Esquin Wine & Spirits

This place is awesome. I had a company function and needed support on choosing beverages and assistance in delivery (close to their location). From start to finish, over the phone, they helped me get this done quickly and all with excellent customer service with a friendly and professional attitude. Will be doing business with Esquin going forward for all my personal and professional needs!

I’ve passed by Esquin countless times on my way to work through Georgetown and SoDo. Of course, I lick my lips wishing I could drink my way through the day instead of working, or at least able to drink while at work… Since moving to South Seattle, Seattle’s Urban Winery Second Saturdays is a favorite pastime of mine. Several of the winemakers keep telling me to check out Esquin Wine & Spirits.
Today I am attending a friend’s Blind Wine Tasting. How it works is all attendees bring a bottle of 100% Spanish Tempranillo (this Spring’s wine of choice) under $ 20.00. You then pop open a covered bottle one by one and rate them from worst to best, then compare with other tasters and see if pricing makes a difference. After all of the recommendations, I figured I would venture in here to see what the talk is all about and bring a great find to the event. (Fingers crossed that I’m bringing everyone’s favorite, or the very least not a duplicate!) Esquin has a huge selection of aisles lined with wines all organized by country and region. I particularly appreciate the local Washington wine selection. If you’re searching for something in particular or are looking to learn something new, ask one of their knowledgeable staff members.
A few things to note:
–Don’t miss out on the back room with even more wines and case discounts!
–Free tastings occur on Thursdays and Saturdays. Check out the sign at the entrance to see what is being featured.
–There’s a customer parking lot just south of the building off 4^th Avenue S.
Truly a Wino’s Paradise!

Great selection of wines. Extremely knowledgeable staff. Well planned and organized tastings on Saturdays.
They also have a nice selection of scotch and gins.
From an everyday bottle to something for a special occasion, this shop has everything you could ever want!
I highly recommend Esquin Wine.

Grappa? What the heck is grappa? All I knew is that I needed help. I did a bit of searching before I found this wonderful store! I called and spoke to a very helpful person that told me grappa was something they had.
Walking in, the store is very clean and well organized. Every salesperson was helping a customer efficiently and kindly. When it was my turn the salesperson educated me about what I needed to know. He gave me a range of options and described the difference in quality and price.
I don’t buy alcohol often so I need all the help I can get. I was really happy to find a place where I don’t feel totally incompetent.

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review of this place yet, perhaps subconsciously out of a desire to keep it as much of a secret as possible, altho that cat is out of the bag!
BEST wine store ever, and right down the road from my place of work. I have imbibed so much wonderful, affordable, even free (Thurs/​Sat tastings), and occasionally an unaffordable splurge within it’s walls. Astounding variety… the wines, the prices, the great deals, and the friendly, helpful totally unpretentious staff. They just want everyone to enjoy good wine.
Unequivocally recommended!

Ratcheting my review back a few stars. Their prices really don’t make any sense.
I needed a bottle of Campari this weekend and stopped by as I was in SODO and I like supporting the small local stores when given the opportunity.
A bottle of Campari — nothing exotic– they sell it just about everywhere– was $ 45 + tax as Esquin.
I was puzzled– why was it so expensive? I walked out empty handed and a little sad.
I stopped at Safeway on the trip home and they had the exact same bottle for sale for $ 26 + tax.
I would spend 10 or 15% more to support the local little guy– but I can’t justify wasting close to $ 20 on a bottle of booze I can find just about anywhere. I will continue to buy the hard to find and exotic stuff at Esquin– but it pains me to say it– I’m not going to be buying any of the common stuff from Esquin any more.

A close friend was having their wedding near by and ran out of wine shortly after the ceremony. Having shopped at Esquin in the past, I suggested we might head there to pick up a few cases. I quickly checked for their hours and saw that they were closing in 5 minutes. I called over and let them know of our situation and asked if there was any way that they might stay open a few extra minutes for us. They let us know it was no problem and we headed right over. The staff was extremely helpful and gracious as we selected our wine, offering suggestions in our price point. The wine was a hit and Esquin saved the day.

