The Wine Bottega

We stumbled upon this wonderful place as we were visiting Boston, the people in this place are welcoming. One of the people said to check out their cellar and OMG, we felt like kids in a candy store🤩. The first bottle we bought was a chablis premiere cru and it was sooooo delicious (after refrigerating it for 6 hours and have it out for 20 mins)! We went there again to buy 3 more bottles of red wines 2 days after. If you like wine, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND STOPPING AT THIS PLACE. The entire time we were there, I can say this is my favorite place in Boston. Will update this review of how the other bottles are. P.S. they did say that every Friday, they host FREE wine tasting. Update 1: As I told Jill (shoutout to her, she gave us awesome recommendations), Ill say what I think about the wines we bought. We tried the Vacqueyras she likes, and yessss 👏, this is delicious! It was rich in taste, and has that peppery, earthy and fruity taste to it.

This is the best store ever to buy wines. There are a lot of wines from different countries of the world. You can also participate in the wine tasting opening for everyone who wants to taste the best wines of Boston City. You will find dry red wine, white wines, and red wine made by different grapes such as cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and others. I really recommend The Wine Botega.

I recently organized a wine tasting for my wife's 40th birthday and had an awesome experience. Everything from the process of scheduling and organizing to the actual event was top notch. Everybody we interacted with was great to work with. This was easily the best wine tasting I've been to. The setting is fun and intimate for a small group (we had 6 in our party). Lastly, the wine itself was absolutely outstanding. I gave some light guidance on preferences and they did the rest. Everybody in my group couldn't say enough good things about the quality of the wines that we got to taste (and ultimately purchased).

Great wine store that specializes in bio dynamic wines. Super helpful staff help you navigate their selection of a lot of small producers. Good selection under 20 and some great finds you're not going to run across elsewhere in the 20-35 range.

I worked in natural wine for several years and I was stunned by the selection at this wine shop. I am so glad this is in our neighborhood!

If you are looking for an understated place to find fantastic organic wine without the pretentiousness and the high prices, this is your place. The wife and I sampled and took home several bottles. Amazing experience.

Everything about this place is amazing! They specialize in natural wines and have a very impressive selection. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable - able to answer any questions we had and to explain the origin of every bottle, including not just what it is and how it will taste but also details about who made it and where it was from. We walked out with a case of delicious wine and an excellent education. Can't wait to go back!

A cute wine shop with a variety of unique wines. Check out their basement as well when you are there.

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

Brilliant! Just go there! Wonderful owners and lots of selection. Fabulous neighborhood!

Lovely little wine shop with an excellent selection of natural and organic wines. Highly recommend giving a bottle (or three!) from here a try. Kimberly and her staff are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and they are genuinely passionate about the natural wine movement and love what they do. We popped in here to pick up a Jura white to go with a homemade pasta/foraged mushroom dinner we were making. They didn't have any Jura white on hand--only vin jaune which we weren't looking to pair for this occasion--but Kimberly was able to offer a lovely alternative that we had never tried before (an Erbaluce), and describe both the wine and the producer in detail. It hit all the notes we were looking for on the nose (if you will): slightly oxidised, held up well to a fresh pasta/oil-based sauce dish, and only got lovelier with every glass. It was perfect for the occasion. We also picked up a few bottles of our favourite port that day. They have an excellent port and sherry selection, and for these wines and others are willing to accommodate by placing orders ahead of time for wine you're looking to buy that they may not otherwise have in stock, assuming one of their distributor partners has the wine available. For those complaining about the tasting pours--we have also been here for several tastings. Massachusetts has a number of blue laws on the books (Google it), and by law wine pours are restricted to .75 oz. Trust me, they'd pour more if they could, so instead of taking frustrations out on them, why not contact your state rep or senator, or give up and channel those frustrations into some great natural wine instead?

If this place ever goes out of business, I'm lost. I found this absolute gem at the start of the pandemic, and I won't admit how many cases of wine I've ordered from them since (a lot of cases). The process of ordering is so much fun- just fill out the form with your preferences and wait for Kimberly and team to call you- they will then lovingly describe each personally chosen wine with however much detail you're into. Me, I go for the full experience in which I get tasting notes, pairing reccos, and anecdotes regarding the producers. Not only am I now hooked on biodynamic wines, but I also annoy the daylights out of my friends with words like "slightly carbonic," and "neutral vessels." Sorry not sorry! Out of all the many bottles I've gotten, I've had two that I thought were "fine." The other ~1 trillion bottles have been the best wines I've ever had.

