Flickinger Fine Wines

Corked!!!
1985 Offley port, could smell it after releasing the capsule. Very strong smell, could have probably smelled it through the capsule, but didn’t think to inspect so thoroughly before opening because of the great reviews.
In the moment, I couldn’t believe what I was smelling; I had to open it. Lesson learned. A present for my wife’s 31^st birthday at dinner with friends. Will not order from this vendor again. Hoping my other purchase (Joh. Jos. Riesling 2012) is not flawed as well.
I’m aware of their buyer policy, that as the consumer we take the risk in the wines, but they do claim to have a team that carefully inspects their bottles and makes every effort to secure and offer wines that have benefited from consistently proper cellar conditions.
This was my first and only interaction with Flickinger, so I do understand that I have a limited interaction here, but this wine was so badly/​obviously corked that I believe they could have been a little more careful inspecting and securing this particular wine.
Just be very careful ordering late vintage anything from this supplier.

This is an online distributor but if you live in chicago you can pick up directly from their warehouse (ie its not a store front). In addition to the basic, everyday wines you will find at most wine shops, they also have rare and aged wines which you could never find at Binny’s. The problem I find with shopping at binnys is that most of the fine wine you buy there has to be put in a cellar for 5 – 10 years. Flickinger’s has wine that is already aged and ready to drink. Their prices are usually close to the best in the country and by picking it up directly from the warehouse you save on shipping cost. I’m serious in saying that Flickinger wines has changed the way I enjoy wine. The staff is great and super accommodating. I am just so impressed!

An excellent online retailer (no brick and mortar store) that specializes in older wines from across the globe. I have picked up several times at their location in Chicago, which is conveniently located near Chinatown, with nary a hassle. The location itself is in a storage facility, so you have to arrange pick-​up ahead of time.
My only quibble (and the only thing that keeps it from getting a 5-​star rating) is that it requires a minimum order of $ 100.
Definitely a nice change from Binny’s if you plan ahead.

Looking for that 2001 Chateauneuf-​du-​Pape that has been out of stores for 5 years? You’ll find it here, and any other long lost vintage that is no longer in stores. You won’t have to deal with late night TV adverts, just friendly low key emails with the latest private cellars and pre-​orders that the Flickering proprietors have snagged for your benefit. Sign up and reap the rewards, but leave the Rhones to me!

I’ve been addicted to flick since I discovered them a few years ago, but only now does it take me to write a review on them. Lets just say that I have my own version of island time and that’s just how I operate.
It should be noted that their «store» is only online and there isn’t a B&M store front to go into. They have offices in wilmette (previously northbrook) where you can sometimes pick up or have it courier delivered to the north shore, but the main place is here in the south loop at a big storage facility. There is a waiting area where they will bring your wine down to you, and they are usually very quick on that.
what I love most about them is that they are always easy to get a hold of and treat all of their customers very well. I certainly don’t have the bank account that many of their customers posses, but I have never been talked down to because of my younger age and am always treated with the utmost respect (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been talked down to even though I usually know more about certain regions then the person doing the talking down).
most of all, their selection is tremendous. They don’t just have current release and newer wines, they have a full stock of aged wines and one can always find good prices on these higher end wines. I know that most don’t necessarily go that route, but to get quality aged champagne for under $ 100 is ridiculously hard to find, and yet Flick repeatedly has come up in spades on this. They take full advantage of people wanting to liquidate their cellars or consigning with them and its we the customer who ends up getting the best of it.
The only downside right now is that there is a $ 100 minimum order. Granted, I go to flick for special bottles so its not usually a problem filling that out, but I unfortunately can’t just get the odd bottle of donnhoff or two and pick it up from them. It makes things slightly harder, but for flick I’m willing to go that extra bit since they do a great job or going the extra bit for everyone

Excellent source of wines on the web. Reputable, friendly, and well-​stocked in older vintages and harder-​to-​find producers.
Besides having an excellent wine alert and Daily Notification email services, Flickinger stocks a wide variety of Burgundies, Rhones, Provencal, and Italian wines from various producers and vintages.
This is one of my go-​to places in hunting down that hard-​to-​find vintage/​producer bottle. And until recently, they had a great selection of older-​yet-​very-​reasonably-​priced Domaine Tempier and Angelo Gaja wines (of which I had help liberated) :) I mean, who would have thought that a 1993 Gaja San Lorenzo can be had for about $ 150 as of the Spring of 2008? Granted it was not one of the best vintages for San Lorenzo barbaresco but it was still quite a steal. The wine was beautfiul, elegant, almost Burgundian in its essence. Truly amazing!
Thanks to the staff of Flickinger Fine Wines and its great website, now I know where most of my disposable income has been disappearing to in the last few months. :)