Joseph Wendt fills his Old Naples atelier with made-to-order suits, sharply tailored sportcoats and bespoke shoes from Florentine master cobbler Mario Bemer. Displayed among the buttery suede and lightweight linen is another expression of craftsmanship: fine Italian wines. The tailoring studio also houses Il Vino Sarto, a boutique bottle shop focused on small, family-run estates that share Joseph’s ethos of hands-on, artisanal practices. Offerings might include Le Vigne Barolo from Sandrone, one of Piedmont’s premier producers, and Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso, a cabernet franc from Tuscany’s coastal Bolgheri region. “[These are] exceptional Italian wines that aren’t available elsewhere,” Joseph says. “I’ve spent a lot of time curating the best of the best.”
While Southwest Florida has no shortage of wine emporiums, a handful of hidden shops—tucked inside a gothic brewery, a chic home store or a tailor’s atelier—offer diamonds in the rough. Here, the selections are small and eclectic, with the chance to uncover bottles you won’t find elsewhere—from deeply discounted Champagnes to limited-production natural wines.
When top floral designers Melissa and Sean Stevenson launched Kaleidoscope Garden Club in 2024, they curated everything through the same artful lens that defines their exuberant, wild arrangements. One table might be laid with an old-fashioned brass peppermill, hand-poured candles shaped like heirloom tomatoes, striped cans of single-estate Tuscan olive oil, colorful coffee table books and bottles of malbec from a biodynamic French vineyard. Everything is highly stylized yet also grounded in shared intention—an emphasis on handmade goods and small producers.
In keeping with that ethos, Kaleidoscope stocks only biodynamic, organic and natural bottles—one of the few places in Naples that focuses exclusively on the category. Melissa and Sean honed their palates as longtime customers of local natural wine godfather Peter Rizzo and now curate their own selection of frequently rotating, limited-production labels. The beverage cooler in the shop’s pantry might hold skin-contact orange wine and a mineral-driven white from the California coast one week, then sparkling red lambrusco and French Sancerre the next. Customers can purchase bottles to take home or uncork them onsite to enjoy with a selection of cheese and charcuterie. “We wanted an immersive experience, not just a flower shop,” Sean explains. “We have a really pretty garden where people can come hang out.”
Natural wines are also the focus at Ceremony Brewing in Bonita Springs, where owner Zach Smith carries about a dozen different bottles at any given time. “Naomi [Biber] and Ryan [Lay] at Palace Pub got me fired up about natural, low-intervention wines,” he says. “What got me excited was the parallels with brewing.” Zach champions natural wine for its character-driven edge—funky, expressive and a little unpredictable. These qualities mirror the food-inspired sours he crafts. He points to pétillant naturel, a gently fizzy sparkling wine that’s a hallmark of the natural movement. Bottled before fermentation is complete, the wine is more rustic and raw than Champagne, with a love-it-or-hate-it reputation much like sour beer.
Elsewhere in Bonita, Vichino’s Café & Wine Bar leans into wine education. “Once a week, we travel to a different region of the world,” says Shannen Vichinsky, who co-owns Vichino’s with her husband Kevin. “We bring in educators that constantly raise the bar for wine knowledge.” Classroom-style tastings span topics from Chilean and Greek viticulture to debunking riesling stereotypes to a sommelier-led, dinosaur-themed exploration of France’s Jura region (the Jurassic period takes its name from its mountains).
In that same spirit, Vichino’s sources small-production wines from family-run vineyards for the wine bar and retail shop. “We carry very little California wine. We like to challenge others to find varietals they like but maybe have never heard of,” Shannen says. “We want customers to walk into a restaurant and [recognize] something other than cabernet or chardonnay.” Italian whites—ideal for Florida’s steamy climate—are among her top picks, like Alcesti zibibbo, an aromatic muscat from the women-owned Sicilian estate.
For wines with major name recognition, virtual wine retailer Discount Somm Select operates out of Sidebar on Naples’ Fifth Avenue South. Level 2 Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) professional Francis LaMorte draws on relationships he built at local institutions like the Royal Poinciana Golf Club and Naples Yacht Club to secure sought-after bottles—think cult favorite Screaming Eagle and Billecart-Salmon Champagne—at up to 30% below standard retail.
When Sidebar is closed during the day, Francis and owner Marty Kenney host events for members of Discount Somm Select’s invite-only club, including tastings with renowned vintners like Andy Erickson of Napa’s Shafer Vineyards. “Some of the biggest names in wine come and share their expertise with our clientele,” Francis says. Members can also tap Francis to set up private, concierge-style shopping experiences and events such as custom tastings aboard a private yacht.
With guided tastings, rare bottles and under-the-radar producers, these hidden-gem shops offer more than just wine—they deliver the thrill of discovery.