5/5 would recommend this place for a fun wine tasting! I was planning a bachelorette and was looking for a low-key, fun daytime activity and was referred to The Wine Bottega by a cousin who lives in the North End... and at first, I was a little skeptical: a tasting in the basement of a wine shop? But I'm so happy we did. For a group of 10 of us, we were able to sample 8 wines and Kim - the owner and event organizer - also selected in 4 types of cheeses, 2 olive oils, 4 types of salumi meats, breads and tiny champagne grapes for us to pair and nosh on. The wines were all great and the food really hit the spot! She was also very accommodating and helped us decorate the space with beautiful farm-fresh flowers. She's very knowledgeable and each wine has a fun story to learn about. Not stuffy at all, but very informative. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants a fun wine experience!

This shop (and its owner!) are such gems. Kimberly has a knowledge and passion for natural wines that is contagious and makes for a great shopping experience. She takes the time to guide you through exploring her stock (an open mind is a must, FYI) and you can try and buy some really unique wines. Shopping at The Wine Bottega is both a very global and very personal experience. This spot is one of my fav places for a unique gift or just a special new treat for myself. It's definitely a jewel in the North End that I highly recommend putting on your regular shopping rotation.

Context: Free wine tasting on Friday! 5-8 PM 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!

Hands-down the best place to buy wine in the city. Their specialty is biodynamic wines, including skin-contact/orange wines from around the world. Somehow they're able to offer these at prices that don't break the bank. And, if you live in the city, they'll drop off a custom box right to your door step! I don't buy my wine anywhere else, and wouldn't ever even consider it.

Staff was friendly. Wine selection was good. Attended a wine tasting here and met some really nice people who also attended. They offered six wines to taste and three types of cheeses paired with it. The surrounding area is touristy with a high level of foot traffic. This place keeps its authentic vibe and, again, the staff were super helpful. Checking in will give you 10% off a bottle.

This was one of the stops on our food tour and it did not disappoint! While here we were able to taste a white (Cellario Langhe Favorita) and red (Ampeleia Unlitro) wine. Both were fantastic options for a tasting without being too "weird or out there" since there are so many different kinds/blends of natural wines. Kerri is extremely knowledgeable in all things natural wine and her passion shows in everything she says. She spoke about the relationships she's built by selling natural wines, the science behind the process, the vast array of grape options, tips on how to search for/identify and ask wineries about their wine making process and encourages you to branch out from your standard options if you see an "odd" wine on the wine list. All in all this was a great stop and I wish we could have bought a bottle or two to take home and share with friends. If you're in the area and she's offering a tasting, don't miss the opportunity!

Came here looking for natural wines. Omg I was not disappointed, the owners were super knowledgeable about natural ones. I described the taste profile I liked in a natural wine and they were easily able to provide many recommendations. I ended up going with a German wine - Meinklang. It was definitely pricy for wine at 30 bucks but way cheaper to get it yourself than a restaurant. Would definitely recommend coming here!

This store is absolutely the best! The owners are the nicest people and by far the best wine store in the area. Any poor review on here should be disregarded because this place is a one of a kind, incredible location. Will definitely be back to visit and cannot wait to bring the rest of my friends!

It would be a ludicrous stretch to call this a store, unless you believe one is a place where you do not purchase anything because of the snooty lack of attending to the basic needs of a customer. It's open, but I was not let into the store. She said she could "bring me a bottle" but didn't have a list of what they had for sale. When I named wines in my tasting profile she said "we don't have anything like that." I can only assume that she is waiting for the store to close in the hopes of starting some other business that does not rely on customers .. or revenue.

I randomly happened upon this place in my walking journey around Boston. Very cute, small house feel to the place. It definitely has a historic charm. I mentioned to the woman working what I typically like and she had two great recommendations that I had never heard of before. I went with a moscato d'Asti style RED wine with a bit of a sparkling aspect to it. I could not wait to try it and it took 3 broken wine openers to get into it but it was so worth the effort. (Broken wine openers were all just cheap hotel ones) It tastes just like Welches Sparkling Grape Juice but with the adult kick. This brings me back to childhood days of celebrating New Year's Eve with the Welches. So good! I think this is my new favorite. My only wish - that I had checked in before I made my purchase. 10% off coupon when you check in. I think I am going to need to purchase a few more for my suitcase.

