Review: Lavinia

What's the story here?
Wine lovers unite at this two-story vino emporium in Barrio Salamanca, regarded by local somms and wine pros as one of the best wine shops in the country. That albariño you fell in love with at dinner last night? They've got it. The cava you could've sworn was fine Champagne and can't stop thinking about? In the back left corner. More than just a place to buy a bottle or two, Lavinia also runs a market-driven tapas restaurant that punches well above its weight.

What can we find inside?
All of Spain's greatest enological hits are here, from back-vintage gran reserva Riojas to rare sherries to limited-release Priorats, but the real gems—as in, the stuff you won't find back home—are the esoteric varietals from little-known regions: peppery Garnacha from Calatayud, Gewürztraminer from Somontano, or Listán Negro from the Canary Islands.

If money’s no object, what goes in the cart?
Aro by Bodegas Muga, a lusty Graciano-Tempranillo blend by one of Rioja Alta's most renowned wineries. It's made with hand-picked grapes from 60-year-old vines and matured in new French oak.

What if we’re on a strict budget?
Grab a bottle of Licinia, the multilayered, made-in-Madrid Cabernet blend that's got Spanish wine savants buzzing about the unsung potential of vinos madrileños.

Who else shops here?
Salamanca residents on the hunt for special-occasion bottles; somms on their day off.

Any secret tips?
The sleek Enomatic wine dispensers in the center of the store double as a "Spanish Wine 101" course.