I have seen the future of wine and it’s got nowt to do with the tide of cheap swill flooding in and out of supermarkets. Nor does it concern cramped, dirty off-licences with poor storage, ignorant sales staff and erratic stock control. After the recession wine drinkers will want more bang for their buck.

The perfect wine shop has a great range of tasty, classic and not-so-classic wines, on sale at a wide range of prices. Good, cool storage with wines racked up and kept away from harsh lights goes without saying. So, too, does helpful advice from knowledgeable, friendly staff. Free, themed tastings of all but the costliest wines on the shelves are essential. Once a wine has been tasted everyone knows whether they like it or not and are happy to buy a bottle. Extras such as sale or return should be standard.

Innovation has never been the wine trade’s strong suit. But there are signs of a vinous recovery to characterful wines sold in an inspiring environment. Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Stores (01502 727222) is now nine-strong, with branches outside its East Anglia comfort zone. Foodies will enjoy the wacky kitchen and wine ware sold alongside racks of Adnams distinctive, eclectic, terroir-led wines, of which a handful are open to taste. Take your pick from the gorgeous 2008 Tattybogler Pinot Gris from New Zealand, whose off-dry, soft, exotic winter apéritif spice is down £3 to £9.99 until Hallowe’en. Or plump for the delicious, inky, brambley 2007 Garnacha, Cruz de Piedra red (£5.99), made from old vines in Calatayud, northeast Spain.

In Islington, North London, wine drinkers are smitten with The Sampler (020-7226 9500), run by an engaging Belfast-born duo. There, 80 wines — priced at 32p-£10 for a generous tasting slurp — are on pour every day. In less than 30 minutes I tasted and spat out wine worth £37.67, so I’m glad that The Sampler is not on my route home. If you have yet to taste a great Alsace white such as Zind Humbrecht’s 2007 Clos Windsbuhl Gewürztraminer (£42.99 a bottle, or £3.29 a squirt) or Ben Glaetzer’s bold, beefy, loganberry-stashed 2007 Wallace Shiraz-Grenache (£13.99, or 65p a squirt), this is the place for you.

I have a dream, and shops like these can make it happen.

THE WEEK’S BEST BUYS

2008 Vinalta Chardonnay, Domaine Vistalba, Argentina Marks & Spencer down to £3.99 until November 1 Bargain-buy unoaked chardonnay with lively, grapey, citrus-zest fruit.

2008 Vinalta Malbec, Mendoza, Domaine Vistalba, Argentina Marks & Spencer down to £3.99 until November 1 Malbec is Argentina’s best grape. This mouthwatering, inky, plum of a red proves it.

2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Maison Mayol, France Private Cellar, 01353 721999 £6.30 until October 17 It’s worth paying a bit more for this gooseberry-laden, floral, grassy sauvignon.

2008 Merlot, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Maison Mayol, France Private Cellar, £6.50 until October 17 This easy-swigging merlot’s herby, plummy fruit makes a good winter warmer.

THE KEEPER

2002 Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine Paul Misset, France Yapp Brothers, 01747 860423, £26.75 A Rhône producer introduced this estate to the Rhône and Loire specialist Yapp Bros — and this gorgeous, smoky, gamey red burgundy with lots of liquorice-licked fruit is fine now but will evolve for many years yet. Drink now until 2014.

Times Recommends

• Top Ten most searched for recipes
• Chalet Chef 2010: the winning menus
• Gin and pomegranate jellies