Omaha Wine Company

Finally got around to popping into Omaha Wine Co on a recommendation from a friend. Derek’s right… John in a Chatty Cathy, but the guy knows his stuff and the wine recommendations are spot on. I’ve been looking for a place to pick up some nice wines, so I’m thrilled to have found this place because having wines shipped isn’t always convenient.
If you’re happy with Yellow Tail, Turning Leaf, Jacob’s Creek, Franzia, etc… this is not the place for you (hey, I’m not judging… good on ya for cheap dateness). However, if you’re looking for a nice bottle of wine for yourself or someone else and are willing to spend more than 10 bucks, this is the place to go.

Derek pretty much nailed the atmosphere of the place, as well as John. I would encourage people to take advantage of John, as he certainly knows his stuff.
OWC focuses on California wines, and they have probably 2 – 3 times the number of CA (as well as russian river valley, etc.) wines as those from overseas.
However, I disagree that OWC is always more expensive. I have found several wines there at lower prices than I was able to buy direct from the winery when in Napa. Further, while the stock there tends toward the $ 25 – 60 dollar range, every time I have been there I have picked up a couple $ 15 «everyday» wines that have been really good.
This place is easily the best wine store in the Metro.

One of the better and more unique wine shops in Omaha. John will talk your ear off as he helps you find a bottle you might like, but be weary, he’s opinionated and at times obnoxious, but that’s kind of why I like him. He’s colorful to say the least, and he doesn’t give a damn what people think about him.
The real reason to come here though is the wine. Don’t come here looking for Turning Leaf or most other mass market wines — they don’t stock them. They focus on hard to find wines; some are distributed solely through this shop. They have great relationships with many of the power people in napa/​sonoma that help them allocate some great wines that are hard to get even in major cities.
The downside here is mostly price. Their selection of wines under $ 20 is pretty limited. They do have a good selection of $ 20-​$ 40 wines, but I almost exclusively shop here for special occasion wines where I plan on spending over $ 60. When you do find a wine stocked in other stores, OWC is *always* more expensive. The other minor drawback is the lack of selection from France. It’s just not something John cares for much, so he doesn’t stock a lot if it.
EDIT: By other stores, I mean other stores in Omaha. As soylentgreen pointed out, the wineries always charge you more than retail for some reason.
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