Although it may look like a fairly bog standard off licence from the outside, don't let appearances…read morefool you. Laithwaites is actually an extremely well stocked, very nice wine shop, not dissimilar to chains such as Majestic Wine Warehouse. The inside is very professional, with wines grouped appropriately, making whatever you're looking for specifically very easy to find. If you're not entirely sure what you're looking for, then fear not, because their friendly, approachable staff clearly know what they're doing and can advise you what wine to serve with certain food. The prices are competitive with the likes of Majestic, although if you're looking for a sub £5 bottle just to give to an acquaintance or what have you, you may be better suited going to a supermarket such as Tesco. Highly recommended.

We popped in here one Friday night for some wine and it was empty! This was good and bad because we…read moregot personal chatty service but the staff kind of watched our every move which was quite off-putting. They also kept asking if we neede help when we just wanted to look round. They have a good variety of wines of all sorts and prices. The cheapest bottles were about 6 quid and this was in the sale so it is not for you if you buy cheap wine! Prices went up as high as £20 a bottle and they also had a selection of champagne and sparkling wines. We treated ourselves to 4 bottles which were very nice. I doubt we'll use this shop much but it is handy if you've been in the Wetherspoons nearby plus there is parking outside.

I love the guys that run this place. They are so knowledgeable, but really friendly too. You don't…read morefeel stupid but not knowing much about wine and asking them questions. The shop is situated only a few minutes walk from the City Centre and worth the walk I think. They often have offers on their end of bin ranges, so you can get some really bargain on your favourites, or pick up a decent bottle for a present. -they sell gift tags and wine bags too which is helpful. It is also worth checking out some of the events they hold in the shop. I went to the Burns night special a few years ago, which was sold out and had a brilliant time. I think they regularly do cheese and wine nights, though I've not been yet!

Connolly's has just been refurbished with a fresh new look and thus has earned itself an extra…read morestar... I have always loved Connolly's for it's ridiculous wine selection, great range of interesting spirits and helpful and informative staff; but the new layout, lick of paint and increased selection is just the cherry on the top. Connolly's is situated on Livery Street, over the Queensway from the Colmore Business District. It's quite easy to find (being a few minutes away from the entrance to the St Paul's tram stop), but it might be the kind of place that you have walked on by a few times without checking out the treasures within. Having bumped into Ed at Brewsmiths, I knew the refurb was underway. I had heard they were having a relaunch event from Mary Griffin - but hadn't had time to have a peruse. Yesterday (before an appointment), I had a few minutes to kill and was practically next door. I thought it would be worth a look to see if their new beer selection was as good as Ed has expressed to me when I had seen him... I can confirm the refit has made the business pretty much perfect. They haven't lost the "cave of wonders" feel of having crates of wine scattered around the place, but have extended the amount of storage and space significantly. You've now got a selection of spirits and bubbly to the left hand side (as you walk in), wine EVERYWHERE and a good selection of beers at the back of the store. I popped in and had a quick chat about the new additions to the line up before heading to the back to nose at the beer selection (as I was in the market for a couple of craft beers for "Yelp's Big Night In"). A good selection of both local and further reaching breweries are represented and the beer seems to be priced very reasonably. I picked up a bottle of Bellerose (a local one clocking in at 6.5 - described to me as a very interesting one by Ed), Brewdog "Hardcore IPA" (Which was a total BARGAIN), Sacre Blue "Quaker Cowboy" (mint, lime and coconut porter - can't wait to give this a go), Birds "Apocalypse" (from Bromsgrove - another local one) and a bottle of 3 Tigers "Curry Head" (a brand new one to me) for the princely sum of £11.63. Being a bit of a craft beer fan and having gotten used to paying £3+ a bottle for really interesting stuff, I thought this was more than fair. Obviously, I can't write about the ales yet - but I can commend Connolly's on the refurb and the wider selection. I would still always pop in here for guidance on wine (especially when looking for presents), but I now know I can get my Ale fix here too. I thoroughly recommend a trip to Connolly's to have a nose... I can't recommend your wallet will thank you though!

Whether you're looking for the best of the New World, classics from France and Italy, great wines…read moreto pour by the glass or a selection of Fine Wine, Red & White have got it all covered. They also stock an exclusive award winning spirits range where the quality of the product is key. Independent wine supplier whose success is based not only on their stand-out wine and spirits range, but the way they work with customers to ensure greater understanding of wine. They're not just a wine supplier, they want to be your wine partner. Together they aim to help customers enjoy each bottle with the right foods. A visit here is so much better than the supermarket/

I try to support local businesses instead of the supermarkets, and whilst some of the wines may be…read morenot as cheap the staff will always try and recommend a good wine reasonably priced whatever your budget. I have moved home to the south of England, and get my husband when'd in the Midlands to pop in to the shop when we need to restock Highly recommend

First I have to state that I don't really drink a lot of alcohol so I wasn't looking for massive…read moreselections of fine wines and spirits. I had gone in to look for some ale for a stew I was making and was very pleasantly surprised to see a large selection of real ales many of which were local eg Bathams and Two Towers. There were some good offers on with two bottles of Bathams for £5 and 3 bottles of The Electric's Two Towers ale for £5. The staff were really friendly and knowledgeable about the ale they sold. They were also very aware that with other larger off licences nearby (the great Stirchley Wines with its huge array of continental beers is only a mile or so away) they had to carve out a niche, hence the local beers. I will definitely be heading back (as when I do have a drink I'm find of a good real ale!).