I've learned more about wine from The Wine Bottega's Friday tastings than anywhere else. One of the best and definitely the most interesting wine selection in the city. If you're looking for a great bottle for any occasion, this is the place.

This shop is absolutely magical. Kimberly, the owner, is an expert in all things natural wine. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she always has excellent recommendations! If you have not been to one of the free Friday wine testings you have to check it out! It was through The Wine Bottega that I discovered my love of orange wine, which I had never heard of before! If you want incredible service, an extremely knowledgable staff, and fantastic wine look no further.

Ayo, I ain't much of a wine guy or nothn but my ladys into it so I figure why not step outta the moscato box and "expand my palette" nahmean? So I check out this spot and I'm not gonna lie it was a lot of fancy lookn bottles but I wasn't sure where to start also I wanted to cop something fancy but not leave the place in debt. Lucky for me tho I ran into Kim who not only knew hella info on wines and regions and shit but was also able to find me a nice bottle of port (its a dessert wine) which was on budget and impressed my gf. All in all, this spot is tight plus they got wine tastings on friday where you can just chill and talk about wine with rando ppl, I fux w it

I love the Wine Bottega. Great selection and great people who are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I especially love the Farm to Glass program - where each month for $100 I get six bottles of wine - an assortment. Great thing about this is as I try to learn more about vino, this forces me to step outside of my comfort zone. Will ever bottle be awesome? More often than not. I have only had a few that I was not a fan of and it likely comes down to personal preference. But the great thing is - I know not to buy that one on future visits. Their tastings are great, they bring in some awesome winemakers and really do their best to be a part of the community and get people to start thinking about wine in different ways. Five stars for being awesome!

I would avoid this shop if you have an alternative. The prior owners of the business were terrific. I can't say the same now. We bought a $130 bottle of Barolo which upon decanting we found to completely off. There was a bit of what looked like mold on the cork, and the problem with the wine could have stemmed from it being "cooked" (exposed to heat), "corked" (microorganisms in natural cork), or bacterial taint (see here for notes on these causes: https://winefolly.com/tutorial/wine-faults/). We left our dinner party and literally drove back to the shop to return the bottle for a replacement. This is standard procedure and can happen sometimes (at no fault of the wine shop), in which case other shops take the bottle back (they can normally get refunded by their distributor), apologize for the inconvenience, and offer a replacement or a refund. Not so at the Wine Bottega. The owner was immediately confrontational, doubting my ability to detect such a problem with the wine, and the associate in the store was similarly dismissive. He said "it tastes like vintage wine" -- he clearly didn't know what was going on. They refused to help in any way. Even if we were completely wrong (which, given the hundreds of vintage Italian wines I've had would be unlikely), they should have offered to help and make things right. We literally left our dinner 20min away and drove back with the full (!) bottle of wine. They wanted us to leave the bottle so the owner could taste it the next day - so we left without a refund and without a bottle of wine. And missed dinner. We got a voicemail the next day from the owner saying we were wrong and they would not refund or replace the bottle. The general point of view that "the customer is wrong" is rare amongst wine shops. I suggest you go to one that is less self-righteous and more customer-friendly. Literally any shop in Boston is better in these regards than the Wine Bottega under their new management.

The owner of this store changed sometime in 2017 so a lot of the positive reviews here are no longer valid (sort reviews by most recent to get a average rating in the 3 star range). I purchased a $130 bottle of a Barolo wine and after decanting it for a couple hours the wine did not taste right. The wine had no body whatsoever and had clear signs of damage including mold on the inside of the cork (sometimes mold on the outside is normal but this was not that). I promptly went back to the store to return the bottle thinking it would be a painless process (almost all stores/restaurants will return any damaged bottle) but boy was I wrong. The shopkeeper immediately doubted my ability to taste wine and said it tasted like a "vintage wine" to him. It seemed obvious to me by the use of his vocabulary that he had no clue what he was talking about. He then called the owner who refused to speak to me over the phone at the shop and said she would have to taste it the next day. She left a voice message the next day lecturing me on how the wine should taste like and that they were not going to refund the money. The whole incident was one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had at any retail shop. Even if I was 100% in the wrong most stores would still take it back without question but instead this store treated me like a child. I am currently disputing the transaction with my credit card company and would advise others to steer clear of this shop.

