To Audra Prout, wine is more than just a drink to sip with dinner or after a long day at work.
“Wine is the ultimate ‘once upon a time.’ It is the greatest story,” she says. “It’s existed for thousands of years in many different styles and formats. It sits at the intersection of humanity, of art, and sex and politics and religion and viticulture and geology and geography. It’s amazing. There is always something to learn.”
There are countless stories in each glass, too.
“It’s a story about the people and the place,” she says. “When you have a glass of wine it’s more than likely that hundreds of hands went into making it.”

As a certified sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, a holder of the WSET Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and an instructor at the Commonwealth Wine School in Cambridge, Prout is passionate about wines and the people who make them. Now, she’s sharing that passion with the Andover community as proprietor of the new shop, Andover Wine Merchant, which opened in October.
The shop carries wines in a variety of different styles and price points from makers around the world, from California to Tasmania, with a special eye toward sustainable makers.
“Our goal was to bring in producers that are working at a minimum, sustainably. So no chemicals in the vineyard,” says Prout, herself a resident of Andover where she lives with her husband and two daughters, all of whom are involved with the business. “Many of our producers work organically or biodynamically, with the idea of creating a better wine through healthier vines in the vineyard. Most of our producers are small. However, we do have a handful of larger names in there that folks would recognize.”

Andover Wine Merchant carries about 300 different wines in its roughly 900-square foot shop. In addition to the retail space, the shop also has a tasting room which hosts private events and tastings. It also hosts more in-depth classes that were launched in January. They feature a variety of deep-dive topics, like pinot noirs from around the world or learning the difference between champagne, prosecco, and cava.
“The classes are meant to be fun and engaging,” Prout says. “Informative, but not stuffy.”
That’s the overall vibe of the shop, too. Prout knows that wine can be intimidating. People often tell her that they love wine, but don’t know anything about it. Even she felt the pressure of learning wines early in her education, until a master sommelier told her, “Audra, you can’t know everything. And it was such a relief.”
In fact, one of the things Prout loves the most about wine is that there’s always something to learn, both for herself and her customers. For instance, her shop carries several kinds of vegan wine, which might sound unusual, until you discover that animal products are often used in wine’s fining and filtering process.

Prout is happy to walk customers through information like that and more, whether it’s as simple as helping them find a delicious, inexpensive wine they can serve to friends, or teaching them the intricacies of growing conditions, soil, climate, and production. Andover Wine Merchant also has a newly launched wine club, a monthly subscription featuring either two or four wines, each with a theme, pairing suggestions, and information about the wines themselves.
Whether people are browsing, asking questions, taking a class, or subscribing to the wine club, Prout’s mission is simple: Helping people find wines that they love.
“You just need to be able to enjoy your wine,” she says. “That’s my job. To help you find something you can enjoy.”
More Wines Shops Around the Region
Part wine boutique, part wine bar, Lucille Wine Shop & Tasting Room in Lynn is the place to go to find—and drink—organic, biodynamic, and natural wines in a fun, chic space. Browse the shelves, join the wine club, sip from samples in the tasting room, or just go to enjoy a wine flight and small bites with pals.
Newburyport’s fave stop for picnic provisions is also a great place to find a carefully curated selection of wines. Joppa Fine Foods carries not only the familiar reds, whites, and pinks, but also orange wines, sparkling wines, sake, and vermouth. And bonus? They offer free local wine delivery for orders of $75 or more Wednesday-Saturday.
Small-production wines, unfiltered reds, and orange wines are just a few of the liquid treasures you find at Cellar Door in downtown Ipswich, in addition to more familiar bottles and other specialty items like craft beers, oils, vinegars, and other goodies. Join them for wine tastings, private events, and even live music.