Milwaukee may be a beer city at heart, but wine connoisseurs have options too. Wine bars are popular spots for tasting, discussing and appreciating wine, and like any other bar, for relaxing and spending time with friends and family, too. Most wine bars take the format of a bar and community area located among displays of wines that are available by the glass, for retail sale or both. Most are owned and run by fellow wine enthusiasts and professionals, so they’re often a great place to find the perfect bottle of wine to fit your tastes.
Events run by each wine bar are popular, whether they’re intro tastings for beginners, singles mixers or even yoga with wine. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of wine knowledge, atmosphere preference and price range, there’s a wine bar in Milwaukee for you.
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Photo credit: Black Sheep
Black Sheep
Black Sheep is just as much a restaurant as it is a wine bar. With a full menu for lunch, dinner and brunch, you’ll never be drinking wine on an empty stomach here. The wine list here is focused on boutique, small-production selections. A unique tap system dispenses 16 rotating wines in three different pour sizes. A bottle list, wines by the glass and wine bottles to go are also available. Snacking and sharing is encouraged on the food menu with options like house-roasted mixed nuts, a soft pretzel and cheese curds board, and fried calamari with cherry peppers and limoncello aioli.
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Corvina Wine Company
Located in West Allis, Corvina represents a growing demand for wine bars in all parts of the greater Milwaukee area. Owned by two brothers, the bar is located in an old upper-lower configuration storefront duplex, which had previously housed the owners’ great grandfather's Italian grocery store from the 1930s-1970s. That historical feel is preserved in the inviting space which now holds up to 100 different varieties of wine, most at a reasonable price point. Small bites are available along with wines by the glass or bottle. A fenced patio offers a secluded spot to enjoy a drink al fresco.
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Spring City Wine House (Waukesha)
Waukesha has nothing else like it. Housed in an industrial chic space, Spring City has rack after rack of wine bottles on the walls, plus 40 wines available at self-service wine stations. You can tap a taste, a half or a full glass. And when ordering by the bottle, there is no corkage fee. Since no one can live on wine alone, regardless of how many varieties are available, Spring City also offers a fine array of bread, cheeses and chocolate.
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Photo credit: Jeff Marini
The Ruby Tap (Wauwatosa)
Wine drinking at The Ruby Tap is like a choose-your-own-adventure novel in a vintage chic atmosphere. You’re handed a wine glass and a tab card when you walk in which you use at the self-serve tap wine machines. Insert your card, make your choice—there’s a couple dozen wines with three pour sizes—and hand over your card to cash out when you’re finished. That allows customers to try small amounts of many wines, but if that’s not your thing, there are a few taps behind the bar or as well as bottles available for purchase. Snacks, like popcorn and cheese plates, are available at both locations, along with flatbreads in Mequon.
Additional location in Mequon: 6000 W. Mequon Road
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Thief Wine Shop & Bar
No, Thief Wine is not staffed by burglars. The name is a reference to the barrel thief, the long glass tube used to extract maturing wine from a barrel. There are two locations of Thief, both offering a different atmosphere and experience. The original location inside the Milwaukee Public Market is a bustling, energetic spot, while the Shorewood storefront is calm, relaxing and more intimate. Both spots offer wine flights, tastings, retail sales, a light menu of food and snacks and daily happy hour specials. A small, curated selection of beers and spirits are also available in Shorewood, making it a good spot to accommodate a number of tastes.
Additional location in Shorewood: 4512 N. Oakland Ave.
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Vino Third Ward
The space Vino Third Ward occupies isn’t huge, but that makes it exceptionally cozy and inviting and great for intimate parties and events. A mix of bar-height and dining-height tables and seating are arranged in the middle of the room, surrounded by walls of bottles. Wines are organized by flavor and body as opposed to region or variety, making it easier for a beginner vino to find exactly what they like. The by-the-glass menu at the bar changes regularly and encourages ordering flights. A selection of charcuterie and cheeses are available for noshing, and regulars can choose to join the wine club for perks like waived corkage fees and complimentary tastings.
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