Snobby employees, not the best location and the wine storage is a health hazard (people actually jostle for position with wine lockers that have lighting nearby, and some you have to climb a ladder!). On top of that, they get break ins and thefts. Uh, no way!

Great wine shop, and they host some of the best workshops (not the tasting) I’ve been to. The workshop runs 90 minutes, some experts they invite, plus their super knowledgable staff, 8 – 10 wines, plus great discount on the wines you taste that night.
We love their large and wine selection with great varieties, it reminds me of K&L in San Francisco.

Whenever I step into to Esquin, my gut reaction is to be overwhelmed. I’m not enough of a wine guy to be of much use there once I’ve browsed past the labels I’m already familiar with so I rely on tasting notes when I’m browsing, and Esquin’s selection is just mindboggling. Fortunately, these guys and gals are on the spot and someone has always greeted me and helped me on my vino way.
The store is organized quite well, including a modest draft beer bar and liquor selection, and with a knowledgeable tour guide to help you find your way, you’ll be hooked up in no time.
Most recently, I was looking for some Spanish wines to accompany a tapas and paella dinner, and Lenny (their resident Spanish wine guru) sized up my tastes and hooked me up with a number of wines that went over swimmingly. If I’m drinking old world wines I tend to stick with French and Italian, but our cellar at home is full of Northwest vintages. The wine he said would convert me to a Spanish wine drinking didn’t quite get me over that hump as promised, but another he suggested may very well have.
The clearance and sale wines tend to be good value, but the general stock seems to run a little on the pricey side. But then, they’re stocking quite a few labels you likely can’t find anywhere else in town, so between the expert staff and exclusive goods, it may very well warrant a few extra bucks here and there.
If you don’t work in Sodo or live in the southernly neighborhoods it’s a fair bit out of the way, but if you’re in the area and seeking retail adult beverages, you won’t need to look any further.

These people demanded a friend’s backpack and then let it get «stolen» out from their care… and now they refuse any responsibility.
They are being horrible to someone that entrusted them with valuable possessions.
I would never give them my business.

I’d heard of and about Esquin for years, but never managed to visit their shop until this week. It’s a welcoming downscale space with an intriguing diversity of wines: neither ultra-​budget nor entirely high-​end, meaning plenty for almost everyone who’s willing to spend at least $ 7 and/​or doesn’t require locked cases full of $ 100+ bottles.
I prefer to buy wine either directly at a winery or a small shop, and tend to avoid behemoth megastores. Given those tastes, Esquin’s a natural fit. I’m a fairly savvy wine shopper especially when it comes to domestic (WA, OR and CA bottles), and am easily bored by the ones you always see on the grocery store shelves. At Esquin, I found lesser-​known releases from well-​known wineries, wineries with niche reputations, or smaller wineries I hadn’t heard about: all nice ways to be surprised and intrigued by the mix of familiar, harder-​to-​find, and new-​to-​me. Sure, there are some big names, but only the deserving ones! Clearly the folks making buying decisions are doing so thoughtfully, with an eye to value and quality (in a variety of price ranges).
The store is organized for relatively easy browsing, primarily by country of origin (though when it comes to domestically produced wines, by either varietal and/​or state). I was impressed with the import selection (again, varietals I know but estates I don’t); so far those have been fantastic. Finally, a lovely Albariño for less than $ 12! The only downside of browsing is that prices aren’t featured; there’s a sticker on the top of the bottlecap, but that can be hard to see without having to pick up each bottle and check. I don’t shop for wine only by price, but at the same time I’d prefer being able to easily see just what a bottle costs before I fall in love with the tasting notes (which are typically easy to see, if provided)…
There’s also a small selection of bottled beer here, but Esquin does growler fills and has several carefully selected rotating taps ranging from (on my visit) Green Flash to pFriem to Anderson Valley. That’s where the beer is at! They update their Facebook page consistently with new taps, so that’s a great way to keep track of what’s currently on, as well as their special sales and so forth. And, free parking in the lot just south of the store on 4^th! All serve as many reasons to check Esquin out for the first time, or to keep coming back for many more.

