Raleigh–Durham, NCWine Bars

The Hippo is an intimate downtown Raleigh bar and shop focused on low intervention wines from sustainable and ethically minded producers. Raleigh Magazine notes its compact snack menu and creative pairing classes, which have explored wine with takeout and pizza. The Martin Street room has reopened after remodeling and currently serves glasses and bottles from Wednesday through Sunday.

Vita Vite Midtown combines a wine bar with gallery walls, comfortable seating, and a sunny North Hills patio. Raleigh Magazine recommends the pimento cheese and crackers as a pairing for its by the glass selection. This entry uses the operating Midtown room and its current directory hours, not the former downtown Vita Vite location that has closed.

The Raleigh Wine Shop offers an organized global bottle selection with staff guidance for experienced drinkers and newcomers. Raleigh Magazine describes classes, a wine club, snacks, indoor seating, and a patio for settling in with a glass before choosing bottles to take home. The Bloodworth Street shop currently opens daily and continues its bar and retail service near Moore Square.

Pinheiro - Vinho e Vida gives East Durham a 34 seat neighborhood bar centered on Portuguese and Spanish wine. INDY Week describes owner Sergio Ramos's plan to feature underrepresented regions and makers through a rotating set of glasses and retail bottles. A communal table encourages conversation, while olives, crackers, chips, tinned fish, and charcuterie support the wine program.

St. Pierre brings small production wines and Old World bottles to Raleigh Iron Works from the team behind Oakwood Pizza Box. Eater details the partnership with sommelier Scott Hardiman and a ready made food collaboration with Vivian Howard. The current storefront name uses the abbreviated St. Pierre form and includes both bottle shop retail and on site pours.