We took a two hour class on cheese, chocolate and wine pairings and it was absolutely amazing! The…read moreinstructor had an amazing ability to blend facts, humor, history, geography and culinary knowledge into an absolutely interesting and insightful and riveting adventure. The wines were a mix of French, Italian, Portuguese the chocolate was a mix of Italian, American and Dutch. The cheeses were French, American, Dutch, in Spanish. I will be looking for the next class the instructor teaches at Formaggio cheese shop and I'm actually going there today because he inspired us! If you have ever wanted a cheese and wine class, don't hesitate, take one of these!

We had a great time at our 2 hour wine tasting class. We enjoyed sniffing the different bottles of…read morescents trying to guess what scent it was. I just wish the educator was a bit more informative and educational. When we were guessing the flavors and scents of each wine it seemed she agreed that every fruit/tastes that we each tasted was present in the wine. I wish she would've been more direct in what she tasted and what we should be tasting to better direct our senses of taste instead of agreeing that we taste everything. I liked the wine tasting chart that they gave us, we took them home with us in hopes to use them in our future when we try more wines. Fun date night and entrance class into wine tasting!

This place has a great selection of wine and the people that work there are very knowledgeable. I…read morewish I lived in Boston

Context: Free wine tasting on Friday! 5-8 PM…read more Service: Matt was condescending when we asked him questions. It was extremely uncomfortable. He was nice while he was presenting the wines for the tasting, but one-on-one, he had a very elitist attitude. However, Brian was very, very knowledgeable and friendly! We asked him lots of questions and he happily answered all of them. Thank you, Brian! You're great! Wine: There are lots of different wines that are from smaller and less known wineries. But I appreciate that! You don't have to be a wine connoisseur to walk into Wine Bottega! They have leading wine experts share wines on Fridays, so go try it out! Ambiance: The top floor is the store front and downstairs is a larger, dark room for wine tasting. It had a great intimate feel. Price: Got a great wine for less than $20. Also check-in for 10% off! I would love this place and give it 5 stars, but Matt ruined my experience...Then, Brian made up for it! I would definitely come back for more wine and another wine tasting!

Had a wonderful time with our company Christmas party, we usually rent restaurant space but Joe put…read moretogether a wonderful package, 3 great locations. Wine was incredible. Food pairing was unmatched, the shrimp ceviche at Rosa Mexicano was incredible. Joe was very attentive to our guest needs, catering to allergies. The water front locations is very scenic. Definitely recommend!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! We did the Ink Block tour last week and it is overpriced and I had a very…read moredisappointing experience with the owner over costs. He is the dodgiest businessman I've ever encountered, to the point where I feel obligated to write my first Yelp review. I do not like sharing negative information but this treatment pushed me to share my experience so that it won't happen to anyone else. To reserve a tour, you first have to pay a deposit at the time of booking (fair enough) but then you have to pay in full for each person ($70/pp) the week before the tour. The owner, Joe, also encouraged me to pay for gratuity for each person ahead of the tour but at least I didn't do that piece on my credit card. So before even setting foot on this tour, I paid $840 for a party of 12. As luck would have it, our tour date was the weekend of Winter Storm Riley, that super windy Nor'easter/ Bombogenesis! We had friends joining from out of town who couldn't make it due to canceled flights and power outages. I got in touch with Joe the morning of our tour and told him 3 people couldn't join us (which later turned into 4 ppl), could he please help us out so we didn't have to pay in full for everyone who wasn't able to attend due to extreme weather and got the response of "Hey no problem! I will look when I get home... I'm already down here setting up.. so just come have a good time! :-)" Foolishly, I thought this meant he would help us out. I was wrong. Although Joe was at the restaurants before, during and after our tour, and had them rearrange the place settings to be set-up for our smaller group, he claimed there was nothing he could do about the extra $280 I had paid. I talked about this with him at the end of the tour (he awkwardly showed up at our last stop and took over for our much more personable tour guide) and he kept telling me that he would look into when he got home on his computer but there was nothing he could do now. While we were standing in the restaurant. Read: I don't want you to stiff us on the tip. (I did still tip our tour guide.) So the next day I followed up with him and asked for an update on the extra $280 I paid and was told he was working with the restaurants to see if he could get a refund for what he paid. When I reminded him he had told me this would be "no problem", he ended the email by saying "So I'm working with the locations to see if I can retrieve money back so I need some time. I promise I will do my best to help you out." I wrote to him and asked for another update yesterday, 7 days after our tour, before I wrote any reviews. No response. After not hearing back from Joe, who had told me he was "working with the locations", I decided to call one of the locations. Guess what? Joe had never contacted them. The owner was very sorry to hear this and said of course he would have helped out. He even kindly offered us free food the next time we go in since, as he said, we were getting "a sh!tty deal". The restaurants were great. Once caught in this lie, Joe told me there was nothing he could do about a refund but he offered me another wine tour. Riiiiight. A few ways Joe could have made this less painful of an experience was (1) not to lie repeatedly about helping me out with a refund. Why string me along? (2) given us something for the $280 I paid. If nothing else, give us the wine that I had pre-paid for, or the small bites at the restaurants. Just as a good business gesture of "Hey I'm sorry so many friends couldn't make it due to the insane weather and you have to eat the costs...here's an extra _ANYTHING_ for your trouble!" He had enough time to tell the restaurants our group size was smaller, just not enough to return some of the extra money he pocketed, so we paid the extra money for absolutely nothing. For $840 we got: 3 stops at restaurants basically next door to each other (Area Four, Lion's Tail, Fuji) At Area Four: 1 bottle of red, 1 bottle of white (retails for $19.99) poured amongst 9 people (incl tour guide) plus two small cheese flatbreads At Lion's Tail: 1 bottle of red and 1 bottle of white poured amongst 9 and two meat/cheese boards (several vegetarians on our tour but you don't get asked about the food that's been pre-arranged) At Fuji: 1 bottle of wine and 1 of champagne poured amongst 10 people (owner, Joe, jumped in here) plus edamame and spicy tuna rolls for the table (again, many didn't eat these) In summary, we paid $840 for 6 bottles of wine plus nibbles from the host kitchens that many wouldn't eat, and got lied to by the owner for a week until he gave up the lie and told me he has a no refund policy. It was painful. Please don't make the same mistake!

