"Free weekly tastings [with a superb selection."
(in 5 reviews)
"I went here for the free Friday wine tasting one week and loved it."
(in 5 reviews)
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The Wine Bottega
Rating Details »
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: North End341 Hanover St
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 227-6607
Wine 101
Join us the first Thursday of each month for a fun and…
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- Nearest Transit:
-
Haymarket (Orange)
North Station (Orange, Green)
Aquarium (Blue)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
12 reviews for The Wine Bottega
Review Highlights
my friend just moved to the north end and we decided to get some wine to celebrate.
luckily the wine bottega is just down the street - and we've been celebrating ever since.
a small store but a great selection. we'll be back (but only after we've showered and have cute outfits on - see alison k.'s first comment)
This is, hands down, the best wine shop in the city. I have spent more time there than is healthy and miss it every day now that I live in Chicago. The selection is varied and incredible. The employees are incredible wine minds always excited to help you find your new favorite wine. Their free Friday tastings are informative and fun, and their special abbondanza tastings rock my world! Always worth a special trip to the N. End!!!! The best part is that the prices go from super affordable to top class vintages!
p.s. other reviewers have mentioned the "aesthetic qualities" of the staff....I agree.
Fairly decent selection of mid level wines. Not badly priced for being in such a touristy location. Didn't really see anything new and interesting that I just had to try.
Yay, wine! I went here for the free Friday wine tasting one week and loved it. It was really busy with wine nerds and winos listening to the very well-informed vendor tell us about the wonderful bottles she'd brought from small, unknown vineyards in Italy. It was a great education and a great buzz. We all ended up buying something (the tasting wines are discounted) with grand plans of giving them as gifts and saving them for dinner parties. Guess what? We drank almost all of them - such great finds that went down smooth and left no hangovers. I did manage to save a bottle for a BBQ, which was good since this particular red went perfectly with grilled food (so advised by the Wine Bottega people).
It's a tad on the pricey side, but good for a special occasion or a treat for yourself. You'll definitely be able to find the perfect bottle from the enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
-Funny/attractive guys working there
-Free weekly tastings [with a superb selection]
-Convenient location [I'm lucky enough to live down the street]
-Little to no snobbery or intimidating prices
What's not be 5-star worthy?! Love this place.
But if you're looking for liquor other than wine, you're S.O.L.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
New owner, completely new review.
I had a not so good review of the Bottega, so I got an email from the owner, asking me to come check out the new place, as my review epitomized everything she didn't want it to be. Well, the place has definitely turned around since Kerri bought it.
The first time I went back, Kerri happened to be there. We told her we liked Chianti's and she had some awesome options. One was a steal at $10 less a bottle than it normally goes for (due to a distrubutor fluke) and the other was the last organic of this type on the shelf. Both bottles were in the $10-$15 range. Yeah, we went back for 2 more of the special.
And I know I will be stopping there a lot more on the way home, especially for the free tastings on Fridays. They also seem to be having some awesome wine tastings and food pairings coming up that I am going to have to check out.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Cool (3)
I really like the "homey" feel to this little wine shop in the North End. Staff is well educated, and very friendly. There are a variety of wines to choose from, and the store is always well stocked. Don't worry about breaking your bank here, they've got a variety of price ranges here! :-)
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
Since Martignetti's will be closing in January, I offer a few notes I jotted about Wine Bottega recently:
The store's small size was slightly disorienting when I first walked in. After I was oriented, it's still small, but there is more bottles on the a cellar level. There is a deep love of wine at this shop, so there are probably is nothing bad in stock. They didn't seem to carry much under $20, but not all of their wine is expensive. Don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation in any price range. They don't carry anything unless they consider it to be worthwhile.
Every Friday from 5pm to 8pm, they offer samplings of 6 (or so) wines downstairs.
I went a while ago, and there were about 6 or 7 people.
Did I mention they're very serious about their wine? The tasting is quite informative, but not exactly a rollicking fun time. One of the two presenters will give a short spiel after each tiny sample is poured; all were quite good -- even the styles I'm not fond of.
I'm an easygoing fellow, so I thought they were also a bit anal retentive. They had already started a round of tasting when I got there, and they wouldn't let me start with the 2nd wine until I tried the first one. That was appreciated in a way, but I would've lived if I didn't try the first wine.
I wouldn't go out of my way for the tasting unless you were in the neighborhood. I would recommend going out of my way, if you wanted to find a wine to impress someone -- or any special occasion -- and you're willing to shell out the reasonably proportionate bucks.
I imagine you can subscribe to their newsletter with a note to:
thewinebottega@earthli...
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
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very helpful people in here. I drink a lot of wine but don't have a favorite and don't like drinking the same bottle twice. this place is perfect in helping me choose different bottles every time i'm in there, which is like once a week, at least. they have tastings and 10% off every friday too. i also have a difficult time spending over $20 on a bottle that i'm going to drink with pizza with friends. The wine bottega is perfect because they have great stuff hovering around $10.
The staff alone does it for me. They are extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I have done extensive wine tasting at vineyards so I always appreciate people who actually know what they're talking about when wine is concerned. They also carry a wide variety of wines from inexpensive bottles to local to organic to ooh la la expensive. Still, the staff does their best to find a wine within your budget. My only grievance is their lack of international wines. I very much enjoy Malbec, preferably from Argentina, and Pinotage, which is only made in South Africa.
I have always enjoyed The Wine Bottega. It helps I live right down the street. Friday nights tastings are great. I sip a wine, hear all about it and then purchase a bottle. It's a great relationship!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I love the Bottega. I have been doing the Friday Night tastings pretty much every week for 2 years (which means I might have a problem). I began knowing NOTHING about wine. They'd describe the aroma, the notes of cherry or chocolate or pepper. I had no idea what they were talking about. What I did know was that they know their sh*t. With months of listening and faux-nodding (mmm hmmm that is nice - i can taste the cherry...) I finally got a sense of things. What helps is they do themes - like Bordeaux night or Chianti night. Now I feel like a pro. A wine education - free!!!
Selection is as others have said limited. But they focus. There is really no crap on the shelves. The $10 bottles (they have them) are as good as the $40 bottles. I have a friend who sells for a wine distributor who describes the wines as esoteric. They have merlots, chardonnays and pinot grigios, but you can tell their hearts are really in the weird, one-of-a-kind wines. Especially Piedmont, Rhone, Austrian and even some New England/New York wines.
Prices can get high, but if you go to the tastings and buy 3 or more bottles, they are 20% off. Definitely worth a trip.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
