New Wine Shoppe in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is Already a Favorite

If some of your favorite movies are Bottle Shock, Sideways, and The Secret of Santa Vittoria, then it's a "must" to check out the newest wine shop in Portsmouth.

Islington Bottle Shoppe just opened its doors, and owner and oenologist Donna Ali Bishop is excited to share her love of wines with the community.

Wine is a love language, says Donna on her website IslingtonBottleShoppe.com.   "I can't wait to share my love of wine with the Seacoast." For her, the Islington Bottle Shoppe was a dream that has become a reality.

Donna is well-versed in wine, having grown up in the wine country of New York State. She furthered her wine knowledge by living in England and traveling throughout Europe, focusing on the wine-growing regions.  She also studied with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust through the Atlanta Wine School.

The wine entrepreneur has worked at boutique wine shops in Birmingham, Alabama, and Ogunquit, Maine, with an in-depth knowledge of grape growing and winemaking across all the world regions.

During the pandemic, Donna focused on her passion for wine. In 2020, she and her family moved to Portsmouth and were welcomed by their West End neighbors.

The Islington Bottle Shoppe offers over 100 wines from regions all over the world, "lovingly curated," according to Donna.  She is also an avid cook and world traveler who loves to pair wines with food, and is quite good at it.

In her new shop, you'll find a wall of featured wines from some of Donna's favorite local restaurants.  The selection in the shop will evolve as indicated by locals looking for wines they've tried in local eateries.

Here's a note to self: the Islington Bottle Shoppe, at 821 Islington Street, Portsmouth, offers free wine tastings every Friday from 4:30-6:30 pm.  Check @islingtonbottleshoppe on Instagram or Islington Bottle Shoppe on Facebook for weekly details.

Donna says she's tasted and loves every wine in her shop, and her wines are very approachable, with half of the collection priced at $25 or less.  She is happy to custom order any wines available to New Hampshire.

The shop also features local ciders, vermouth, and ports, and is open Thursday through Monday from 1-7 pm, with parking behind the building.

Brava, Islington Bottle Shoppe, Brava.