DC residents drink more wine per capita than those of any other U.S. city. Join wine-loving locals at free wine tastings at restaurants and wine shops throughout the city.

Local Wines & Wineries

There are more than 100 wineries in Virginia, and nearly half of them are within a two-hour drive of DC. Plan your wine tasting adventure or book a wine tour package at virginiawines.org and discover for yourself why Travel + Leisure named Virginia one of the world’s top new wine destinations.

Or, take a day trip into Maryland, where you’ll find about 30 wineries, including several new and soon-to-open vineyards. Visit marylandwine.com for more information.

Wine Tastings at Restaurants

Vidalia

1990 M St. NW

(202) 659-1990

This M Street eatery serves up Southern classics, along with a complimentary guided flight of three wine samples every weekday from 5 pm to 7 pm. Ask the expert for insights on the selected wines, food pairings and advice for others you might enjoy.

Bistrot Lepic

1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW

(202) 333-0111

Georgetown’s Bistrot Lepic also offers complimentary guided tastings of two wines each Tuesday from 6 pm to 8 pm. The wines may share a common country of origin or they may come from the same grape – or they may just fit the whims of the sommelier.

Tastings at Wine Shops

Many of DC’s wine shops offer regularly-scheduled tastings. Call ahead to check schedules and availability.

Bell Wine Shoppe (1821 M St. NW, 202-223-4727): The mid-town wine shop offers complimentary tastings on Saturdays and occasionally on weeknights as well.

Best Cellars (1643 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-387-3146): A favorite among DC wine lovers, this Dupont Circle shop features free tastings Monday through Saturday from 5:30-8pm.

Calvert Woodley (4339 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-4400): This wine-lovers institution offers an ongoing slate of lectures and tastings.

Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits (3423 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-363-4265): Complimentary Friday and Saturday tastings.

de vinos (2001 18th St. NW, 202-986-5002): The wine boutique is conveniently open until 10pm, seven days a week.

Grape Legs (1905 9th St. NW, 202-387-9463): This Shaw neighborhood wine shops offers tasting of three different wines each day.

MacArthur Beverages (4877 MacArthur Blvd. NW, 202-338-1433): Wines from the country and around the world are sampled each Saturday.

Schneider’s of Capitol Hill (300 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202-543-9300): This Capitol Hill shop features more than 10,000 selections.

Wide World of Wines (2201 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-333-7500): Located north of Georgetown, this fine wine shop offers tastings every Saturday.

The Wine Specialist (2115 M St. NW, 202-833-0707): Shoppers can sample specialty wines on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Wine bars

If you want to try unique vintages or unwind over a glass or two of your favorites, pull up a table at one of these wine-centric hotspots:

On Capitol Hill...

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar

223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

(202) 554-8088

Sonoma serves more than 50 wines by the glass, available in small