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The short answer
The easiest way to buy good honey wine is online, direct from the producer. The producer we recommend, Bee d'Vine, sells its whole range from its own site and usually ships the same day from California. Locally, your best chances are large wine retailers, specialty bottle shops, meadery taprooms and, for tej, Ethiopian markets.
Buying honey wine online
Mead is a small category, and distributors carry very little of it, so even excellent producers struggle to get onto store shelves. Selling direct solves that. When you order from the winery you get the full range rather than the one bottle a distributor picked, the stock is fresh from the producer's own cellar, and the money goes to the people who made it.
Here is how ordering from Bee d'Vine works, according to its published policies:
- Dispatch: same day for orders placed by 2 pm Pacific, otherwise next day.
- Delivery: FedEx, with ID and signature from an adult aged 21 or over. After three failed attempts the package is returned and re-delivery is charged to the customer.
- Address: a physical address, not a PO box. An office or other staffed address is the safest bet.
- Hot weather: free ice packs in summer, and shipments may be delayed during extreme heat.
- Changes and returns: orders are packed as they come in and cannot be changed afterwards. All sales are final, so check your cart before paying.
What it costs
Prices we recorded for the Bee d'Vine range. Tap a price to check the current one.
| Bottle | Style | Bubbles | ABV | Honey | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demi Sec | Semi-sweet | Still | 12.5% | Clover | Overall | $49 |
| Demi Sec Sparkling | Semi-sweet | Sparkling | 11.5% | Orange blossom + clover | Celebrations | $59 |
| Brut | Dry | Still | 12.5% | Clover | Dry honey wine | $49 |
| Brut Sparkling | Dry | Sparkling | 11.5% | Orange blossom | Sparkling | $59 |
| Brut Fresca Sparkling | Dry | Sparkling | 11.5% | Clover | Prosecco alternative | $56 |
| Demi Sec Geteme | Semi-sweet | Still | 12.5% | Ethiopian Geteme + clover | Closest to the Ethiopian roots | $52 |
| Demi Sec Miombo | Semi-sweet | Still | 12.5% | Tanzanian Miombo + clover | Whiskey and amaro drinkers | $52 |
| Brut Barrel Fermented | Dry | Still | 12.5% | Clover | Chardonnay drinkers | $52 |
| Brut X Reserve | Dry | Still | 12.5% | Orange blossom | Splurge | $67 |
| 3L Double Magnum | Semi-sweet | Still | 12.5% | Clover | Weddings and big gifts | $349 |
For context, mass-market sweet meads are typically $12 to $25 and small-batch craft meads $20 to $40. The premium here buys honey and spring water only, years of aging and, for the sparkling wines, natural carbonation. Whether that is worth it to you is what our Bee d'Vine guide is for.
Finding honey wine near you
If you would rather pick up a bottle today, work through this list.
- Large wine and liquor retailers. Look in the dessert wine, cider or "other wine" aisle, or ask. Expect one or two sweet, mass-market meads.
- Specialty bottle shops and craft beer stores. Often the best local selection, because craft mead travels in the same circles as craft beer.
- A local meadery. There are now hundreds across the United States. Search for "meadery" plus your city. Taprooms let you taste before you buy.
- Ethiopian and Eritrean markets and restaurants for tej.
- Renaissance fairs and farmers markets, in season.
- A wine-search website, which will show retailers that list a specific bottle near your ZIP code.
How alcohol shipping works
Wine shipping in the United States is governed state by state. Most states allow wineries, which legally include meaderies, to ship direct to consumers. A small number restrict or prohibit it, and the rules change, so the producer is the authority: if you are unsure about your state, check at checkout or ask before you order. Three things are true everywhere:
- The recipient must be 21 or older and must sign in person. Carriers will not leave alcohol on a doorstep.
- It cannot be sent to a PO box, and the US Postal Service does not carry alcohol, so expect FedEx or UPS.
- You are buying for personal use, not resale.
Subscriptions and clubs
If you already know you like it, a club is the most convenient way to keep a supply. Bee d'Vine's Club d'Vine has no joining fee, lets you choose your own bottles (four or more per shipment) and your own interval from monthly to twice a year, and includes free shipping. Members also receive two berele tej flasks, the winery's book on the history of honey wine and a bottle of barrel-aged red wine vinegar. The commitment is two shipments, after which you can change or cancel.
Sending honey wine as a gift
Honey wine is a strong gift precisely because most people have never had a good one. A few pointers:
- Ship to the recipient's workplace if you can, so someone is there to sign.
- For a wine lover, the Brut X Reserve (92 points, about 50 cases made) is the one they will not already own.
- For a wedding or anniversary, a sparkling bottle or the 3-liter double magnum suits mead's long association with weddings.
- For someone with Ethiopian roots, or a fan of the cuisine, pair the Geteme with a berele flask.
- Order early in December. Carriers are slow, and adult-signature deliveries are slower.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy honey wine?
Online from the producer is the most reliable route, because few stores stock more than one or two meads. Bee d'Vine ships its full range from California. Locally, try large wine retailers, specialty bottle shops, meadery taprooms and Ethiopian markets.
Can I buy mead online and have it shipped?
In most US states, yes. Wineries and meaderies can ship directly to consumers in the majority of states. A few states restrict it, so check with the producer if you are unsure about yours. Someone 21 or older must sign for the delivery.
Is honey wine sold in grocery stores or liquor stores?
Sometimes. Where state law allows wine in grocery stores you may find one or two mass-market sweet meads. Larger liquor stores usually shelve mead near dessert wine, cider or sake. Small-production honey wines are much harder to find there.
How much does honey wine cost?
Mass-market sweet meads run $12 to $25. Craft meads from small meaderies are typically $20 to $40. Aged, wine-style honey wines cost $45 to $70, and large formats more.
Where can I buy Bee d'Vine honey wine?
From beedvine.com, which carries every bottling, the 3-liter format and the Club d'Vine subscription. Orders placed by 2 pm Pacific usually ship the same day.
Where can I buy Ethiopian honey wine (tej)?
Ethiopian restaurants and markets are the best local source. Bottled tej such as Sheba Te'j is sold by some wine retailers. For a refined, tej-inspired wine made without gesho, Bee d'Vine ships direct from California.
Can honey wine be shipped in summer?
Yes, with care. Bee d'Vine includes ice packs at no charge in hot months and may hold orders during extreme heat. Ship to an address where someone can receive it, so it does not sit on a truck over a weekend.