by Jennifer Olvera - 3381 Reviews - 45 List
Don't know Bordeaux from Beaujolais? Fear not: Chicago and its 'burbs are loaded with wine shops, wine bars and, yes, even wineries that favor a friendly approach with thoughtful, descriptive menus and guided tastings to bring out your inner oenophile. Pop the cork, swirl your glass and savor some mighty fine wine at these vino-centric Chicago spots. (Photo courtesy of DOC Wine Bar.)
Updated: November 24, 2009
A few reasons to hit this stalwart but never stale restaurant, wine bar and wine shop hybrid: 50 affordable vinos by the glass, witty and down-to-earth wine descriptions, an award-winning house label, dynamite seasonal American eats, and a cheese bar with 50-plus belt-busting selections from around the world.
In addition to craveable wood-oven pizzas and a family-friendly vibe, this neighborhood haunt offers an approachable wine list that promises sublime sipping--even for the with-tots contingent.
This lively, Mediterranean-accented chef favorite serves its 130-plus affordable, boutique-y pours and seasonal small plates to the food-savvy masses at communal tables.
Check the snooty attitude at the door: There's no room for it at this intimate neighborhood wine den, where the menu of global varietals--served by the flight, glass and bottle--is as beginner-friendly as it is connoisseur-caliber.
Bring your significant other and snag a table with a West Loop skyline view at this wine bar adjacent to its namesake wine store. Expect hundreds of tasty grapes by the sip, glass, flight and bottle with small plate nibbles to match.
Located just off the Wicker Park fast track, this intimate wine bar, crafted from reclaimed materials, serves fab gastro-grub alongside its lengthy wine and artisanal beer lists. Although both are loaded with complex selections, the prices and come-as-you-are approach make the experience easy to digest.
When you've been in business since the 19th century, you probably know a thing or two about wine. So it goes at this family-run operation in Old Town, which emphasizes (but is hardly limited to) French labels.
Taste before you buy at this sampling-friendly Roscoe Village shop that opens about 20 bottles daily, most hailing from up-and-coming vineyards. Counting cash? There are options galore under the $10 mark (plus a patio where you can sip them).
It may not have the ambiance of the cute neighborhood shops, but this vast vino warehouse with more than 20,000 bottles to choose from is the go-to destination for no-nonsense wine (and beer and spirits) aficionados. Grab some stinky cheese from the counter in back, and you have the makings of a great homebody happy hour.
This family-operated winery (from the folks behind House of Glunz) is known for its collection of small-batch fortified wines, including vintage and tawny ports and raspberry wine. Sample the wares at daily tours and tastings; there's also an off-site tasting room in nearby Long Grove.
This family-run winery--housed in a picturesque, ivy-covered mansion northwest of the city--produces 50 varietals and 25,000 cases of award-winning wine annually. If you go overboard in the tasting room, book one of the quaint, Euro-style suites and recover with breakfast in bed the next morning.
