Hugo Rose on the best places to stock up the cellar

You are bored of loitering in the supermarket wine aisles and off-licences hold few thrills. You have seen the best of the High Street and have a cellar full of the last wine club bargain that even the kids won't drink. There must be better ways to buy wine. And there are.
With the major retailers now substantially wedded to large brands, a new breed of "inspirational" retailer has emerged—small, dedicated and embodying a spirit of wine adventure. Some, such as London's Swig ("artisan wines from around the world") and Kent's Vin du Van (an obsessive Oz specialist) have been around a few years, others are recent recruits. One newcomer of note is Winchester based Stone, Vine & Sun. It has impressed the critics for its range of new-wave French and South African wines.

Continental online merchants have also emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Many of these Web-only operators stock top labels, with good deals, and will ship to the UK for less than you think.

Millesima.com is a big player for Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone, specialising in three-for-two case deals on top-name wines. Another is chateauonline.com, reputable and quality focused. The market has been stirred by the arrival of wineandco.com, a quality operation offering a hugely satisfying shopping experience, with plentiful offers and a unique wine categorising system.

Two very new websites claiming to offer discounted deals on fine wines are worth a look. One is British, fromvineyardsdirect.com, an acorn business established by former Majestic entrepreneur Esmé Johnson with David Campbell of the Everyman Library; and caveprivee.com, a French club-like operation that counts down cases as they are sold.

Most of the wine retailers still referred to as "merchants" have a good online presence, too. Berry Bros & Rudd is the class leader, but look too at Adnams, Lay & Wheeler and Tanners among others. Wine merchants care about vintages and are first choice when it comes to buying by the case to lay down.

What about buying when you are over in France? The booze-cruise has lost its allure, but prices in French supermarkets can be addictive. Intermarché takes pride in what is stocked, often reflecting local produce. Probably the best "grandes surfaces" wine experience is to be found in Cora outlets, located mainly in the south, where the range is inspired. For a five-star shopping opportunity La Grande Boutique du Vin, a wine warehouse chain with outlets in Calais, Reims, Beaune and L'Epine, is the destination. It stocks impeccable labels at good prices, but be warned: a visit will always melt the plastic.

Swig www.swig.co.uk
Vin du Van 01233 758727
Stone, Vine & Sun www.stonevine.co.uk
Millésima www.millesima.com
Chateau Online www.chateauonline.com
Wine and Co www.wineandco.com
From Vineyards Direct www.fromvineyardsdirect.com
Cave Privée www.caveprivee.com
Berry Bros & Rudd www.bbr.com
Adnams www.adnamswines.co.uk
Lay & Wheeler www.laywheeler.com
Tanners www.tanners-wines.co.uk