By Paul ThissenThe Daily Northwestern
Walk in the door, grab a cup and get some booze.
But the glass is neither red nor plastic, the booze is not Miller Lite and the intent is “not to get loaded and go on to The Keg,” in the words of owner Alex Banovic.
It’s the free Thursday night wine tasting at WineStyles, 1741 Sherman Ave., a store Banovic opened because he “always wanted to have a place to buy wine.”
The shop, located next to Taco Bell, opened its doors just more than a week ago. It’s a franchise of a Florida-based company with more than 100 locations across the country, about 10 of which are in the Chicago area said Banovic, who has lived in Evanston for about 10 years.
The store sells “boutique” wines from small wineries, but most cost less than $25. Banovic said he wants people to be able to learn about wine without feeling intimidated.
“I don’t want to make this place look pretentious,” Banovic said, sitting in the back office of his store, his small white dog running around at his feet. “A lot of people don’t know a lot about wine, and I don’t either, but I’m learning.”
Instead of classifying wines by regions of France, they are divided by tastes: silky, rich, bubbly, nectar, bold, mellow and fruity. And each wine is accompanied by a description.
The paragraph next to one $23 Chardonnay: “A mineral note surrounded by tropical fruit and peach, with hints of flower blossom, vanilla, toast and honey. The acid backbone anchors flavors of leMonday, marshmallow and mineral.”
The store will have about two tastings a week, he said – but he doesn’t have to pay for the wine.
Tastings are run as a promotion by distributors, who provide about 15 bottles of wine that customers will drink up.
“Just look at the bottle – it doesn’t do much for you,” said Brian Vaughan, of distributor Distinctive Wine and Spirits. “You put it in somebody’s glass, suddenly it’s social.”
Thursday’s tastings run from 6 to 8 p.m. Just before 7 p.m., about a dozen customers stood around the tasting table and browsed through the store, sampling the half dozen wines available and picking out bottles to buy.
“I think it’s a great idea, I will definitely come often,” said Evanston resident Jennifer Botchway, 32. “It seems like a good group of people.”
And that’s what Banovic would like people to think.
“It’s a very friendly atmosphere,” said store employee and Communication senior Zak Kirchner. “Something about wine is very communal.”
Reach Paul Thissen at [email protected].
