2008 Chehalem Inox, Chardonnay, Oregon [$19.99]
Forget what you think you know about Chardonnay: this is not the buttery, overoaked stuff you’ll find at your local supermarket. Chehalem Inox is crisp. It’s sleek. It’s fruit forward with a perfectly textured finished. Fermented in steel (inox is short for the French inoxydable, or steel), Inox [...]

Holiday shopping got you down? Just can’t find the perfect gift for those people on your list? Just Grapes has the answer! We’re truly a one-stop shop for everyone on your shopping list (even the little ones–our never-expiring tasting cards will still be valid once they turn 21!). To make it even easier, we’ve put [...]

Miss our Thanksgiving Pairing class and still clueless about what to imbibe on Turkey Day? Well, we can forgive the whole “skipping class” thing (but don’t let it happen again!) and have recap to boot.
Now, we couldn’t just taste wine and try to imagine how great it would be with Thanksgiving fare–we at Just Grapes [...]

By Raquel Scianna
Here at Just Grapes, we pride ourselves in having our fingers firmly affixed to the pulse of all that’s hot and happening in the world of wine making. on September 24–with a little help from our trusty Cream Wine Company rep, Shane Salois–we dug a little deeper into an up-and-coming [...]

by Brett Ashley McKenzie
Just Grapes Wine Buyer Maggie Smith and I were invited to attend the Iron Chef-style “Aloha Kitchen Challenge” at Roy’s Chicago on Monday evening, and we were thrilled to sample courses prepared by some of Chicago’s rising culinary stars. Three culinary students were asked to create a course keeping in theme with [...]

The Illinois state legislature has voted to increase tax on all alcoholic beverages–and soda pop and candy–in order to close a gaping budget shortfall.
The tax currently paid on a bottle of wine is 13 cents per bottle. Effective Tuesday, you’ll see that jump to 28 cents a bottle. Tax on a six-pack of beer will [...]

By Brett Ashley McKenzie

I spent my Fourth of July weekend laid up on the couch with a terrible cold, a fever, and a puppy who was understandably furious that a patriotic romp at Montrose Dog Beach was simply not in the cards. With the national holiday closing doctors’ offices and even local pharmacy counters, I [...]

by Brett Ashley McKenzie
Just Grapes participated in yesterday’s “Market Mystery Summer Soiree” at the Calphalon Culinary Center, where six renowned Chicago chefs and their teams were given mystery protein ingredients, then let loose to shop at the Green City Market before assembling three dishes a piece to be presented to hungry guests.
Jacqueline from Heritage poured [...]

In our first official March Madness Taste-off, Grenache battled Shiraz, Malbec battled Malbec, Montepulciano battled Corbierres, and Petite Sirah battled Zinfandel in an “Elite Eight” showdown. Nineteen Just Grapes customers attended the class, which was open to the public, and when the Big Dance was done with, the 2005 Graziano Zinfandel from Mendocino, California stood alone, defeating [...]

by Brett Ashley McKenzie
We’ve all had nights where we’ve planned a get-together with friends at our favorite Chicago Thai, Indian, Vietnamese or sushi spots. You show up, greet your friends at the door and head to your table, prepared to order a few bottles of wine to share… only to learn from your server that [...]