My husband and I had the best time here enjoying the romantic Italian cooking class. Chef Gary was…read morepersonable, patient and answered everyone in our classes questions. They thought of everything! There were even some snacks (cheese, meats, and focaccia) to start and the water and soft drinks were free. It was set for 5 couples but one didn't show. My husband didn't know anyone before hand but quickly chatted and talked em with everyone. The pace of everything was great. We made dessert first. Then we made the salad with from scratch burrata cheese, marry me chicken and homemade fresh pasta. It was truly the best experience. The dessert was a layered red velvet cup with mascarpone cheese. It was heaven! The class was hands on and the staff were all so friendly. The space was clean and welcoming. Two bathrooms were inside the kitchen area. The menu can change per class so be sure to book what you like best. They offer a variety of classes and is not just for couples if you do the classic cooking class. Worth the price, hands down. So glad we came here and got to experience this. We will be back for sure!

I went to an italian date night class in Boston and loved the mix of pre-made food and hands-on…read morecooking. We got demos for everything that wasn't made by us but enjoyed the foods that our chef chose for us to make, such as the burrata! We had wine, cheese, meat, and focaccia when we got there and made our dessert, burrata, and pasta before assembling the whole meal. There was plenty of food to take home and we left stuffed! Our class happened at the start of a snow storm so only about 14-16 out of 20 people came which helped create a more intimate setting.

Great place to take a class. Enjoyed 'soups and stews' class with Chef Heidi and her student…read moreassistants. For some great recipes and tips- enjoyed cooking and enjoying soups with my classmates. There were about a dozen of us.

I took the 6-week Mediterranean class and had a great time. Chef Nyssa killed it, she went above…read moreand beyond to keep our classes engaging and fun. She was clearly very knowledgeable about the cuisine, answering all of our questions about the recipes and cooking in general. I recommend!

Urban grape is an upscale wine store on a mission. During my visit I got to learn from one of the…read moreowners about their brand Progressive Wine Co and the work they are doing to help expand access to the wine industry for people of color. You can tell TJ is passionate about wine and knows his stuff from the way he talks and from the flavors of the wine from their personal brand. I tend to shy away from reds, but their Pinot Noir will now have a regular spot on my rack. In addition to Progressive Wine Co, they also carry a wide variety of wines, a few different types of liquor, and hard ciders. I highly recommend attending one of their tastings and bringing a few bottles home with you

The thing I love most is the owners. They have a great mission of making wine more accessible to…read moredrinkers as well as makers. They specialize in supporting small businesses in selling wine, alcohol, liquor, and beer. They have scholarships for people who want to study wine making. Every Thursday they have tastings for the public. And they just opened up a new store in the Shaw neighborhood in DC.

