Whether you’re trying to learn more about the wine you drink or just in it for a free glass, the city is bursting with cool places to enjoy a wine tasting.
BOE
In an ideal world a tasting involves a casual setting where the minds of creative culinary, art and agricultural connoisseurs meet for wine. That ideal world exists at Brookleyn Oenology. This cool spot unlike other wineries focuses on local wines. They use NY State grapes and even display the work of New York artists on the bottle. If you’re not tasting it here, you can now find BOE wines in 150 stores all over the city. Their tastings are relaxed and can be combined with other state products like Ciders, Beers and a whole assortment of good eats. You’ll like it so much you will probably end up joining their wine club too. It’s so on brand.
209 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn
Corkbuzz Wine Studio
Corkbuzz Wine Studio is a quirkier choice for grape-drinking fanatics. They offer an eclectic mix of classes from an ‘Old World vs. New World Blind Tasting’ to a ‘Pasta Making Demo with Wine Pairings,’ an in-depth ‘Guide to Champagne’ and so many more. You can also take a tour of wines from regions across the globe. They also serve incredible eats of sharable plates. Chef AJ Schaller creates beautiful Mediterranean cuisine using wines to inspire and inform her dishes. It is an all around perfectly curated wine experience.
13 E 13th St
Chelsea Wine Vault
Chelsea Market is filled with foodie and artisanal delights; so it is only natural that they have a wine vault too. Rare labels from around the world and wine connoisseurs to guide you create a well-rounded vault experience. That’s all fine but what we’re really after are the amazing free tastings they offer. It’s a fact, everybody loves free wine. They take place several times a week right in the simple store. During these tastings you will get to sample 4-5 wines and discuss you’re newly found knowledge on grapes with wine representatives. To top it all off if you don’t have time for wine during the week, you can go to their Weekend Wine School program. Dreams do come true.
Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Avenue at 16th Street
City Winery
Wine tasting may be great, but wine making is even greater. At City Winery they want you to experience every aspect of the wine, before you forget it after finishing a bottle. Here you will find that the wine making process is very much integrated with consumption. The establishment has their own Barrel Room tasting bar, restaurant, and of course winery. The tasting room serves wine on tap and offers pairings with a full gourmet menu. You can even become part of their ‘Wine Club,’ because book clubs are so 2010.
155 Varick Street
Vino-Versity
If you’re looking for something more approachable, Vino-Versity could be for you. They offer a classroom ambiance where you can enjoy wine lectures on a variety of related topics and tastings at the same time. You will find yourself in a room of exposed brick and wine bottles all around you. Just the way it should be. It’s a different option for those who want to further their knowledge on wine.
Upper East Side Store at 1657 1st Ave