I've been here twice now for bottle purchases and tastings and I can safely say that it's one of the top wine shops in Boston if not THE best. The owner was very helpful during my first visit and made excellent recommendations despite having to work with my limited, student price range. The shop specializes in small production wines from around the world, so it's an especially fantastic place if your background is founded mainly on domestic wines. The special tasting with Savio Soares was also a very fun and informative experience with natural wines. I had a chance to try 11 of them and I was absolutely blown away by some of his selections. If I had the money, I would've dropped it on the spot to pick up a bottle of the wonderful Barbera. Cheers to The Wine Bottega!

The Wine Bottega has got to be my favorite wine store in Boston. Not only is it a hop and a skip from work, but the wine tastings, wine classes and special wine events are incredible. The free Friday tastings are the best free wine tastings in the city. They always serve at least 5-6 different types of wine and have information packets that provide details on each wine. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. But the thing that sets WB's wine tastings apart are the extras they often throw in--for free! For example, a wine tasting in December 2009 followed the theme of the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes. In addition to the usual free wine (Italian, this time), WB offered plates of fresh shrimp, dips, veggies, and other party snacks--all free! One time, they did a free chocolate and wine tasting event. Free! Wait, did I mention it was free? How awesome is that? If you sign up for their emails, you can get extra information on upcoming tastings, the themes involved (there's always a region or theme) and previews of other upcoming events. I highly recommend their wine classes and abbondanzas. As for the selection itself, it's wide-ranging, encompasses the world and is pretty eclectic. The descriptions are a hoot, too. I discovered a delicious apple ice wine made right here in Cambridge and haven't been able to put the stuff down. The store is small but cozy, and the basement where they have their tastings is cavernous in a wonderfully raw kind of way. Many times, perhaps under the influence of the wines I'm tasting, I can almost imagine myself in a real wine cave in Spain, France or Italy.....

The Manager (perhaps owner) that I met was terrific. Very knowledgeable and provided great insight into organic/ natural wines.

Incredible natural wine selection, sadly not matched by service. Extremely pretentious and condescending towards customers. Someone should let them know that it's cool to have nice wines and also to be nice too.

After never giving up on the bottega--since they really do have awesome, cork-dorky wines that are really hard to find anywhere else--I am very happy to report that the usual (and even newer) staff have been very friendly and much more sociable. The owner has always been friendly, but I ran into a lot of other employees who were less than enthused to talk to anyone else but the visiting winemaker at the tasting event. I think I surprise some of them when I ask questions that show I'm actually knowledgable in the wine field. In any event, just being friendlier and engaging in conversation with me and whomever my guest is with me on that night has been very nice and makes the whole tasting experience 100 times better. I honesty find myself buying more wine there now, because wine is not just about tasting and getting on with it, it's about the whole EXPERIENCE. Brava Wine Bottega, all the pieces are coming together and I think you may very well be my current favorite wine shop. (Insert thumbs up emoji here)

New owner, completely new review. I had a not so good review of the Bottega, so I got an email from the owner, asking me to come check out the new place, as my review epitomized everything she didn't want it to be. Well, the place has definitely turned around since Kerri bought it. The first time I went back, Kerri happened to be there. We told her we liked Chianti's and she had some awesome options. One was a steal at $10 less a bottle than it normally goes for (due to a distrubutor fluke) and the other was the last organic of this type on the shelf. Both bottles were in the $10-$15 range. Yeah, we went back for 2 more of the special. And I know I will be stopping there a lot more on the way home, especially for the free tastings on Fridays. They also seem to be having some awesome wine tastings and food pairings coming up that I am going to have to check out.

