Grapes that crossed oceans: wine tasting journey & class

A guided wine journey: learn wine history & terroir, taste grapes from old & new homes side by side and enjoy small bites with good company.

Travel the world in six glasses. Grapes have been crossing oceans for centuries, carried by sailors, missionaries and immigrants who wanted a taste of home. Join us for an evening that tells their story, one glass at a time.

Wine, beyond “I just like it.”
Love wine but don’t really know much about it? Ever picked a bottle just because the label looked nice? Heard someone say “terroir” and nodded along? Wondered why two wines made from the same grape taste nothing alike?

You’re not alone, and you’re in the right place.

Grapes have been crossing oceans for centuries, carried by sailors, missionaries and immigrants who wanted a taste of home. Grapes That Crossed Oceans follows their journey, one glass at a time. It’s a relaxed, story-filled evening with a guided wine tasting and class, where you taste wines side by side from their old homes and their new ones, and finally understand why they taste so different. No wine knowledge needed, just curiosity.

What you’ll learn

• How wine traveled the world, and the history behind it
• The tiny bug that nearly destroyed Europe’s vineyards, and how DNA solved grape mysteries
• What terroir really means, and how sun, cold and mountains shape what’s in your glass
• How to find great wine for your money

What you’ll taste
Six carefully curated wines chosen to tell this story, including bottles you won’t easily find on store shelves. Among them: a grape that was lost for over a century, and a rare wine from 130-year-old vines that survived one of the biggest disasters in wine history.

What’s included

• A guided wine class with a certified wine professional: how to taste like a pro, the history of wine, why grapes traveled the world, and what terroir really means, with all your questions welcome
• 6 curated wines worth $400+, each with its story
• Fun facts and stories to impress your friends, your date, or anyone at the table
• A welcome glass on arrival
• Small bites paired with the wines
• An intimate group around a beautifully set table, so everyone gets personal attention
• Bonus: wine picks for your Thanksgiving table
• A take-home guide to keep learning, plus a few surprises
• A chance to take your favorite bottles home
• An evening in an art gallery, with the current exhibition open to explore
• New friends who love wine as much as you do

Who it’s for
Everyone who’s curious about wine. No knowledge needed, and nothing snobby, just good wine, good stories and good people. Come solo or bring a friend. If you’ve been to one of our tastings before, you’ll go deeper this time.

Details
Friday, November 20 · 6 pm
Chicago Grand Gallery / Sister City Library, Chicago
Early bird $55 until Friday, November 13 · $75 after
21+

About In Between Glasses
In Between Glasses is a Chicago wine society that believes wine isn’t just about wine. It’s about everything that happens in between the glasses. Our tastings make wine approachable, understandable and fun, with no pressure and plenty of stories.