While craft beer might be getting all of the attention lately,

Chicagos wine scene has been there all along. Whether

you are a novice or an expert, the key to enjoyable
oenophilia is nding a good wine store you trust. Here we
salut Chicagos nestand their best bottles.
1. Binnys Beverage Depot
With 30 Illinois locations, 24 walk-in
wine cellars and tens of thousands of
bottles, Binnys has the market covered on
selection. Considering that we frst started
buying Bordeaux futures in the 1980s,
weve had plenty of time to establish a
world-class wine cellar program, explains
Greg Versch, Binnys communications
director. Multiple locations, 866.975.6188,
binnys.com
FALL WINE PICK Giacomo Conterno Barolo
Cascina Francia 2009, $145
2. Bread & Wine
Some diners may not realize that Bread
& Wine is a wine shop as well as a
restaurant, so you can quaf an amazing
glass at dinner and then buy the exact
bottle to take home on your way out.
3732 W. Irving Park Road, 773.866.5266,
breadandwinechicago.com
FALL WINE PICK Te stores private label red, $25
3. Eataly Chicago
With Eatalys great selection of large-
format bottles, make sure to take a look
at its bevy of magnums and double
magnums. In addition, it sells the trendy
Coravin, which lets you extract a small
amount of wine from a bottle without
disturbing the seal of the cork. 43 E.
Ohio St., 312.521.8700, eataly.com
FALL WINE PICK Borgogno Barolo, $86.80
4. Evolution Wine & Spirits
Evolution aims to keep things intimate
by having expert sommeliers on duty at
carried by only one other store in Illinois,
try the Romanee-Saint-Vivant Marey-
Monge 2005, which retails for $2,000
a bottle. Te other store wants nearly
$16,000 for a three-pack. 2232 W. Roscoe
St., 773.281.8888; 1412 W. Chicago Ave.,
312.666.6900, lushwineandspirits. com
FALL WINE PICK Chateau Nomad Te
Alani and Te Gitan, $35 each
8. Pastoral
Te wine program atPastoralfocuses
on small production wineries,
typically run by families who are
dedicated to responsible farming
methods, explains wine buyer Mark
Wrobel. Te wines are arranged by
body instead of varietal. 2945 N.
Broadway, 773.472.4781; 53 E. Lake St.,
312.658.1250, pastoralartisan.com
FALL WINE PICK Vincent Dancer Meursault
Les Corbins Chardonnay, $59
9. Perman Wine Selections
Each customer has an opportunity to
all times. No question is too simple and
no query is too complex, self-proclaimed
head motivator Brian Rosen insists.
We take pride that our wine team was
not selling TVs at Best Buy last season.
1704 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773.772.9463;
2766 Dundee Road, Northbrook,
847.272.2200, evolutionwines.com
FALL WINE PICK Casa Mateo Cabernet
Sauvignon 2012, $11
5. Fine Wine Brokers
Te shop feels like an antique library,
with rolling ladders, tall wooden shelves
and maps of wine regions drawn high on
the walls. We pride ourselves on giving
the public a little bit of education and
history of our wines, buyer and manager
Andrew Willis explains. 4621 N. Lincoln
Ave., 773.989.8166, fwbchicago.com
FALL WINE PICK Domaine de la Rochelierre,
Cuve Privilge, $22
6. In Fine Spirits
Despite its name, In Fine Spirits is more
of a wine shop than a liquor store. Owner
Jarran Conger emphasizes the shops
small size: We enjoy being the little
guy. Why? He and his staf can taste
every wine on their shelves, which ensures
youll fnd the perfect selection. 5418 N.
Clark St., 773.506.9463, infnespirits.com
FALL WINE PICK Holloran Tempranillo
2009, $26
7. Lush Wine and Spirits
Lushs two locations specialize in
exclusive wines. If you want a bottle
have a personal wine consultation each
time they shop. If they are preparing a
menu at home and want expert pairing
advice, we can do that too, explains
Perman sommelier Shebnem Ince,
who was a customer at Perman while
working as a restaurant wine director.
802 W. Washington Blvd., 312.666.4417,
permanwine.com
FALL WINE PICK Domaine Bernard Baudry
Chinon La Croix Boisse 2011, $37
10. Provenance Food
and Wine
Provenances two neighborhood wine
shops are relatively small, but that means
the selection is choice. Our small space
demands that we keep a curated selection
of wines on rotation from small producers
who use responsible practices, explains
owner Tracy Kellner. 2528 N. California
Ave., 773.384.0699; 2312 W. Leland Ave.,
773.784.2314, provenancefoodandwine. com
FALL WINE PICK Verus Vineyards Furmint,
2011, Stajerska, Slovenia,$18
Grape
Expectations

When it comes to selecting wine, a little sage
advice from the experts goes a long way.

| By Anthony Todd |
| Photography by Nathanael Filbert |
BEST CELLARS
The expert staff
at these standout
Chicago wine
stores, such as
Lush Wine and
Spirits (shown
here), will help
you nd the
perfect bottle.
26 | | Fall 2014
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