Elegant Wine & Liquors, Staten Island

Every Saturday, wine is free at Elegant Wine & Liquors. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the shop holds a complimentary tasting. Here, the resident sommeliers welcome patrons to sample wines from Italy, New Zealand, and France, as well as domestic vintages from California vineyards. High-caliber spirits from Grey Goose, Bacardi, and Tanqueray also line the densely occupied shelves, reflecting the refined palate of the shop’s owner, Stefanie, who has spent more than a decade in the beer and wine industry. She shows her savvy not only through the eclectic and sprawling selection, but also through customer-oriented touches such as free gift wrapping, a more aesthetic alternative to ensconcing gift wine bottles in slightly bigger wine bottles.