Wine tastings are one of the best deals in town. They let you try a variety of wines, expand your palate all for one great price.
In Sacramento, we are so lucky to be so close to Napa, Lodi, Amador County and so many other wine tasting day trips. But sometimes, you're just looking to skip the drive and try a couple wines.
These are the regular wine and spirits tastings in the downtown Sacramento area:
Monday:
Zocalo (18th and Capitol) – One of the Handle District’s founding restaurants, the upscale Mexican restaurant has a tequila tasting at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of every month. $10.
Tuesday:
Firehouse Restaurant (1112 Second St. in Old Sac) – Regarded by some as the best restaurant in Sacramento, the Old Sac institution hosts a wine tasting every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. $10.
Wednesday:
L Wine Lounge (18th and L) – $10 for 5 wines. Every Wednesday, 6 to 8 p.m. If you’re a member of their wine club, you can bring a guest to the wine tasting for free.
Lounge ON20 (20th and L) – This midtown hot spot raises the bar by adding live jazz to it’s Wednesday wine tastings. $10-$15, depending on the winery they’re showcasing that week. 5:30 to 8 p.m.
58 Degrees and Holding (18th and Capitol) – This wine bar, bistro and wine shop charges only $10 for five different wines for it’s themed weekly Wednesday wine tastings. 5 to 8 p.m.
Sellands Market and Café (53rd and H) – The market, run by the owners of Ella and The Kitchen, holds a wine tasting every second Wednesday of the month. 6:30 to 9 p.m. $20
Thursday:
Ten 22 (Old Sac) – This sibling of the Firehouse has a great Thursday beer tasting, featuring a couple themed beers (they have their schedule of themes on their Web site) for only $10. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Raley's Supermarket (3250 Arena Blvd in Natomas) - This might be one of Sacramento's best kept wine tasting secrets. For only $3 for wine tastings or $2 for beer tastings, the regional supermarket offers an in-store wine tasting. They will also give you a voucher for whatever you spent at the wine or beer tasting towards beer or wine. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Also available in Folsom, Granite Bay and El Dorado Hills.
Sapporo Grill (Firestone Building) - First Thursday of every month, 5 to 7 p.m.
Friday
Enotria (Del Paso and Arden) – The fabulous restaurant and wine bar hosts wine tasting on Fridays. Generally, $12 for 3 tastings, from 5 p.m. to closing.
Nugget Markets (Florin & West Sac) - The upscale market chain also has a weekly Friday wine tasting. Visit their Web site to make sure they're doing it that Friday. Like Raley's, it's $3 for the flight, but they will give you a $3 coupon off any bottle of wine in the store. 5 to 7 p.m.
The Market at Pavilions, formerly David Berkeley (515 Pavilions Lane) - $10 for 4 tastes. 5 to 7 p.m.
Saturday
Hot Italian (16th and Q) – This up and coming midtown pizza joint hosts a wine tasting 3 to 6 p.m. every third Saturday for $10. 3 to 6 p.m.
Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know by leaving a comment or e-mail me at CowtownEats@gmail.com
* updated 8/2/2010
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