Learning About Wine -- Free Tastings

Has this ever happened to you? You need to buy a great bottle of wine for a special occasion perhaps to impress your date, client or boss. You go to the store and suddenly, you are completely overwhelmed by your lack of wine expertise.

Learning about wine can be a complex and time-consuming process. And since most wine connoisseurs agree that the best way to learn is to taste, taste, and taste, your education is also likely to be rather costly.

Thankfully, there is a simple and inexpensive solution. Many of Manhattan's finest wine shops offer free tastings on a regular basis. The following is a sample of these tastings which have been recommended to The NYC Insider:

Mister Wright Liquors
Located at 1593 3rd Avenue (between 89th Street and 90th Street), Mister Wright offers free wine tastings each Saturday beginning around 4 PM. The tastings are often of wines that cost $10 or less per bottle and feature all varieties of wines from all over the world: Mister Wright has offered wines from Australia, Chile, and Hungary as well as wines from California, France and Italy. The focus is on trying and enjoying something new without any pressure to buy. In addition to the weekly tastings, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful in recommending wines appropriate to your taste and budget.

Sherry-Lehmann
The venerable Sherry-Lehmann at 679 Madison (between 61st Street and 62nd Street) also frequently offers tasting sessions, usually on Saturdays. Although they do not hold the tastings on a regular schedule, they tend to advertise each event in the Friday edition of The New York Times. You can also call (212) 838-7500 to find out when the next tasting will be.

K & D Wines
K & D holds Saturday afternoon tastings from time to time, frequently serving cheese to accompany their wine selections. To learn when they are offering the next tasting, call (212) 289-1818. The store is at 1366 Madison (between 95th Street and 96th Street).

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