What an amazing experience here! I attended a wedding here for my uncle on Friday night a couple of…read moreweeks ago. We weren't necessarily sure what to expect since he didn't give us much detail. Much to our surprise, this hidden gem is located right across from the Harbor and on the water. It had beautiful views of Boston tucked away in Dorchester. We showed up at this quaint little venue packed with friends and family. The rustic feel was adorable and unique to the Boston area. It had an open concept feel and outdoor seating for fresh air, too. The staff was absolutely amazing and accommodating to our family's needs. They were quick to fill our drinks and prep the food. The wine was delicious! They had several different types that they were pouring that night and none of them went undrank. The food served at the venue was absolutely delicious. After surveying the options, I decided on one of everything. & it was all delicious. This is a great place for a wedding, a night out, or an intimate gathering. Highly recommend and looking forward to coming back! We even wanted to purchase merchandise, but had too much wine and forgot! This will force us to return :)

Very cool spot! It's actually located in Dorchester on the water (not Boston), has a free parking…read morelot and beautiful views of the Boston skyline. Perfect site for a wedding, which is what I came here for... It was an LGBTQ-friendly wedding on a Saturday in September. The winery is a beautiful stone building wrapped in vines. The inside has lovely rustic vibes with brick walls, a pseudo wine cellar and wine barrels as decor in the bar area. Lovely backdrops for wedding photos! And the food was fantastic! Appetizers included a lot of seafood - shrimp, salmon, oysters - which is great when you're right on the ocean! Dinner was served buffet-style with lots of options that included bacon-wrapped scallops, some kind of dumplings I couldn't stop eating and lamb shanks, which are always a favorite of mine! I would definitely recommend looking into this place if you need an event venue :)

Easiest 5 stars ive ever given. We were here for a raclette and fondue class that was after hours,…read moreso we were able to shop with no one else in the store!! I loved the cheese. Staff was so kind and answered all of our questions. I left with many many things of cheese! We tried the cookies and chocolates, some premade goods, some shelf-stable things, and of course, cheese. My one complaint was that they did not heat up raclette for us, rather gave us raclette cheese at room temperature. I think it wouldn't have been too much to ask for it to be cooked, since they were able to do that with the fondue. I wish there was a way to do the class without the wine pairing and save a few dollars... I would sign up much more often!!

Their dinner catering for our research institute mainly consisted of cold dishes such as Italian…read moreham, cheese, nuts, and vegetables served with bread. The quality of the various hams was quite good, with adequate oiliness and aroma; the cheese was rich and creamy without any particularly strong fermented taste. However, the vegetables and fruits did not appear very fresh, and the ciabatta was dry, hard, and chewy, requiring considerable effort to chew.

My first ever Yelp Elite Event and I managed to score two free tickets to Wine Riot Boston! I was…read morebeyond excited and this event did not disappoint. My plus one and I arrived shortly before 7 PM and there was already a line out The Castle at the Park Plaza. The staff were extremely friendly and efficient in checking IDs and getting everyone in. The layout was spectacular - they really utilized the space to their advantage. So many different wine samplings from all around the world. I particularly liked the vendors who were knowledgeable and either worked for the company or did their research ahead of time. It was much more enjoyable to ask questions and learn something than just be poured a sample by someone who had no idea what the wine was. Perhaps focus on that for next time? I loved all the free swag and the interactive App that went along with the night. My only other qualm would be that there were no real little food samples to cleanse your palette with (or keep some people from getting too drunk). There was food for purchase but even some crackers or pretzels to shake things up a bit would have been nice. With that said, I enjoyed my cheese and cracker plate (but it was $5). Great location, great staff, tons of samples, and lots to do! Thanks Yelp for the free tickets! It made this girl feel special.

Full disclosure: big thanks to Yelp for comping me 2…read moretickets! The line to get in is long, but don't be scared away by it as it moves very fast...15 min. The event was sold out, but there were many booths with no lines all afternoon long. Those that had lines had only a few people. My tips: taste wine for an hour, Then take a break and get a grilled cheese. Sip wine for another hour, then create a crepe... And maybe catch a free wine class. Go back to all your favorite wines... And catch a cab for take the T home. Unless you spit out the last 30 wines, you are drunk. THE DEAL: $60 a ticket, should include coat check. The girl charged me for two coats because I wear a jacket with a vest, insisting the price was per piece! I'm sure, at $120 a pair, girls were putting their coats together on one hanger. I get the impression the coat check girls were charging them double... and pocketing half.

