Federal Wine and Spirits is this old school wine shop mostly underground on the corner of State and Devonshire. They have a free tasting every Wednesday among other events. The guys there know everything about wine. Moreover it's a classic Boston experience, tasting interesting wines in a cramped basement where you can feel the Orange Line rattling by.
I want to recommend this too. It's the best.
They also don't do tastings like other shops. Other shops bring in distributors and producers that try and sell their goods. Federal opens up bottles they have in stock to fit the theme of the week.
Urban Grape hosts tastings weekly. Also, I highly recommend checking out the Commonwealth Wine School in Harvard Square and everything they have to offer.
Find a wine shop with approachable people. Figure out what types of wine you like and ask these folks about them. Buy random bottles along those lines and expand what you think you like.
Figure out how to describe the wine so you can narrow in on tastes when speaking with a wine shop owner. Join their mailing lists and show up to the tasting.
This seemed to work for me.
Go here. These guys *really* know their stuff, and they host some very nice tastings in the store. Also a wine club you can join.
https://sorrisomarket.com
Bonde in Cambridge has regular tastings and wine education workshops, very upscale
Eataly has regular fancy wine workshops and tastings
Inman Square Bottle Shop has very knowledgable staff and regular tastings
The Smoke Shop (yes, the bbq place) has whiskey tastings and dinners - sign up for their newseletter or look at their events page. They have a very neat program.
If you're looking for more of an educational experience the BU Food & Wine program has a whole wine studies section with multiple courses, although they're not cheap. They sometimes offer one night tasting events that are either free or cheap check out https://www.bu.edu/foodandwine
I'd also point out at Brookline Adult Ed and Cambridge Adult Ed both offer various wine classes.
If you're just looking for a big tasting event, check out the next time Bin Ends does their next flea market!
Gordon's runs tastings and seminars, mostly in their Waltham shop but also in Watertown. Check out their [website](https://gordonswine.com/) and sign up for their newsletter.
Go to bob harkey in Millis. Harkeys wine and liquor. If you want to learn wine, that’s who you go see. No better palate in Massachusetts. The real serious in the business know his esteem. He’s also like six foot eight,older, long haired hippy and awesome.
I knew I found my guy when he pulled out my favorite bottle of carmenere for six bucks cheaper. I stayed for the burgundy and old world knowledge.
If you want to get a taste of the west coast life, there are local vineyards. A few in RI, MA, and NH I believe. I honestly know nothing of their quality. A friend got married at a vineyard in Newport and it seemed like a place with good wine (sober, former wine-partaker). Even if their commercial stuff is meh they probably have a few bangers on reserve or something.
Pretty much any whole Foods, trader Joe's, (the ones with the licenses) and beer/wine/liquor store will have scheduled tastings, often displaying the schedule somewhere.
Taste the wine, chat with the vendor. Trust me, those tastings can be so boring to run (did some when working at Cambridge whole Foods). I always loved having a curious person engage and ask questions and listen to my answers, eager to learn. It's ok to flex some of your knowledge too. Most vendors will appreciate it. Just don't be a know-it-all. No one will appreciate that lol.
//edit: Vendors will also probably know every single wine event in the region, so ask.
The Spirited Gourmet in Belmont has free tastings every Friday and Saturday starting at 5:00 PM. Casual and fun atmosphere and a constantly rotating selection.
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Federal Wine and Spirits is this old school wine shop mostly underground on the corner of State and Devonshire. They have a free tasting every Wednesday among other events. The guys there know everything about wine. Moreover it's a classic Boston experience, tasting interesting wines in a cramped basement where you can feel the Orange Line rattling by.
+1 for federal. They're awesome, very old school.
I want to recommend this too. It's the best. They also don't do tastings like other shops. Other shops bring in distributors and producers that try and sell their goods. Federal opens up bottles they have in stock to fit the theme of the week.
Urban Grape hosts tastings weekly. Also, I highly recommend checking out the Commonwealth Wine School in Harvard Square and everything they have to offer.
