Though I no longer live in Charlottesville, one of the perks of living in this small university town was the ample number of free wine tastings around town throughout the week! From Wednesday to Friday, I was certainly going to be at one of these locations to try new wines and meet distributors as well as importers.
- Market Street Wine (Wednesdays and Fridays)
I have to talk about Market Street Wine first due to nostalgia. About every other week during our first two years of medical school, we’d have an exam about every other Friday and my roommate and I would venture to Market Street Wine to celebrate. Market Street Wine first opened in 1979 and the current owner, Erin, is so knowledgeable (she is was on the Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 list some years ago!) and approachable to discuss all things wine, is always opening up fun bottles, and always has a great recommendation on what to buy at every price point! I recommend stopping by every Wednesday and Friday from 5-630pm for a pre-dinner drink or on your way home from work!
Also, for the beer lovers, there are beer tastings every Thursday from 5-630pm.
- The Wine Guild (Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays)
My friends and I went to the Wine Guild occasionally in medical school but I started going more regularly after returning back to Charlottesville in 2024. The current owners, Will and Priscilla are young, fun, and have great connections in both the community as well as the wine industry as a whole. The distributors who come to “the Guild” as many Charlottesville residents affectionately call it, are great at telling the stories of the producers and I’m introduced to a new grape varietal at least once a month!
The Wine Guild also hosts a “grand tasting” that happens twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall which is a great time to taste around 30-50 wines and stock up your wine supply for the year.
Tastings are from 530-730pm every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for non-members. You can also then buy a bottle or glass of wine from the bar in the back of the store and order food from next door – Ace Biscuit & Barbecue!
- Bottle House (Thursdays)
Bottle House is the newest place on the scene that does weekly wine tastings – it was opened as a wine bar and store after I left for residency in 2020 and I discovered it while on a run through Charlottesville. The owner, Louie, is originally from New Orleans but has lived in Virginia for many years. The wine shop itself focuses on a variety of wines from mostly western European wines (but you can definitely find wine from the “new world”), with a focus on Bordeaux, Rhone, and Burgundy regions. The tastings are always so fun and attract a variety of people due to its location between the hospital and the downtown mall. Tastings are from 5-7pm on Thursdays but you can stop by during business hours for a glass of wine or beer and a cheese plate!
Happy tasting!
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