton Park …

I have only been here once, and I was tempted in because of my love for Rum.
When I found out they were a supplier for Lunenburg’s Iron Works Bluenose Rum, I had to go.
And what i found here was a delightful little store full of some of my favourite beverages.
The staff knew everything about everything in their store.
Not only did i get my Rum (2 bottles.) But because of their extensive selection of fine liquors, beer, and wine, i walked out with a box full of kick ass beverages, that you can’t find at our local NSLC’s. (see my review on NSLC to see how i feel about them)
I like to call myself a connoisseur of everything alcoholic, and i found a new spot to tickle my taste buds.
I don’t stray into the downtown area too often, but this will help draw me down!

Never shopping for alcohol anywhere else. I have an NSLC in my parking lot and I will walk the extra 15 minutes here. Holy selection batman! And the staff is great too.
I saw that this was labeled the spot to grab alcohol for the «post graduate drinker» (Laura P.) and I would have to agree. Finer tastes come in handy but education is given freely when asked for it. I say hooray to this store.

I have stopped in here a few times in the past. Recently I was quite surprised to see Brooklyn brand beers displayed right at the front of the store. There beers are brewed in New York. As soon as I saw these. I was transported back to my trip to New York in 2010. However the price kept me thinking yeah I am in still here in Halifax. I paid no more than 1 buck a bottle when in New York and here at Premier the price was a shocking 3.99 per bottle. I did pick some up but wow sticker shock. You won’t find this brand of beer at the NSLC or at least not from what I have seen on my adventures to the NSLC.

This place is fantastic and seemingly getting better!
The first think you see when you walk in is the impressive assortment of craft beers from all over the world, but with a distinct focus on Canadian offerings. Capturing my immediate attention was a the new Vintage ale from Saint-​Ambroise brewery in Montréal.
The wine section is just as varied and they really make sure that they carry interesting wines at every price point. Informative signs help you compare the different wines, many of which are on special. If these aren’t enough, the staff is very knowledgeable and always ready to help.
I just wish they were closer to me! When will we see a nice privately-​owned wine store in the Dartmouth-​Cole Harbour area?

Okay — let’s just be honest with each other right out of the gate: my tastes aren’t exactly refined when it comes to my choice of beverages. For the most part the NSLC can help me out with all of my common weekend requirements. But every now and then I want something special.
The biggest selling point of Premier Wine and Spirits for me is the fact that they carry Okanagan Ciders. There’s multiple flavours, and you can buy either a six pack, or singles — so that you can switch up your selections.
The staff are always courteous and helpful — happily answering any questions you might have.

Premier Wine and Spirits is definitely meant for a classier, richer person than myself, so take my review with a grain of salt.
The store offers a lot of interesting wines, beers and ciders — many at prices that I’d want to get, say, four bottles of wine for. And that’s great if that’s why you’re there.
My main gripe with the store is that I find it kind of disorganized. There are lots of displays and it can be hard to browse. I feel like if you don’t know what you want coming in, you have to ask for a recommendation or you’ll never find what you want.

I love Laura P’s description of Premier as «appropriate spot for the post graduate drinker,» so I suppose I’ll start by stealing that for my own review!
With a killer uptown location, Premier is one of two privatized liquor stores in the downtown core going head-​to-​head with the many NSLCs scattered about to keep the university students well-​equipped for their weekend debauchery. Unlike the others, though, Premier is instantly recognizable for skewing older, wealthier, and more refined both in their product selection and service.
More than just «gimme your cheapest, biggest bottle,» this is a place to chat to staff for recommendations, tasting notes, and overseas exclusives that have been brought in for your sampling pleasure. Heading to a dinner party? Stop here, ask for something impressive, and instantly become the guest of honour with your find.

I wandered into this little spirit shop by accident and I was glad I did. It’s a smaller shop but it’s well appointed with items that are well thought through. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the products they carry and I bought one of the products that was recommended, a single malt that I couldn’t find at home. I’ll definitely go back to this shop the next time I’m in Halifax.

Best selection of obscure and hard to find favorite wines and beers. Staff is extremely helpful and pleasant.

