My new favorite place in DG! This is a hidden gem in a strip mall. They offer daily specials and a nice variety of wines. The general manager knows his wines and has wonderful suggestions. Highly recommend!!! read more

WAGS Wine Shop - a plate of food and a glass of wine - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I went into this establishment for a girls' day wine tasting. The owner was knowledgeable about the wines and very friendly. If you're thinking of checking this place out, pull the trigger. You won't be sorry. Do try their delicious pizza, ask to plug in your own music, if so inclined, and sign the wall. Big up Mike for an amazing girl's day! read more

WAGS Wine Shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Our friends Taylor M. and Jon C. had a wine tasting Groupon here for 4, so my husband and I joined them for a tasting recently. I recently fell in love with wine after a couple wine tastings at other locations and anticipated a similar experience. I'm sad to say that it wasn't the lovely and cozy affair I expected. It was definitely cozy -- the small and crowded kind of cozy. Several tables were set up for the tasting, but we were all crammed elbow to elbow with other people and wine racks. I have a feeling a couple racks were moved aside to accommodate the tables, but it didn't really work. This space wasn't meant for tables at all. After awkwardly walking around each other, we started off with light appetizers, listened to the owner talk about the wine, and sampled six or seven different wines. Most of the wines were pretty good. The one we were excited to taste ended up being horribly flat (we noticed the bottle had already been opened and who knows how long it was open for). Very disappointing. The entire experience dragged on. Although I felt that the woman leading the tasting was pretty knowledgeable about wine, she kept talking about different items she had for sale in her store and we weren't interested in hearing a sales pitch. We were glad to leave after the tasting was over. The wine selection here is pretty small. Not much caught my eye. Spreads, cheese, breads, and wine accessories are available, but they were kind of scattered about the store in small quantities. I wasn't impressed. As we were purchasing a bottle, we noticed several craft beers for sale in the cooler behind the counter. I enjoy a good craft beer, but it was kind of odd to see a wine shop sell beer. Eh. I guess they have their reasons. I like supporting local businesses that sell specialty items at reasonable places, which is why we bought one bottle. But that's all we'll ever buy here. If I was from the area, I might stop in again during regular store hours to see how everything is, but it's not worth driving all the way out here from the North Suburbs at all. I was hovering between two or three stars, but when I read the star descriptions, "meh, I've experienced better" is exactly how I felt about this place. read more

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Remodeled, fun little hideaway shop. Smoked meat was great, tacos were delicious and the owners and staff were very fun and welcoming. Wine selection was very extensive as well. They remodeled everything inside and it's a great place, I'll be back! read more

Sooo awesome! I'm not even a wine person but the sweet wines were delicious and the hostess is really fun and entertaining! I got a deal on groupon for half off a wine tasting for two. I figured for $10, it would at least be something fun to do with a friend or a date, even though I don't really like wine. When I first arrived, I was a little offput that it was a bit hard to find in a little shopping center. The size of the place is small and the surrounding stores doesn't really seem all that "fancy" as I was expecting for a wine tasting. But don't let the look fool you, I had a GREAT time here. The hostess was very informative, did a great job telling us about the wines and other products she offered, without being like a pushy sales person AND made me laugh. She also had some very tasty little snacks to go along with the wines. The key to really enjoying your time is to choose the right tasting. Personally, I like sweet drinks, which is why I chose the sweet wine tasting. And I'll tell you what, out of something like 7 wines, I loved 6 of them and ended up buying a bottle for myself and one for a gift, and I will definitely be returning. This little wine tasting turned me into a wine drinker! read more

WAGS Wine Shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Small menu with snacks like charcuterie plates, wine and beer. We enjoyed the glasses of wine and apps. Odd location. read more

Small store, with great customer service! Kind of hard to find, across the parking lot from Ultra Foods, but worth looking for. The owner is very nice, and very knowledgeable. Good prices, great selection. In addition to wines, they have some liquors and unique beers - as well as rumchata and whip cream with liquor in it. read more