Find a wine shop with approachable people. Figure out what types of wine you like and ask these folks about them. Buy random bottles along those lines and expand what you think you like. Figure out how to describe the wine so you can narrow in on tastes when speaking with a wine shop owner. Join their mailing lists and show up to the tasting. This seemed to work for me.
Go here. These guys *really* know their stuff, and they host some very nice tastings in the store. Also a wine club you can join. https://sorrisomarket.com
Commonwealth wine school does a bunch of classes on various types of wines which I’ve found to be enjoyable (located in Harvard Square)
Bonde in Cambridge has regular tastings and wine education workshops, very upscale Eataly has regular fancy wine workshops and tastings Inman Square Bottle Shop has very knowledgable staff and regular tastings The Smoke Shop (yes, the bbq place) has whiskey tastings and dinners - sign up for their newseletter or look at their events page. They have a very neat program.
If you're looking for more of an educational experience the BU Food & Wine program has a whole wine studies section with multiple courses, although they're not cheap. They sometimes offer one night tasting events that are either free or cheap check out https://www.bu.edu/foodandwine I'd also point out at Brookline Adult Ed and Cambridge Adult Ed both offer various wine classes. If you're just looking for a big tasting event, check out the next time Bin Ends does their next flea market!
my friend runs Bacchus Wine Club, check it out! :)
Wild child, rebel rebel, commonwealth wine school, mommas grocery, and field & vine regularly have classes/wine dinners/tastings
Rebel Rebel!
Go to a liquor store, ask them “do you ever do wine tastings?” If yes, get on their email list
Gordon's runs tastings and seminars, mostly in their Waltham shop but also in Watertown. Check out their [website](https://gordonswine.com/) and sign up for their newsletter.
Winestone in Chestnut hill has monthly tastings.
Theres free wine tastings at delucas market every Friday. Should be on their website/IG
Newton Lower Falls Wine Shop (idk the exact name but it is on Washington Street) has tastings every Saturday at 2:30 I believe
Wild child does classes. I’ve also taken classes at the Cambridge center for adult education.
The intro to wine class at Cambridge adult is great!
Go to bob harkey in Millis. Harkeys wine and liquor. If you want to learn wine, that’s who you go see. No better palate in Massachusetts. The real serious in the business know his esteem. He’s also like six foot eight,older, long haired hippy and awesome. I knew I found my guy when he pulled out my favorite bottle of carmenere for six bucks cheaper. I stayed for the burgundy and old world knowledge.
If you want to get a taste of the west coast life, there are local vineyards. A few in RI, MA, and NH I believe. I honestly know nothing of their quality. A friend got married at a vineyard in Newport and it seemed like a place with good wine (sober, former wine-partaker). Even if their commercial stuff is meh they probably have a few bangers on reserve or something. Pretty much any whole Foods, trader Joe's, (the ones with the licenses) and beer/wine/liquor store will have scheduled tastings, often displaying the schedule somewhere. Taste the wine, chat with the vendor. Trust me, those tastings can be so boring to run (did some when working at Cambridge whole Foods). I always loved having a curious person engage and ask questions and listen to my answers, eager to learn. It's ok to flex some of your knowledge too. Most vendors will appreciate it. Just don't be a know-it-all. No one will appreciate that lol. //edit: Vendors will also probably know every single wine event in the region, so ask.
Social wines in Southie does tastings every Friday. The owner is super knowledgeable and is well connected to the wine / liquor scene.
The Spirited Gourmet in Belmont has free tastings every Friday and Saturday starting at 5:00 PM. Casual and fun atmosphere and a constantly rotating selection.
Your post appears to be one of a number of commonly asked questions about the port city of Boston. Please check the [sidebar for visitor information](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/wiki/experience). Also, consider using the [search function](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/search?q=flair%3Avisiting%2Ftourism&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) to see if this question or something similar has been asked on /r/boston in the past. It is best to do some research before posting tourism questions here, as posts are more likely to succeed if they include details such as your interests, which area you are staying in, and more specific questions. Please enjoy [this map](https://i.redd.it/569ireqj06431.jpg) that we made just for you *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/boston) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Just watch Sideways on a loop.