I took the Beacon Hill Chocolate Tour and loved it so much I want to do all 3 of the other tours as…read morewell in the near future. The tour made its way down Charles Street and across the common to Park Street, stopping in several places for tastings and talks along the way. I don't want to give away all of their secrets but a few highlights were Beacon Hill Chocolates, a fabulously adorable little shop with amazing artisan chocolates, 75 Chestnut, where we were served a unique and superb toasted almond chocolate soup and the Melting Pot, where we got to try 4 different dessert fondues! A few people mentioned this tour was pricey, but I disagree. Good chocolate is pricey. If you went to Beacon Hill Chocolates on your own, a box of 4 chocolates would have cost you $10. We got to try 2 chocolates and a sample of gelato. A small fondue at the Melting Pot would run you $18. We got to sample 4 different types. And those are just two of the stops! I actually think it was a bargain! The founder actually joined us on the tour and it was apparent that this was his passion and a lot of time and effort went into finding the places to feature on these tours. I really had a great time and I left stuffed! But I can't wait to try another neighborhood for more amazing chocolate discoveries!

This review is for the Cupcake Crawl that Boston Chocolate Tours offers…read more My sister, Mom and I had been on the Back Bay chocolate tour through this company, and had a great time. Our guide was very personable, and each stop consisted of a worker at the shop discussing with us the history of the company, the chocolate they make, interesting facts, etc. Since then, we have gone back to several of the places we discovered on that tour, most notably Hotel Chocolat on Newbury Street. My sister and friends scheduled a private cupcake tour for my bachelorette, figuring it would be along the same caliber. It was not. 1. Not sure if this was the person coordinating the event or the guide, but we were told to park in the Boston Common garage and given the wrong address to the first location. This resulted in half our party having to take a cab to the correct address, and the rest of us doing a 15 min walk, past many other parking garages. We were then almost 20 minutes late meeting our guide. 2. Half our party showed up a few minutes after us since we had been split up, but the guide was hurried and wanted to get started right away without waiting for them, even though it was a PRIVATE tour. She didn't know it was a bachelorette, wasn't overly friendly, and gave us cupcakes from another bakery at Cakeology, but neglected to tell us that, so when I praised the girl working at Cakeology about the amazing chocolate cupcakes, she was completely confused. 3. Obviously cupcake/bakeries are a little more spread around than chocolate stops, but our tour consisted of us walking from Downtown Crossing, to Beacon Hill, to Newbury Street, to behind the Pru by the Christian Science building. We spent more time walking than we did in any of the actual bakeries, learning about the cupcakes, the establishments or even enjoying the actual tasting. At one point, at Georgetown Cupcakes (where we didn't even go inside or get greeted by anyone working there) our guide said let's walk and eat...down Newbury Street, on a busy Saturday afternoon. Not enjoyable. 4. One stop was totally random, at Johnny Cupcakes on Newbury. For those not in the area, it's a niche t-shirt shop, they don't sell cupcakes. They did have cupcakes from a bakery in Malden (why, I'm not sure...because nobody told us). We just kind of stood around in there while our guide chatted with her friends working there until she asked us if we were ready to leave. 5. This is the real annoying part - we walked all the way down Newbury, past the Pru and Hynnes, all the way around the corner and down towards the back of the Pru by the Christian Science Center for our last "stop" with the Kickass Cupcakes truck. They weren't there. I have no idea why our guide didn't think to call them to confirm their location before we started walking over there, but when we got there, she called, and they were at the corner of Clarendon and Newbury, where we had just been. She then offered to go back if we wanted to...we all declined. Tour had been billed as about 3 hours long. If it had started on time at 1:30, that would have put us around 4:30. Because of the address and parking issue, we really started at around 1:50ish, and we were done before 4pm. I can only attribute this to the fact that we didn't spend hardly any time in any of the bakeries before being shuttled off to our next destination, and then completely missing the last cupcake stop. I felt bad for my friends, because this was something special they planned for my bachelorette and paid extra for to have a private tour, and it was a total joke.