24 can’t-miss Philly Wine Week events for local wine lovers
Wash your stemware and prepare your palate — Philly Wine Week is almost here.
Wash your stemware, and prepare your palate -- Philly Wine Week is almost here.
This year's Philly Wine Week, the fourth iteration, runs Sunday through March 26, featuring more than 100 events throughout the city.
With all those options, it can be difficult to choose where and when to go to bend your elbow. Have no fear -- we, as professional imbibers, are here to help.
Check out our picks below for wine tastings, competitions, festivals, specials, and panels. And remember: Pace yourself.
For more info on Philly Wine Week, go to phillywineweek.org.
Sunday
The fourth annual Philly Wine Week opens at the Academy of Natural Sciences with more than 100 wines with pairings from some of Philly's leading restaurants.
A weeklong series from Tredici Enoteca with a focus on the world's best female winemakers, complete with a three-glass wine flight paired with cheese.
Tredici Enoteca, 114 S. 13th St. $22.
Best Wines You've Never Heard Of
France isn't the only country with good wine. This weeklong special at Plenty Cafe's Queen Village location will show off wines from Uruguay, Lebanon, Slovenia, Greece, and other countries.
Plenty Cafe, 705 S. Fifth St., pay by the glass.
Monday
Who makes Philly's best wine cocktail? Attendees will decide at the cocktail competition event at Panorama, with the winner making it onto the spring menu.
6:30-8:30 p.m., Panorama, 14 N. Front St. $30.
Kensington's Martha will host this locally focused wine-tasting featuring the more obscure offerings from some of Pennsylvania's 200 wineries.
6-8 p.m., Martha, 2113 E. York St. Free.
Folks from Prohibition Taproom, Philly Style Bagels, Stargazy, and more team up for a Lambrusco-centric tasting that runs all night at Kensington Quarters.
7 p.m., Kensington Quarters, 1310 Frankford Ave. Pay as you go.
Tuesday
Your old friend boxed wine is back. Compare boxed wine to bottled at this taste-testing event straight from your college years.
4-10 p.m., Vintage Wine Bar, 129 S. 13th St.
Wine-y trivia is the name of the game at Bistro Romano, which will feature wines like Sauvion et Fils Muscadet and Arido Malbec. Yes, prizes will be awarded.
6-8 p.m., Bistro Romano, 120 Lombard St. $35 per person.
The folks at Jet Wine Bar have scrounged up five types of the most-obscure grapes they could find, and they want you to try them out. Light snacks provided.
6:30-8:30 p.m., Jet Wine Bar, 1525 South St. $40.
Wednesday
Get yourself an education on proper wine-tasting and description from the experts at Vintage Wine Bar. After all, we know you don't know what "tannic" means.
4-11 p.m., Vintage Wine Bar, 129 S. 13th St.
Sparkling Wine & Fried Chicken
Kensington Quarters pairs fried chicken and sparkling wine with music from the Rolling Stones at this oddly specific event. Why not?
5-10 p.m., Kensington Quarters, 1310 Frankford Ave. Pay as you go.
These days, wines aren't limited to red or white. Jet Wine Bar will have wines in green, orange, black, and rose to match your palate.
Jet Wine Bar, 1525 South St. $20.
Thursday
Spritzers and coolers have worn out their welcome, which is why they won't be at Paris Bistro & Jazz Café in Chestnut Hill. Instead, try some sophisticated wine cocktails.
4-10 p.m., Paris Bistro & Jazz Cafe, 8229 Germantown Ave. $10-$15.
Cheesesteaks don't seem as if they should go with wine, but Pinot Boutique in Old City begs to differ. For Philly Wine Week, they're putting their wineglasses where their whiz is.
5-8 p.m., Pinot Boutique, 227 Market St. $25.
A Day in the Life of a Sommelier
Osteria hosts the leading industry distributors and brand ambassadors as they tell you what exactly is the best part of being in the wine biz. Jealous?
6-9 p.m., Osteria, 640 N. Broad St. $49.
Next Friday
Osteria cracks open its wine cellars for a special Philly Wine Week promotion, making wines available by the glass that typically are only available by the bottle.
Osteria, 640 N. Broad St. Pay as you go.
This is Philly, so we couldn't have a week dedicated to wine alone. Here, Karamoor Estate wines and Goose Island Brewery show off Chrysos, a wine-barrel-aged saison.
Lo Spiedo, 4503 S. Broad St. $7.
It's an attitude we have about everything else, so why not wine? Sample area wines alongside the larger competition with the Pinot Boutique crew.
7-10 p.m., Pinot Boutique, 227 Market St. $25.
Next Saturday
Sure, you like wine, but how much do you know about it? Test your knowledge at Pinot Boutique with this quiz-style wine-tasting, and guess which wine you're having.
5-10 p.m., Pinot Boutique, 227 Market St. $15.
Sideways may have put a damper on the public's love for merlot, but it never went anywhere. Vintage Wine Bar will prove that to you with this merlot-centric event.
4-10 p.m., Vintage Wine Bar, 129 S. 13th St. Pay as you go.
Day drinking goes best with day eating -- especially if you're talking pastries. Here, Jet Wine Bar pairs five wines with tasty pastries from Nook.
1-3 p.m., Jet Wine Bar, 1525 South St. $40.
March 26
American Sardine Bar keeps alive its Philly Wine Week tradition with a wine-oriented BBQ with a bent toward tapas-style dishes -- its first backyard party of the season.
3-11 p.m., American Sardine Bar, 1800 Federal St.
French wines abound at Panorama for this day-drinking event. Glasses of wine are priced at $9 each, with five types available.
3-5 p.m., Panorama, 14 N. Front St. Pay as you go.
Close out Philly Wine Week with a frugal, alcohol-fueled brunch featuring sparkling cocktails, prosecco, and Lambrusco.
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Alla Spina, 1410 Mt. Vernon St. Pay as you go.