Chicago Wine Report | 4.3.2023
Troon Vineyard | Bodin Street | Uvae Fromagerie | Hart Davis Hart
LATEST PODCAST
Our most recent show is the three of us getting together to talk about recent wine adventures including a tasting of Troon Vineyard wine at Bodin Street as well as visits to Uvae Fromagerie, Andersonville Wine & Spirits, and Kopi Cafe.
Lainie & Chip also describe a recent wine tasting/class led by Todd Hess of Hart Davis Hart at Birch Road.
Yes, we’ll be back with interviews with industry professionals very soon! You can stream or download this episode via your podcast service of choice, the Spotify link above, or on Spreaker.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
The Chicago Wine Report is brought to you by our paid subscribers and our sponsors Pyne Properties and Velocity Courier:
Contact Velocity Courier at (312) 944-0754 for your business delivery needs. Yes, they do deliver wine!
(Interested in sponsoring the show? Drop us an e-mail at ChicagoWineReport@gmail.com.)
TOM & LAINIE TALK PIGATO
If you’ve been following us for awhile you know that my (Lainie) favorite grape is Pigato. Tom & I got together this past weekend to share a bottle of Bruna’s high-end offering. Purchased from Perman Wine Selections, imported by Kestral. Delightful stuff.
CHICAGO WINE NEWS & EVENTS
Le Midi now has two skin contact (aka orange) wines on its by-the-glass menu! (Wicker Park)
April 4th: Picnic Wine & Provisions hosts Italian Wine Through The Eyes of Mystics. Class starts at 6 pm, cost is $55 and tickets can be purchased online.
April 5th: Taste Food & Wine’s monthly wine class focuses on wine packaging. The class is $45 and starts at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased online. (Rogers Park)
April 15th: Beautiful Rind hosts Saturday Night Flight: Beer vs Wine at 6:00 pm. Class is $50 and tickets can be purchased online. (Logan Square)
April 20th: The Cuvee Concierge presents Wines That Make Your Soul Sing!, a pairing of six wines with music, wine education and charcuterie at 7 pm. Tickets are $90 and can be purchased online. (Lincoln Park)
May 3rd: Taste Food & Wine’s monthly wine class focuses on rosé wine. The class is $45 and starts at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased online. (Rogers Park)
May 21st: Beautiful Rind presents Orange Rinds & Orange Wines Spring 2023, a pairing of skin contact aka “orange wines” and orange-rind cheeses. The class starts at 6 pm and costs $50. Tickets can be purchased online.
REGULAR WINE TASTINGS IN THE CHICAGO AREA
Below is a list of regularly scheduled tastings at Chicago area wine bars and shops. Many are free or low-cost, but it is always a good idea to contact the shop/wine bar ahead of time to be sure.
This list is hardly comprehensive, though we hope it will eventually become so. Please let me know if you’d like to recommend a spot or need to correct any information:
57th Street Wines holds tastings on Thursdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 3-5 pm. Tastings are usually themed, and occasionally the schedule switches up a bit, so check out their website and call ahead to avoid disappointment. (Hyde Park)
Augusta Food & Wine offers free tastings on Thursdays between 6-8 pm. No sign-up is required. (Lincoln Square)
BottlesUp! First Friday tastings take place the first Friday of every month and include complimentary wine tastings plus new, in-store art. (Lakeview)
Door 24 holds regular tastings every Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. These are free, and no sign-up is required. Get on their social media pages for updates on their Friday night lineup! (Bucktown)
Ella Elli holds a monthly “20 for 20” tasting (20 wines for sampling, tickets are $20). Their kitchen is open during the tasting for snacks. Reservations are required, and space is limited. (Southport)
Galleria Liquors holds free wine tastings at both its locations on Fridays from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm and Saturdays from 3 pm to 6 pm. (Southport & Old Town)
In Fine Spirits offers regular free wine tastings Wednesdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 3 to 6 pm with an occasional Thursday tasting (which will be announced on their social media and in their newsletter). (Andersonville)
Juice@1340 holds free community tastings from 5-7 pm on Thursday nights.
Konbini & Kanpai holds regular wine tastings (often on Wednesdays and usually free) and additional beer, sake, and spirits tastings throughout the month. I strongly recommend checking out their online calendar and getting on their mailing list so that you can stay informed. (Lakeview)
Independent Spirits is holding wine tastings from 5-7 pm on Fridays. Tastings are free, and information about the tastings appears on social media. Tastings are free. (Edgewater)
Perman Wine Selections offers an informal Saturday tasting: Come to the shop, ask what is open, and Craig Perman pours you a taste. The store is open from 11 am to 7 pm. (Near North)
Picnic Wine & Provisions holds wine tastings from 5-8 pm on Thursdays. $5 charge; reservations are appreciated but not required. (Rogers Park)
Red & White Wines continues to offer tastings each Saturday from 2-5 pm. The Cost is $10, and their wine club members get to participate at no added cost. The Red & White Wines newsletter usually releases information about the tastings the day before. I recommend getting on the mailing list so that you’ll know what to expect. (Bucktown)
Taste Food & Wine hosts $5 tastings on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. 10% off the featured tasting bottles if you take one home that evening. Snacks are available at an additional charge. (Rogers Park)
Table, Donkey and Stick holds its “Terrior Tuesdays” every, you guessed it, Tuesday, selling a wine or wines by a featured producer by the glass at wholesale cost. Events sometimes include wine producers as special guests. (Logan Square)
Uvae Fromagerie & Tasting Room offers free hosted tastings from 6-8 pm on Tuesdays. Cork Dork Thursdays and Somm Pick Saturdays offer more extensive wine knowledge. Sign up and pay for your tickets online.
Uvae Fromagerie also offers pre-set wine flights of four one-ounce pours for $10 whenever the tasting room is open. (Andersonville)
Vin Chicago: Tastings on Saturdays from 12-4 at all three stores (Chicago, Barrington, and Highland Park). Free. No RSVP is necessary. Check out Vin’s Instagram for more details.
The Wine Goddess: $5 tastings every Saturday from 3-5 pm. Tastings feature four different wines. (Evanston)