Chicago Wine Report | 7.16.2023
Wine venues in Wicker Park & Bucktown
Chicago Wine Report on Chicago Corner
The Chicago Wine Report is back with live programming! We will be hosting regular segments on Chicago Corner. This week, we looked at spots in Wicker Park & Bucktown.
More neighborhood-oriented wine reporting to come. Cheers!
Show mentions:
Wicker Park
BYOB Restaurants
Wine Shops
Foxtrot: 1576 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Goddess & Grocer: 1649 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Things to do:
Bucktown:
Things to do:
Gallery Cabaret (One of Chicago’s best dives with live music every night. No cover. Hit up Red & White for dinner, then walk a couple of blocks to The Gallery.)
Upcoming Events
Picnic Wine & Provisions: Wendella Wine & Cheese Cruises (July through September)
July 27, 2023: All Together Now: Pizza Together Now with Pet Nat Posse
July 31, 2023: All Together Now: Natural Wine & Natural Dye with Laila Textiles
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 Chicago Wine Report? Drop us an e-mail at ChicagoWineReport@gmail.com.)
Regular Wine Tastings in the Chicago Area
Please let us know at ChicagoWineReport@gmail.com 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 Saturday afternoons (times vary). 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 free wine tastings plus new, in-store art. (Lakeview)
Door 24 holds regular tastings every Friday from 5:30 - 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 - 8:30 pm and Saturdays from 3 - 6 pm. (Southport & Old Town)
In Fine Spirits holds regular free wine tastings on Wednesdays from 5-7 pm and Saturdays from 3-6 pm with an occasional Thursday tasting (which will be announced on their social media and in their newsletter). (Andersonville)
Konbini & Kanpai holds regular wine tastings (often on Wednesdays and usually free), plus additional tastings of beer, sake, and spirits 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 and there is no charge. (Edgewater)
Perman Wine Selections offers an informal Saturday tasting: Visit 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. The cost is $5 (free for wine club members) 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 - 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)
The Wine Goddess: $5 tastings every Saturday from 3-5 pm. Tastings feature four different wines. (Evanston)
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 pm at all three stores (Chicago, Barrington, and Highland Park). Free. No RSVP is necessary. Check out Vin’s Instagram for more details.
Winestyles: Weekly tastings on Thursdays from 6-8 pm. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved online.