This is a typical off license and stocks a variety of different wines, beers and spirits and they…read morealso sell tobacco. I came in here for a bottle of white wine the other day and I found a Pinot that looked alright and settled for that. The staff seemed fairly friendly and chatty when I went to the counter and asked me if I had found what I wanted, which was nice as it showed that they were quite helpful and attentive towards their customers. However, it was a little pricey for my liking. I thought that it was a fairly decent size inside and that there was a lot of stock and so most people would be able to find something to their taste. There were also a few drinks that had offers on too, which I am guessing is a regular thing. Overall it is a standard off license.

Needing a fathers day present I popped into this wine shop looking for a basic bottle of red. I…read moredon't know too much about wine so thought it best to ask the chap behind the counter. If you are looking for people who know all about wine especially their own stock, including some wonderful stories about the production then these are the chaps to go and visit. I got much more than I was looking for and my Dad got a very special bottle of vino. The wine connoisseur who helped me select just the right bottle talked me through nearly all of their red stock. We alighted on an Argentinean red that is made in a traditional style. He had even visited the winery to see the production methods for himself. They stock spirits and a new range of over 100 lagers and beers. They also have a shop on Livery Street near Snow Hill Station. Of real note are their wine school (£15 per session or £80 for the term) and tastings (£15 each).

Great to support local independents more places like this needed in Solihull, fantastic selection…read moreof wine with an impressive spirits collection and a growing beer choice, weekly tastings both wines and spirits. They now offer cheese on the 2nd Friday of the month to go with the great wines. The team have fantastic knowledge and will help you pair the bottle with your food. its a Friday evening regular

If they've not got it, then it's not worth drinking…read more They have everything from your standard beer, spirits and wine choices through to options such as port, sherry, champagne, and if you want it they even have low calorie alcohol options. I was looking for a quality wine to complement the fish I was cooking that evening and I was pleasantly surprised with the help on offer from the shop assistant. I left with a couple of bottles of white and it tasted great.

Dave's Wines is a little on the small side, but manages to offer a decent selection of beer, cider,…read morespirits and (you guessed it) wines in its slightly cramped premises. I do appreciate some good offers though, and £6 for three big bottles of Kopperberg during the brief sunny spell was too good to pass up. For more classy evenings, there is always enough choice in the wine selection to keep you going for a long time. The staff are quiet but friendly and are always quick to offer assistance. Perhaps not as chatty or knowledgable as Wine Stop for example, but if you're in a pinch and on Oak Tree Lane, Dave Wines is always a safe bet.

Your typical off-licence benefiting from a great location…read more Ideally situated on this popular route to town, Beghals Wines is not much different to your local off-licence, in the same fact as they aim to sell you alcohol at competitive prices. Standard costs come in to account, with Beghals running a steady business with no frills or spills, or even particularly competitive prices. This particular establishment is considered a last resort by my friends and I, with better deals, value for money and customer service to be found elsewhere. As the rating suggests, A-OK.

A five star review for an off-license might seem a little unnecessary, but when you're so spoilt…read morefor choice on Raddlebarn Road it's probably important to try and separate the wheat from the chaff. Wine Stop is just around the corner from the top of Dawlish Road (if you were walking or driving up Dawlish, you'd take a left) and is opposite Selly Park. Wine Stop offers a much better selection on everything that the busy Bristol Road shops usually won't have (to be fair, the average student probably isn't looking for anything more than the cheap stuff, so it works). I particularly enjoy ogling the cool bottles of spirits placed high up on shelves and tucked behind the counter and can quite happily stare for a while as the supremely nice guy who owns the place is happy to chat about anything. Usually I shun small talk in shops and find it uncomfortable, but the fella who owns Wine Stop not only knows his stuff, but he's always got a good anecdote or two. I made the mistake of going with a friend who brews his own ale and launched into a long and in-depth conversation about the brewing process and qualities etc which went on for a long time and felt a bit left out, but it's always worth the journey. The variety of wines, beers and ales is enough to give you plenty of choice but not so much that it is a baffling and confusing process. This, in my opinion, is exactly the right approach: No one wants to try something different but eventually give up because of too large and too obscure a selection and an unapproachable proprietor. That's where Wine Stop fortunately gets it just right.

Between Winestop and Stirchley Wines a mere mile and a half down the road, the standard for off…read morelicenses this side of Birmingham is ridiculously high. I think that out of the two, Stirchley Wines has a better beer selection whereas Winestop has the better spirits selection. High quality Tequila is hard to come across in this country but Winestop stock several brands as well as the standard stuff, and there's loads of different whiskies in exotic packaging which I will probably never be able to afford. That's not to say the beer selection is bad, there's a wide range to choose from including well respected but hard to find names such as Brewdog, Wye Valley and Shropshire favourites Hobsons. The service is incredibly friendly, with a proprietor who seems to genuinely love talking to his customers. There's also a very nice park across the road if you're looking for somewhere to drink your purchases. Great stuff.