Pairings Wine and Food

Never been inside the shop, but as a recipient of a picturesque gift basket chock full of quality local goods evidencing a thoughtful theme expounded, I wholeheartedly endorse the Winchester biz.
Pairings contacted me asking when I’d be available to receive my surprise delivery, and did not flinch when presented with a tight time window in the city. They arrived within minutes of the estimate, and handed over an astounding tower of goods with a cordial smile and a heartfelt congratulations.
Represented in our basket: Effie’s Oatcakes, Lark shortbread, Sidehill Farm Maple Pumpkin Butter (WHAT?!), Belgian chocolate with pear and almond, sparkling apple cider and a copy of Goodnight Moon. They even included sweet potato treats and a toy for the pup!
The sender presented the facts, and Pairings lived up to their name with a beautiful final product. Well done!

Pairings is an awesome wine store and that is because of their amazing tasting spreads. I have never seen a store do it quite like them, but it is amazing. Their knowledgeable staff help you understand the best flavor combinations (food and drink) and are friendly as well.
Don’t miss one of their tastings! They are not just getting rid of wines, they are trying to educate customers. It is refreshing :)

A friend recommended that we check out Pairings to get the wine for our wedding. We were so lucky that we did. It is a small, charming store in Winchester, and Ray (who runs the store with his wife Lori) knows an incredible amount about wine. Most importantly when you are buying a lot of wine, Ray is incredible at identifying amazing wines that are not very expensive. We ended up with wines we absolutely loved that were only slightly above $ 10/​bottle. Ray and Lori even let us return the bottles we didn’t use, but we liked the wine we chose so much we ended up keeping a bunch for ourselves to drink later! Pairings is a fantastic place to get your wine for your wedding, and is a great store just to check out. Even though we don’t live in (or even near) Winchester, we will certainly be back.

Lovely store in downtown Winchester that frequently has unique tasting events and a strong selection of wines and food. They are a perfect place for me to get a last minute gift for birthdays or holidays. The owners always greet me with a smile and walk through the store to go over wines and/​or put together some nice variety baskets with wine and various foods that go nicely together. Pairings is such a fitting name and I recommend it.

The times that I’ve been here have been pretty hit-​or-​miss. The store has a great selection of wines and specialty foods, no question, but the staff is often rude or dismissive (I’m a graduate student in my 20s and so I guess on the younger side of the clientele there). I wish that the staff were more friendly and welcoming, as the inventory is good and the store is conveniently located (I have friends in winchester and so I tend to stop in on the way to seeing them). Unfortunately the last few times I’ve been in here the staff was not helpful at all to me and made me feel distinctly unwelcome.
I think that from now on I’ll stick to the less convenient but infinitely more friendly formaggio in cambridge.

This place gets five stars for their tastings and discounts the night of tastings. We sent on a Saturday night and tried over a dozen wines with paired snacks. We enjoyed talking with the experts as they poured delicious samples for us. We walked out with 4 new bottles, all at a steal. A little crowded, but worth the elbows!

I’ve gone in here multiple times, always hopeful. Often looking for a gift or something unusual to bring to a friend’s house. Always overpriced, haughty-​taughty, never friendly. Way, way, way overpriced.

This is a truly wonderful store. They staff are friendly and approachable. Caters to a variety of price-​ranges and tastes. The kind of place where those who aren’t wine experts feel like they are in good hands, and can simply choose a type of wine and a pice range and come out with something excellent. Their cheese and gourmet food selection is also fantastic.

Pairings Wine and Food is an absolutely charming wine shop! Not only is the store extremely comfortable with its wooden accents, but the staff is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in helping you find your perfect bottle of wine.
Having only tried wine a few times, I felt a bit intimidated by the overwhelming selections. The only thing that gave me a sense of direction was something I tried recently and enjoyed. A woman kindly helped me look for something fitting by my budget and taste. If you’re more of a beer drinker, they also have a small section for craft beers.
To make things even better, they have a cheese section where you can find pâté as well. As I was being rung up at the register, I saw a woman slicing a huge piece of meat for prosciutto. «You guys slice your own proscutto?» They nodded and asked me if I wanted to try a piece.
I love you.
Prices are fair, wines plenty, fig jams, pates and that gorgeous sliced prosciutto… Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner or just feel like spoiling yourself with some wine and cheese, this is the place to go.
Pairings Wine and Food… Awww yeahhhhh.

The only thing I love more than new experiences and learning is doing it while being spoiled. Last Sunday, we attended a tasting of wines from Domaine de La Solitude (Martillac, France) paired with some of the wonderful cheeses sold at this little Winchester gem along with owner Ray Schaefer’s delicious rabbit stew.
As a wine lover (and novice), I appreciated my sweet man’s planning of this event for us and for getting me a bottle of the Chateauneuf-​du-​Pape Barberini Rouge that I loved so much.
I learned quite a bit during the presentation and by asking Susan, a wine collector and aspiring consultant. Everyone was just terrific and their comments just added to the experience.
Thank you Ray and Lori. I look forward to again… and again :)

I love the Saturday afternoon wine tastings. The wine is always very good and the special discount pricing that day makes it very affordable. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. This is a good way to discover new wines. I highly recommend the store.

Pairings is offering a great new product of stuffed olives. Olive u gourmet is the brand, and they are the best I have ever tasted. Keep them stocked, we love them.

Very impressed — I special ordered some ribs and a rack of lamb and brought them with me to my girlfriends parents house. They love me more than ever. Both were extremely high quality, cooked up amazingly, and tasty. I highly recommend trying some of the special order meats.