WAGS Wine Shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Back in Summer 2012, I bought a Groupon for a tasting here. I called several times to schedule, as the Groupon required, and never hard back until well after expiration. When they did call, I was told they would honor the Groupon still, but only when the manager was there. WHAT? Ugh. $10 lost on my part, but future business lost on their's. Fast forward a year, and a friend bought the same Groupon, and invited me along. Ok, fine. I shall attend. It was cramped when empty, and as another party was doing the tasting, overcrowded. Yes, that's right - two parties. A place of this size has no business selling, organizing, or promoting tastings for more than one group. Ridiculous. The wines offered weren't bad, but the shop itself was not well organized, and seemed "trinkety," more like a gift shop than a wine shop. Won't be back. read more

Checked hours on website and visited first on a Sunday during their regular hours and they were closed, no explanation on the door. Visited again weeks later on a Saturday during posted hours and same thing. Had bought a Groupon and after second time of not being able to get in I submitted for a refund. Why are they constantly selling Groupon deals when they aren't open??? read more

Cute little shop that I visited after buying a Groupon. Read the small print on the groupon, upon arrival have to pay sales tax. The person doing the tasting was funny and engaging. The store is cramped but if you are looking for something inexpensive to do, I recommend the tasting. Check their website because tastings change all of the time. read more

I stumbled upon a groupon for a wine tasting here - $10 for 2. I figured...it's a cheap night out, why not! I've been to many wine tastings up to this point so I can definitely compare what's good and what's not. As the other reviews note, don't be turned off from the outside, this place is definitely a hidden gem out here in the burbs. The place was set up for our full group of taste testers with light appetizers. My friend is a fan of the sweet wines so we chose that tasting. We went through each wine one by one and got a tidbit of info with each wine as well as some good tips - yes, I even learned how to use a wine opener properly - something no other tasting has done before! I walked out of there with a few tips AND a wonderful recipe I plan on using at my next get together. The owner threw humor into our tasting and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! The wines are all reasonably priced and after we purchased our bottles, we were given a coupon for another $5 wine tasting and 10% off our next bottle. YES, I WILL be back!!! read more

I came here after finding a groupon for a wine tasting. It was definitely a fun experience and the shop itself is super cute! We ended up buying a bottle of wine to enjoy later on that evening. I would love to stop back here and get some more wine to support this local business! read more

I recently used a Groupon here for a wine tasting class. I've always wanted to do this, so when I found this deal, it seemed like a great opportunity. Downers Grove Wine Shop offers a variety of tasting classes, including red wines, white wines, and sweet wines classes, but since I wanted to start off as basic as it gets, I opted for "wines 101". The shop is quite small, nestled in a strip mall on the intersection of Lemont Rd. and 75th street. I ended up having a great time at the class. During the ~1 hour long class, we sampled 6 different wines paired with some pretty good cheese and cracker-type appetizers. I appreciated that they sampled fairly inexpensive selections (all were ~$10-$15/bottle) so that I was able to take home a bottle of my favorite. The shop owners were very friendly and knowledgeable, and they did a great job of making the class a fun time. For being as small as it is, the shop has a sizable selection of superior quality wines (no Barefoot here!), and the owners only sell wines that they have personally tried and would recommend. The only reason that I didn't give this 5 stars was that I felt that the shop was a bit too cramped to accommodate as many people who attended the tasting. Although I came here with a Groupon deal, tastings are normally only $10/person, which I think is a great price! I'll definitely be coming back! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. We met a group here for a wine tasting and when my husband and I first pulled up we both had the same reaction. "Hmmmmm." It doesn't look like much from the outside and the Miller Lite neon sign in the window isn't doing them any favors. We went in anyway and found our group. There were some light snacks available to taste with the wine (pretzel chips, hummus, a cheese and some small chocolate pieces). The owner passed around a tasting list and proceeded with the tasting. Of the six wines I think there was really only one I didn't care for. She was knowledgeable and though I didn't get much chance to look around they seemed to have a good selection of decently priced wines. Recommended. read more

Even though they kept the name, they have totally redone this spot and this place feels brand new. Very clean and organized for a hole in the wall spot. Young servers who are very polite and stay on top of service. Didn't think they'd have food but they've got a solid menu that includes street tacos, pulled pork sandwiches and brisket which was really good. Owners told me the cook is a award winning bbq chef! Prices are reasonable, good beer and wine selection. Great spot for a casual night of drinking i'll return soon. read more

