St. Catharines has its very own dedicated Wine, Spirits, and Craft beer bottle shop – Archives Wine and Spirit Merchants – right here in the heart of #DowntownSTC.
Boasting a selection of wines produced by small independent wineries you won’t find anywhere else, and a rotating collection of local spirits and Ontario craft beer, all at exceptionally reasonable prices…we guarantee this will quickly become one of your favourite go-to shops for bottles.
Owners Robbie Raskin and Jordan Epstein met while at university in Toronto. Jordan, originally from Australia, was studying Engineering while Robbie studied Urban Planning. Robbie later moved to Downtown St. Catharines to pursue his passion for whisky at the Artisan Distilling Program at Niagara College. The two remained good friends.
When Robbie graduated he began to think about opening up a craft beverage business within the Region. While exploring the idea the pandemic started and soon changed legislation on how alcohol could be sold. Robbie and Jordan struck up a conversation about opening a bottle shop. Within months they secured their location in January of 2021 – choosing Downtown St. Catharines as Robbie had fallen for the city and being in the middle of a wine region made it an ideal location.
Things didn’t quite go as easy as planned. After months of renovations, supply chain issues due to the pandemic, and delays with paperwork, Robbie and Jordan decided to pivot temporarily, opening at the end of July that year as The Farm-Gate – an artisan pop-up pantry.
In the meantime, Robbie continued to get more involved with Downtown, participating in events and collaborating with the St. Catharines Downtown Association and other Businesses.
On May 28th of this year their hardwork and patience finally paid off. With an impressive new facade and their shelves finally lined with hundreds of unique bottles, Archives Wine and Spirits officially opened their doors.
In addition to take-home, Archives Wine and Spirit Merchants’ is the perfect intimate space to enjoy a drink with friends or celebrate a special occasion.
Wine is offered by the glass or bottle with a $5 corking fee and can be enjoyed inside the warm and charming rustic interior or on the patio surrounded by a beautiful historic downtown streetscape. This space can also be reserved for private events, parties, and tastings.
Charcuterie boxes are available starting this weekend and will continue on a daily basis.
If you’re not sure what to drink, you can participate in a menu of tastings that regularly rotate.
On Fridays and Saturdays these tastings are accompanied by winemakers as part of their “Pour What You Make” series.
This Friday’s pouring will feature vintner Taylor Emerson of Black Bank Hill, a brand new winery in Beamsville that is currently under construction. They may be new but their Chardonnay has already become Robbie’s favourite wine.
In addition to a fantastic selection of bottles Archives Wine and Spirit Merchants has continued their impressive pantry selection – making them a great choice for a gift basket for any occasion.
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Archives Wine and Spirit Merchants is located at 39 James Street and only a few minutes from Montebello Park. We definitely recommend checking them out while in town for Niagara Grape and Wine Festival.
See what is in stock and stay up to date with Archives Wine and Spirits at www.MyArchives.ca