Staff is fun and there was so many spirits and wines to look at. Esquin is like an art gallery where you can walk around and cruise through the shelves for hours. Sometimes it can be overload, but it’s still goodness.
My last visit resulted in a really funny story. It’s a bit x-​rated so I’ll hold my tongue for Unilocal.
I love this place.

Sequin sells a wide variety of wine.

I literally CANNOT GET ENOUGH of this place! It’s literally a wine emporium with a really great spirits selection as well. Super helpful staff that knows there stuff, and every time I stop in after work they are holding a tasting. Got to love that.
Also — they put out an amazing monthly newsletter that they mail out filled with recommendations, a tasting calendar, and other interesting things for the vino-​obsessed.
I live in South Lake Union and go to SODO just for Esquin — it’s that legit.

you guys, seriously, this is wine heaven. I didn’t even hesitate to get a cart. Hand basket? That’s for amateurs. You’re not a serious wine-​o if you get a hand basket.
Prices are awesome. Selection is mind boggling. But all it takes is one word: «tempranillo» and you’ve got a friend for life. I wish I could remember the guy’s name but he was amazingly informed, and dare I say, passionate, about wine. Don’t get intimidated by the sheer magnitude of the choices. Just ask anyone who works there and they can guide your selection.
Sign up for their newsletter to get the latest info on sales and new stock.

Popped back into Esquin today for the first time since Jun 1^st, 2012 when they could legally sell spirits in addition to wine. Wow! The selection here was great, the prices (although high) were comparable to other liquor stores and just like before the customer service and the wine selection were outstanding. What I most appreciated was that a few blocks south where there used to be a large liquor store, Esquin has strategically placed a sandwich board stating, «Liquor, one block north!» That way anyone misdirected or out of touch will soon realize that while 4^th Ave Liquor is no more, Esquin has got you covered. Booze lovers rejoice because you can buy your whisk (e)y, gin, and wine all in the same big space!

Esquin is my favorite wine store in the universe. It should be yours too.
I could go on for paragraphs about the selection of high-​end stuff. From that amazing boutique Cab you had at some restaurant in San Francisco a couple years ago to some crazy-​hard-​to-​find Barolo to all the wonderful PacNW wines being produced today, it’s easy to get lost in their racks for half an hour and come out broke. They also hit the value end of the spectrum — you can find tons of great wines in every category or region you could think of (well, ok, not a Barolo) for under $ 15.
I could also tell you about the fun events — free tastings twice a week to go sample new stuff or just meet people enthusiastic about wine (probably half the stuff I’ve bought here has been from chatting with people as they were shopping — they end up selling me on their faves), occasional lectures about different wine making regions or techniques, and even paid classes for people ready to get serious about wine tasting and pairing.
The real reason to go here, though, is the staff. There are different personalities there, and there are definitely a couple guys who enjoy taking time with a newbie more than others, but oh, the expertise! One thing I like doing is asking for a wine pairing for a ludicrously detailed menu. You can roll in with «I’m going to dinner at the house of some friends, and they are planking salmon to serve with grilled fennel salad and wasabi mashed potatoes» and leave with the absolute perfect wine for that. I don’t know how they do it, but they do.

I came I saw I drank.
Great selection of wines. Fun wine tastings in the back of the store. I went there to taste Ridge wines and enjoyed some cheese and bread and a little history of Ridge winery from a winemaker there. With wine tastings you get a discount on the bottles and cases of wine! Will come back to get that hard to find wine.

Bad Customer Service Lost a Loyal Customer!
I used to frequent this place often. They have a great selection of Italian wines. Decent German selection. A great selection of desert wines as well.
What happened was about a year ago, I splurged for the holidays and got a case of a late 1990’s Barbaresco, plus a couple bottles of a very nice Barolo, Stuff I had before and knew was good and worth the splurge.
After the 3^rd or 4^th bottle in the case, I got into a corked bottle. Bummer. Then opened another, and it was corked too. Undrinkable. Then a third — got lucky, but it was still a little off with that moldy note. So I send them an email asking if I can get a refund on the three bad bottles, No they said, this is a natural risk of buying wine, This was not cheap wine, Investment level stuff. I said thats ridiculous and they were the first wine store to pull a stunt like that on me. So I will never go there again.