Sunday, November 01, 2009
Food, "Dish"

Sip on this

A guide to the best wine tastings in Atlanta

Shutterstock

By Hope S. Philbrick

Before plunking down your hard-earned cash for a bottle of wine, it’s sure nice to know what that liquid inside actually tastes like. Exactly that type of insider information is the underlying benefit of attending a wine tasting—and it’s a whole lot of fun.

Many wine tastings are routinely hosted around Atlanta. Attend one and you can expect to get more than a sip: At some events you’ll taste a number of wines side by side in what’s called a flight. At others you’ll sample one wine at a time, sometimes alongside cheese or appetizers. The focus of a wine tasting is often on a particular wine varietal or region. Typically, an expert is on hand to provide information about the wine, where it comes from and how it’s made, and to answer questions.

To help you get your calendar booked, we’ve rounded up some of the many wine tastings scheduled to take place over the next few months:

Tuesdays: Wines of the World at Muss & Turner’s. Join host Iris Kampbell to learn about and taste five wines. Themes vary. 6:30-7:30 p.m. $10. Complimentary artisan cheese. Reservations required. 770-434-1114. www.mussandturners.com.

Tuesdays: Wine Tastings at Taverna Fiorentina with host/educator Jasmin Reyes Scott showcase five wines. Themes vary. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $18. Complimentary antipasti. 770-272-9825. www.tavernafiorentina.com.

Tuesdays: Wine Tastings at Murphy’s. Sample eight wines. Themes vary. 6:30 p.m. $20. Call for details: 404-872-0904. www.murphysvh.com.

Saturdays: Sherlock’s Wine Merchant hosts free wine tastings every Saturday, 3-5 p.m. at the Brookhaven and Decatur locations. Themes vary. Brookhaven, 404-949-9945; Decatur, 404-377-4005. www.sherlocks.com. Additional wine courses are hosted in concert with Cook’s Warehouse; visit www.cookswarehouse.com for topics, dates and details.

Nov. 6: 2nd Annual Evening in the City at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta Downtown. Features the South’s top talent in food and wine to benefit Georgia’s organic farming community and Les Dames d’Escoffier International. 7-10 p.m. $150. Limit 75. 404-329-8426.

Nov. 7: 8th Annual Decatur Wine Festival at the Old Courthouse Square. Taste 200+ wines alongside food from Decatur restaurateurs. 1-4 p.m. $30; limit 2,000, must purchase tickets in advance. 404-371-9583. www.decaturartsalliance.org.

Ongoing or Multiple Dates: The Atlanta Wine School hosts many courses designed to help build wine knowledge and confidence. Novice to advanced courses available. 770-668-0435. www.atlantawineschool.com.

For more details and additional wine event listings, visit www.localwineevents.com.

Please be a responsible drinker and always consume in moderation. Never drink and drive. Pick a designated driver when attending wine events, or make other arrangements for transportation. SP