I bought a Groupon for a wine tasting and didn't know what to expect. I've been to wine tastings before, but this one was unique. The owner walked us through each wine as well as how to properly open a bottle of wine, taste it, and store it. I thought she was very friendly and personable. We tried the sweet wines and left with one bottle that we sampled and one bottle that supports no-kill animal shelters. We received a coupon for next time as well. I enjoyed the tasting and would love to come back for another one. The owner was very pleasant and knowledgable. read more

WAGS Wine Shop - Chateau La Paws - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Dingy shop in a sparsely occupied shopping center. I purchased a groupon for wine tasting but didn't read the fine print - it is by appointment only. I fully acknowledge this is my bad. But the lady was less than friendly. This was way out of our way and we didn't want to make a second trip. But apparently she had zero options for us in terms of tasting today and she let us know with an attitude. I asked if it was possible for us put the groupon towards a bottle of wine and she said "that's a whole other animal. Wine tasting and wine sales is completely separate." Really??! I worked at a wine bar/shop for many years and have wine tasted in hundreds of shops. I have never been to a shop that refused to work with a customer! read more

Great little place to hang out with friends. Cozy atmosphere and great food.. Staff is friendly and there is a nice variety of wines.

Attended a wine tasting.. The shop has a nice and cozy atmosphere. The host is well informed on wines and shares tips on what foods to eat with the different selections. Wine selections are great. read more

Don't go here! We went for a wine tasting that was supposed to be an hour to 75 mins- it lasted 10 minutes. There wasn't enough wine for us to taste one of them and they refused to open another bottle. The hors d'oeuvres to pair with the wines was cheap grocery store cheese and stale crackers. The wine was bad. Honestly, I have nothing good to say about our experience here. Not only will I not go back, I'll tell my friends never to go in the first place. read more

I buy most of my wine here, Julie is aways helpful and knowledgable. Unlike some wine shops, it is not at all pretentious or snooty. Julie has never failed in steering me in the right direction or offering a taste of something she has open. If you are new to wine or a seasoned vet, I highly recommend Downers Grove wine shop. read more

The owner is a nice lady who definitely has wisdom to share. It's difficult to get a wine tasting in because there are only set times with tastings, but you have to go in realizing that there's one lady working the joint and it's not a traditional winery or tasting by any means. The wines were all bottles from different countries and it was fun to learn about some new wines. The store has a good selection of wines and the tasting was definitely fun. read more

I was on the way to a friends house in the area and googled the closest place to buy a couple bottles of good wine. I came across this hidden spot and was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. It's a little store, stocked with great wines! The lady that was working, I forgot her name :( was very nice and helpful with my choices. I told her what I liked, told her my price range, and she explained quite a few options that fall into my category. The red blend ($22) she recommended for me was top notch! (I forgot the name as well, total fail on my end). And my gf said the Sauvignon Blanc ($12) was great too! I will def swing back in when I'm in the area!! read more

Its a nice little wine shop. Helpful staff. Nice for picking up a gift!

I went here for a wine tasting and had a good time. The owner is very knowledgable, personable, and funny. The wine served during the tasting was overall good, especially for the prices per bottle (most expensive was $19.99). The appetizers put out (cheeses, crackers, pretzels, sausage, chocolate etc) are also a nice touch. I would go back again. I encourage anyone to try this place, especially if you get a Groupon. Well worth it, especially if you are new to wine tastings. It is a good, casual ice breaker. read more

I bought a Groupon and was really looking forward to the tasting for 6. It took 3 attempts to get in but the owner was very good about getting me in once she knew I needed to make a big purchase. A 7th person joined and offered to pay for an extra tasting but the owner was very rude and asked that she leave and that there was no room. I was there celebrating a 40th birthday and was appalled and very embarrassed to ask anyone to step outside. She would not start without the person leaving. We all stood up and left and would not support this business again. There are many serviceable ways to handle this situation but that offensive approach gives her 0 stars. read more

Went to a wine tasting here. Its a bit crowded so can be awkward for people who arent very social but I still enjoyed myself. They has some snacks that paired really well with the wines. You can tell the host enjoys what she does and it was a very educational experience. Tasty wines too. read more