I love wine and I love the Wine Bottega. My boyfriend and I are moving to Charlestown this weekend so I feel the need to review and tell of my love for this place and how much we will miss it! Kerry and her whole staff are wonderful. They have never steered us wrong in recommendations, they don't try to sell you the most expensive bottles, and they are the opposite of pretentious (my number 1 complaint with most wine shops). Also, they know "my" wine (Gruner, 1 liter bottle - amazing) and when we come in, they almost always offer to get me one that is chilled. The free Friday night tastings are great and we've purchased more than a few we never would have tried but have come to love. One story stands out: I was looking for a gift for my father - a lover of red wine, something I know nothing about. Kerry and her team put together a special 6-pack of red wines tailor-made for him, based on my description of his tastes. I came back the very next day to pick it up and she had even typed up tasting notes to go with each wine. He absolutely loved it! I have a feeling we'll be making the trek from Charlestown to the North End pretty often to come back to the Wine Bottega. Stop in - you won't regret it!

The Wine Bottega is a hidden gem in the heart of the North End. Probably the best little wine shop you will find throughout Boston. I first found out about this place from my roommate. He was walking by and saw that two of the employees were drinking out of a wine funnel (I don't know the actual name for this funnel, if you know please tell me.) If you want to see one of these, you can also go to Bar Lola. They are awesome and a ton of fun. Getting back to the story, my roommate went inside and met a few employees and they let him in on the wine tastings that happen every Friday. To say the least, we went to the next wine tasting. I have to say the employees that work in this store are knowledgeable about wines they are carrying and are eager to learn about more. They were excited to share the different wines and tell all about the different locations in which they were grown. The wine selection is good and reasonably priced! They also have some super classy wines for special occasion. I can't wait to go back to my next tasting and find out more about this wonderful store! Everyone must try the FREE wine tastings on Friday nights! It's truly a wonderful store and is worth a stop.

Yay, wine! I went here for the free Friday wine tasting one week and loved it. It was really busy with wine nerds and winos listening to the very well-informed vendor tell us about the wonderful bottles she'd brought from small, unknown vineyards in Italy. It was a great education and a great buzz. We all ended up buying something (the tasting wines are discounted) with grand plans of giving them as gifts and saving them for dinner parties. Guess what? We drank almost all of them - such great finds that went down smooth and left no hangovers. I did manage to save a bottle for a BBQ, which was good since this particular red went perfectly with grilled food (so advised by the Wine Bottega people). It's a tad on the pricey side, but good for a special occasion or a treat for yourself. You'll definitely be able to find the perfect bottle from the enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff.

This place was taking over a few years ago by a new person who is flat out terrible. The same wines are represented but she is so annoying that I can't buy anything there anymore.

Since Martignetti's will be closing in January, I offer a few notes I jotted about Wine Bottega recently: The store's small size was slightly disorienting when I first walked in. After I was oriented, it's still small, but there is more bottles on the a cellar level. There is a deep love of wine at this shop, so there are probably is nothing bad in stock. They didn't seem to carry much under $20, but not all of their wine is expensive. Don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation in any price range. They don't carry anything unless they consider it to be worthwhile. Every Friday from 5pm to 8pm, they offer samplings of 6 (or so) wines downstairs. I went a while ago, and there were about 6 or 7 people. Did I mention they're very serious about their wine? The tasting is quite informative, but not exactly a rollicking fun time. One of the two presenters will give a short spiel after each tiny sample is poured; all were quite good -- even the styles I'm not fond of. I'm an easygoing fellow, so I thought they were also a bit anal retentive. They had already started a round of tasting when I got there, and they wouldn't let me start with the 2nd wine until I tried the first one. That was appreciated in a way, but I would've lived if I didn't try the first wine. I wouldn't go out of my way for the tasting unless you were in the neighborhood. I would recommend going out of my way, if you wanted to find a wine to impress someone -- or any special occasion -- and you're willing to shell out the reasonably proportionate bucks. I imagine you can subscribe to their newsletter with a note to: thewinebottega@earthlink.net

Great wine shop but customer service is lacking. The lady cashier barely acknowledged my existence. Did not feel welcomed at all. I purchased two bottles but unsure if I will return.

Really poor custom service. Wine tasting in set in a cool little cellar, but the servers never made eye contact, couldn't answer questions and didn't want anything to do with the customers. Total FLOP! Don't waste your time. The wine portions poured were tiny and not worth the uncomfortable and downright rude experience.

