Beer, Wine & Spirits in South Milwaukee

Vast rows of bottles stretch throughout the confines of S&S Wine & Spirit Warehouse, where an international spread of wines, a full roster of spirits, and both domestic and imported beers create happy indecision making among visitors. In addition to what the shop calls day-to-day wines, which often sell for $9.99 or less, special-occasion and collector’s vintages from as far back as 1982 also line the shelves. At the store’s wine station, up to eight wines are available to taste prior to purchase and are also sold by the glass. Lounging guests are encouraged to bring their own lunches to accompany their sips, which can be enjoyed in the seating area. Elsewhere, amid burgundy walls, a long, gleaming table seats more than a dozen people in the handsomely furnished tasting room, where wine gurus lead in-depth classes and free tastings on Fridays and Saturdays that feature a different vineyard each weekend.

More than 100 different bottles of wine line the racks at d’Vine Wine and Gifts. Many are short-production wines that come from small wineries in 11 different countries, including Argentina, Italy, and "France," which is actually French for “wine.” These hard-to-find vinos can be sampled during monthly events such as wine tastings and girls' nights out, or taken home and paired with the boutique wine shop’s custom wine bottles, hand-painted glasses, and gift baskets.

The experts at Wine Discount Center taste wine like it’s their job—because it is, actually. Every month, they taste hundreds of wines, assessing each one’s color, aroma, flavor, body, knowledge of American history, and finish in the same manner that the critics of Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate use to grade wines on their 100-point scales. This never-ending sampling and scoring lets Wine Discount Center’s team continually update and hone the selection at each location, regularly announcing new finds on the company's website and ensuring each bottle it stocks is worthy of 85 points or more. The oenophiles further enhance guests’ enjoyment of their wines by leading in-store tastings every Saturday at noon.

WineStyles’ inspiration for its wine-tasting parties began, of all places, at a backyard barbecue. Some friends at the barbecue found themselves with too many bottles of wine. As an experiment, they decided to taste the wines blindly, so as not to be influenced by price or packaging. This impromptu tasting became the template for WineStyles, a boutique designed to help you choose a wine simply by taste. That is, wines here aren’t categorized by varietal or region, but instead by one of eight taste profiles: crisp, silky, rich, and bubbly for whites; fruity, mellow, bold, and nectar for reds. However, patrons interested in knowing more about their selected bottle can still do so—each bottle comes with a description of its characteristics and suggested food pairings.

Those looking to learn even more about wines can attend one of WineStyles’ weekly tastings or discovery classes. During these events, certified specialists explore everything from the history of different varietals to current trends in wine drinking, such as which wine goes best with texting. Different levels of wine-club membership give participants two to three bottles a month (each selected by a Masters Wine Panel), invitations to private tastings, and discounts toward additional purchases.

Local artwork garnishes the walls inside Park Avenue Wine Bar & Merchant as tastefully as the international vintages decorating the wine list. Under the guidance of three resident sommeliers, the staff carefully curates a collection of more than 70 wines by the bottle and glass, sourced from locales such as New Zealand, Argentina, France, and California. They summon their vast viticultural knowledge and ability to speak with grapes to help patrons complement the flavors of executive chef Ted Stay's elegant cuisine. Blending traditional European cooking techniques with contemporary methods, Ted whips up small plates, flatbreads, steaks, and seafood with a locally sourced arsenal of seasonal, sustainable ingredients.

Towering wine racks flank a curved bar, and glowing swaths of blue and purple light line exposed-brick walls inside the renovated historic building. The lights also illuminate the immense stash of wine bottles, craft beers, and top-notch liquors—all available for take-home purposes as well as sipping onsite. Park Avenue Wine Bar & Merchant also frequently hosts events, including live music and tastings.