Norwich Wines and Spirits

06/15/2023

It is with a mixture of excitement and sadness that I share this announcement with you. After more than 26 years of running Norwich WInes and Spirits, I have decided to close the store in order to be able to spend time with my family and to devote more energy to taking care of myself. It has not been an easy decision to make, involving many versions of the old-fashioned "pros and cons" list on a yellow pad, but I feel it is the right thing to do at this point.

I am very fortunate to have worked with so many great people over the years. The relationships I have built with distributors, customers, and employees make up a very significant part of my life. It has truly been a privilege to be a part of so many weddings, holiday gift choices, reunions, and everyday wine choices for all of you. I will miss that a great deal, and I do hope someone will open the next iteration of Norwich's local wine store.

I am also extremely lucky to have such a loving and supportive wife, parents, children, and friends who have seen me through almost three decades of being at the store. The time has now come to be there for them, particularly on Saturdays and the Holidays, when I have been largely absent for too long. I know you can all appreciate the need to take better care of those I love.

I will be here, selling down the inventory and hoping to see many of you, until June 30. While the State does not allow us to offer any additional discounts on spirits, there will never be a better time to buy those special wines you have always wanted. We will be offering some special prices on Riedel glasses as well. Please join me in wishing Catherine Johnson our very best in her move to Michigan, and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so good to us.

Peter Rutledge

02/25/2022

In case you are wondering, yes, we are open until 5 today. Snow in February in Vermont? I’m pretty sure that is supposed to happen. Stop by!

10/26/2021

I just picked up a children's book that I special-ordered from our friends at the Norwich Bookstore. I ordered it yesterday at noon and it was here today! That is great service - so happy to do business with good neighbors!

10/09/2021

09/04/2021

In observance of Labor Day, we will be closed on Monday, 9/6 as well as Sunday 9/5. We are here until 5:00 today, Saturday, and happy to help you with your weekend needs!

07/03/2021

Wow, what a great week of business, and a treat to see so many of you back in the store! Today we will be there until 5, but the store will be closed Sunday and Monday so we can join you in celebrating Independence Day. We are still taking orders by phone and email for those who prefer that system, but as walk-in business has thankfully been steady, it may take a bit longer to assemble pick-up orders. Wishing you all a great and safe weekend!

06/21/2021

Monday Update:
First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who came into the store last week! We were busy and it felt a little more like a store rather than a telephone switchboard. For now, we will continue with 11-5 Monday-Saturday for walk-in and curbside business. If you prefer to come in and look around, that's great, and we are also happy to still take orders and assemble them for you if a quick pickup is preferable.
A few notable arrivals:
Upper Pass "Ring That Bell" - a delicious dry-hopped Pilsner, the proceeds from which got to support this year's Prouty event.
Our carefully-chosen yet extensive selection of Roses is better than ever, with some old favorites and new ones to try.
As always, we love helping you select just the right wine to serve with seasonal delicacies like softshell crabs and lobster rolls!
Thanks again for an amazing first in-person week and here's to a fun Summer ahead!

06/15/2021

Yesterday was an exciting day at the store. For the first time in almost 15 months, customers came in and shopped in person! Thanks to Ken Rower and Mike Mann for being the first two in-store customers, and to everyone who shopped and shared the experience with me. We learned that there are still many of you who want to continue calling in or emailing orders for outside pickup, and we are more than happy to accommodate that, but we ask that you give us at least an hour's notice, as we need to take care of those in the store as well. We look forward to helping you!

06/02/2021

Well, it's official. We have set a date for reopening to walk-in customers. Monday, June 14, also known as Flag Day, we will be welcoming people back into the store. It has been a long haul, for you and for us, doing business this way, and we are excited to be able to return to something that feels a little more familiar. We are still working on setting our new hours, and we will, of course, still be happy to take orders by phone or email and have them waiting for those who have come to prefer that mode. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to the 14th, but it feels great to have an actual date to share with you all!

05/29/2021

Just a reminder - we are here today until 5, but then gone Sunday and Monday. Back at it Tuesday morning. Enjoy your weekend!

05/17/2021

Rosé season is here and our selection has never been prettier. As you know we're happy to recommend our favorites... but take a browse below and give us a call to get something ready for you to pick up!

05/17/2021

As we are long overdue for an update, I thought I'd let you know our plan for reopening to the public. At least one member of the team has not yet received his second vaccination, so we are going to continue to operate "curbside" until the second week in June. We understand the challenges posed by not being able to come in and look around, but those customers who have gotten accustomed to calling or emailing ahead have been telling us just how much they appreciate the efficiency and service of being able to hop out of the car, grab their orders off the table, and be on their way! We are always happy to assemble carefully-chosen assortments of wine and beer, and the more lead time you can give us, the better attention we can pay to your selections. As always, we can still help you if you come to the door, but between answering the phone, assembling orders, and keeping an eye out, it may take a bit longer that way. Thank you for your understanding - I never thought we would still be doing it this way after 14 months!

12/31/2020

Thanks to all of you for helping us finish 2020!
We will be closed and doing inventory for the weekend and back open on Monday.
Happy New Year!

12/24/2020

Are you looking for a great beer that’s not an IPA? Would you like to support our favorite local brewery in raising some funds for Skye Kerr, who recently suffered life-changing injuries on her mountain bike? We were fortunate to be one of very few stores to get some of a limited run of Skye’s Oasis Fruited Sour beer from Upper Pass and have a few cases left.
Delicious and helping out a friend - what a nice Christmas gift!

12/24/2020

To say we don’t have a big social media presence is an understatement, but here’s a little update. We are still in the “curbside only” mode, as we have now been for 9 months. The best way to execute a smooth pickup is to call ahead at 649-1970 or email us at [email protected] BEFORE you head to the store. As we are often on the phone, it may take a few tries to get through, so the more notice you can give us, the better. Today we will be putting orders out from 10-4 for all your last-minute needs. Thank you all for helping us through a challenging year. We will be closed Christmas Day but back at it Saturday for our current regular hours of 11-5.

07/03/2020

Now that we’ve been “curbside only” since March, most of our customers have gotten used to calling or emailing their orders in. 802-649-1970 or [email protected] are the best ways to reach us, we can have your order ready and waiting! We are usually here by 11 to answer the phone and assemble orders.
Also, we will be closed tomorrow, Saturday July 4, so if you have weekend needs we hope to see you today!
Thanks to all our customers for being flexible and allowing us to keep operating straight through these challenges. Stay healthy and enjoy your weekend!

03/20/2020

With a big thank you to all our loyal customers, it has come time to do something other than “business as usual.”
Today, Friday 3/20 will be our last day, for now, of being open for walk-in traffic. Beginning Saturday, we will be here for “curbside pickup” at the store, and deliveries on a limited basis. Email any orders to [email protected] or call us at 649-1970. More details to follow, but if you are still inclined to walk in and shop around, please do so before we close at 7 tonight. Thanks for your understanding, and we will be fine tuning this as we go along - we are all in this together and trying to be safe and smart about it.