In the world of retail, nothing wins my heart and return business faster than attentive, helpful service. That’s the kind of service I regularly receive at Premier.
Disclaimer: I usually end up there on Saturdays around 6 o’clock so I am generally deal with same staff members. Also, I am no wine expert but am gradually learning through my purchases, so I’m happily guided by the staff. I do specify what my budget is and what the event is (casual dinner, fancy birthday dinner, etc.) to avoid receiving rogue suggestions.
Premier has a wider and more diverse selection of wines than available at the regular NSLC stores. There are some higher end bottles at $ 60+ but the staff is also happy to suggest value bottles starting at $ 13 – Posada del Rey anyone? There’s pretty much something for everyone’s tastes and budgets.
Premier also has a decent beer selection which I find helpful as I am usually picking up both in the same trip. They carry product from the local microbreweries, Propeller & Garrison, as well as some of the better known Quebec breweries, St. Ambroise and Griffon, plus standard imported beers like Sapporo.
One of my favourite things about Premier is to bring in a recipe or even a complete set of recipes for a dinner party menu and get some pairing recommendations. I find this to be a fun experience where the staff’s passion for wine really shines through. I’ve picked up some favourite bottles and learned quite a bit about wine along the way. If you are purchasing a large quantity, say, a case or two, they will happily deliver.
One final note, as a wine novice and bargain hunter I often like to buy bottles from their sale table. Given the often high original price (these bottles are usual $ 25+), you can get some tasty deals. For example, I recently bought a Rosso Toscana for $ 15 marked down from $ 25 and had a nice treat for Thanksgiving weekend.

Première is an appropriate spot for the post graduate drinker. Someone who has acquired the basics and is ready to advance towards something a little more specialized can surely benefit. If you know what you like and prefer to delve a bit further into the culture of wine, spirits or beer– Premier is a great spot to look.
Downtown and up the stairs from Pete’s Fruitique, its a large, open space offering an extensive selection. It’ll take you palate to a higher price point but there is a clear show of knowledge, quality and variety about the product.
Bottles of wine tended to range anywhere from $ 15 – 400. They also carried a wide range of specialty beers, as well as local brands like Propellor. Sake was another stand out.
Its a store run by experts and it shows. Whether you are looking to get something for a special occasion, or just trying to find something different, Premier is an key destination.

If you are ever in need of a special bottle, I advise a visit to Premier Wine and Spirits. This shop carries a large assortment of wine and has quite a few varieties that you won’t find at the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission.
The employees are helpful and knowledgeable and the store layout is easy to navigate. As well as beverages of the grape persuasion, you will also find quite a few different types of beer. It’s a great place to grab a bunch of different brands to try, as they sell them individually.
If you’re jonesing for a Nova Scotian grape, then look no further! I highly recommend the Gasperau Muskat, which runs about $ 18.

This is an upscale liquor store conveniently located off of Spring Garden. Product choice here deviates from the typical liquors, wines and beers that you find at the NSLC locations in town. I was pleased to see a full array of beers from Unibroue (Quebec), Garrison (local), Propeller (local) and more, all chilled in the cooler and ready for drinking. Also available in the cooler is a good selection of chilled whites, and a few bubblies ranging from a $ 25 Persecco to some very spendy champagnes.
Disappointingly, their North American wine selection was mediocre. They could do a much better job representing our fair continent, which produces some great wines in all price ranges.
I see Courtney had some trouble with the service, but since my interaction with staff was limited to a problem-​free checkout, I can’t mark them down for that. Hopefully it was an isolated occurrence.

Premier Wine and Spirits is a good place to head to if you’re too lazy to saunter down to Bishop’s Cellar, and if the NSLC is closed. They have a wide array of unique wines as well as beer. The also sell quite a few beer varieties in individual cans, just in case you were feeling adventurous but didn’t want to end up with a case of micro brew described as: dry stout. (yuck.)
My issue’s’ with Premier Wine and Spirits primarily relate to customer service. I often check websites for pairings information before heading to a wine store because, well, because i’m wise beyond my years. So when I go into a speciality store I expect one of two responses to my query: ‘yes, let me show you where that can be found’ or ‘no, i’m sorry we don’t carry that.’ The wine guy that I had dealings with on this particular occasion evidently decided to branch: ‘Oh, that’s not a very good choice to be honest. I’ve heard bad things.’ How bout yah let me be the judge of that mr. wine guy, oookay? Honesty has its place but his opinion was neither constructive nor desired.
My wine guru in training then, sensing my dismay prompted to ‘up-​sell’ me on a series of products I wasn’t interested in. Now i’m 24, graduated a couple years ago and can typically be found in leggings. Do I look like i’m going to purchase a $ 70 bottle of Château Destieux? Answer: non.
I hope that the next time I venture into Premier Wine and Spirits I have a more pleasant experience. They do have a lot of unique wines that I would be interested in trying. A selling point of ‘Premier’ is that they are open on sunday: 10am-​8pm!