A bit more understated and refined than North End Liquor, with excellent wine at great values. There's a young guy and girl who work there and they know so much about their wine and wine in general. I go in there, let them know what wines I typically like and what Im looking to spend. They make some suggestions and tell me about recent wines that have come in. I can easily buy a $12 bottle of great wine there. Plus, there's tastings on Friday nights. I'll see you there!!

-Funny/attractive guys working there -Free weekly tastings -Convenient location -Little to no snobbery or intimidating prices What's not be 5-star worthy? Love this place.

One of my favorite wine stores around. The only downside being its located right on tourist jammed Hanover St. The selection of specialty wines here is second to none. I picked up a bottle of Amarone on Saturday that I can't wait to try. The staff is also beyond amazing. Every time I have stopped in they steer me to some new selection which ends up blowing me away once I try it. I also appreciate that they offer you selections in a wide price range and even suggest things that are similar in character, but much cheaper in price. I used to hit up the Friday evening wine tastings on a regular basis, but have not been in a few years. Hoping to get back into them as they are a great place to discover new wines.

Did you know that The Wine Bottega offers a free wine tasting every Friday night between 5-8 PM? I only found this out when puttering around The North End with a friend a few years ago and it's become a tradition that's chased by dinner. The staff is friendly and incredibly knowledgeable, providing a nice tour de force of thematic wines weekly. You can join their mailing list to get a preview of the week's tasting, receive discounts during the tasting, and also find out about special events and classes. They seem to be offering more of these as time goes on. If you don't know that much about wine, and want to impress your friends, go to these guys and let them know your price range and taste -- they will totally take care of you.

The two people that run the store (not sure if they are the owners) are very cocky and obnoxious. With their lack of knowledge and mediocre customer service, this little bottega won't go that far. I liked very much with the previous management.

A little wine shop, perhaps. But with an amazing selection and an amazing staff that knows it. I'm a wino. I get interested in random regions on a whim all the time. Bandol? They've got them. Barolo? Some new world ones, some old world ones. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barbera, and even places that don't start with a B. Ok, any wine store has that stuff. Brunello and Barossa are hardly exotic. Looking for a manzanilla from the south of Spain? They've got a selection. Perhaps you want half bottles, so you can try a few. Looking for craziness from the Jura? They've got vin jaunes and trousseau. A selection. Of each. But the store isn't that big. It's not a supermarket sized suburban big box store. It's a little store on a busy street. It's the wine tardis. And just in case you're not sure whether Borgogno is on the traditionalist or modernist side of the Barolo wars, that amazing staff comes into play. The collective knowledge of the staff her is really mind boggling. Kerri, the owner, has amazing depth of knowledge. A true professional, as both a wino and shop keeper.

Love this little wine and beer specialty shop! Lots of Italian wines, which are my favorite kind! Great customer service and they will point you to exactly what you want! Prices range from affordable to expensive for the high end spirits. The staff are great! Located in the adorable little Italian area of Boston! A great place to stop.

Love this place. It feels awesome and Old World-y inside with all the exposed brick and wooden beams. And the staff is so helpful. I popped in yesterday for a specific pinot noir I'd bought there before. The man working asked if I had any questions. "As a matter of fact, I do, good sir," I replied. "Have you any syrahs from the great state of Washington?" "Why yes, good sir," he enthused, and he lunged for the wine rack, deftly plucking two bottles from its ranks. He waxed about the climate of the Columbia Valley and the smoky character of the 100% syrah, and this delightful, Chateauneuf-du-Pape-style blend. Both were a bit out of my price range at $32. But I didn't have to say anything; he picked up a third bottle, not from Washington, but 100% syrah grown in a similar climate, and only $18. Much more palatable (Ha!). Good people here.

Attended a free wine sampling on Friday night. The people are very knowledgeable about wine. Very friendly. Great conversation. Will try to go back the next time I'm in the area. Wine selection is reasonably priced.

Definitely my favorite wine shop in Boston. Luckily I live very close by, and Friday nights love to stop by the free wine tastings since I'm likely to buy a bottle anyway! They do not sell any commercial wines & will tell you why. They're very proud of their products and are so intelligent. All of the staff members are incredibly kind & helpful. If you're looking for a 2 buck chuck this probably is not your scene, but expect to find an amazing bottle of wine for $15-20 or more if you're willing & able!

The previous owner Kerry was an absolute doll and very knowledgeable and passionate. She would remember all her regular customers and had a great rapport with the neighborhood. The current owners with their ridiculously pretentious and misused vocabulary, condescending attitude and treatment of customers absolutely do not have my endorsement. I used to send my guests here when I would be asked where they could find my wine recommendations. No longer. At a recent visit not only did I watch the woman owner talk in such an horribly patronizing way to a couple looking to purchase a particular Champagne deemed beneath the shops lofty theme and not real Champagne (which their choice WAS real Champagne and if someone wants to spend money on something not to your particular liking, well that is not your business if it makes someone happy...and the money spent will pay your rent!!), the absolute rudeness of a business owner towards a prospective customer was so uncomfortable and wrong, needless to say they ran out of that shop quite fast. Apparently they only deal in Natural wine and I was given an impromptu lesson. Little did they know not only am I an advanced Sommelier, but my area of expertise is biodynamic winemaking. I have work in several vineyards for planting and also harvest. I had a good inward chuckle. But the treatment of potential customers galled me. Sell them something you are excited over! Smile! Treat people with hospitality!!!!!!!

Um, free tastings every Friday and a fun newsletter? Italian wines that differ from your usual everyday Pinot Grigio and Chianti? Why WOULDN'T you shop here?!? The free tastings are fun, informative, and interesting. There's a new theme each week, and I doubt many people leave empty-handed. The only reason I give it four stars instead of five is that the store was kind of intimidating to me since I am a wine amateur. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful, but nevertheless, it is a little overwhelming to someone who doesn't truly grasp how to decipher a wine label.

This is my favorite wine shop. I've lived in San Francisco, LA, Seattle and Boston and this is my favorite wine shop period. Why do I love it? For one, the owner, Kerri is fabulous. She is super knowledgeable about wine and yet doesn't make you (me) feel like an idiot when I don' know something. Same goes for Mike and Matt who make up the full-time Bottega crew. Two -- I've never purchased a wine that I haven't enjoyed. Three -- when I first started coming into the Wine Bottega I was by all accounts a CA and WA wine drinker only and the Bottega crew introduced me to Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, etc wine and now I'm converted! Four -- Friday night tastings that allow me to taste before I purchase! If you want to get out of the grocery store/ wine chain rut and try wines that you're not going to find on the shelves of Shaw's or Trader Joe's you should make a stop by the Bottega. Don't worry about the price tag -- Kerri's got everything from $10 or less wine to limited production wines.

I went here for a wine and chocolate tasting. Yes, wine and CHOCOLATE! What a great combo! This place is all about good combos--knowledgeable staff and great wine. Reasonable prices and great selection. Friday's tastings are always a great excuse to drag friends out of work at a reasonable hour and down to North End.

Awesome selections here and a very knowledgeable owner. I had a very nice conversation with her on Croatian whites and reds from Piemonte. Unfortunately she totally screwed when describing a wine that I wanted to buy and never heard of. It actually was on the vinegar side and it was not a cork defect, it had this weird cork with a plastic seal on top of a resin cork-like structure....anyways. It was only $12. Killer wines here, go downstairs. Kudos.

After a friend introduced me to a bottle of Berger Blauer Zweigelt she'd picked up at the Wine Bottega, I made a point to check the place out. Swung by after dinner one night -what can I say, the idea of affordable yet excellent Austrian wine had piqued my curiosity, and you've got to have SOMETHING in between Damiano and Bova -and sure enough, this place delivered in spades. Not only was the guy working there exceptionally personable and witty for a Saturday night, he also really knew his wine. After having examined a few of the labels on the racks (one highlight: "Movia Lunar -This is orange wine made from grapes grown on the moon. Any questions?"), our guy made his way over and pointed out just about everything we'd need to know about the place, including the Friday night wine tastings. I told him about the Berger, and right away he pointed out that they also make a Gruner Veltlinger, which they also stocked, also at a reasonable price. (Relevant point: For having as great a selection as this place does, they're remarkably unpretentious. In describing his affinity for the Blauer Zweigelt, the clerk mentioned that it would be possible to duct-tape two bottles to your hands and not feel bad about it for one second.) In summary, great wine all around, whether you're spending sixteen or sixty dollars a bottle; helpful staff, nice location, well-organized. I'll see you Friday.