call 312.380.WINE for booking an event!
Here what some of The Windy City Wine G's clients have to say!
Husband's Birthday Bordeaux Tasting for Cheryl
"When my husband expressed an interest in wine from the Bordeaux region I was ready and willing to teach him everything I knew; after all, I'd gain a great deal of wine knowledge from spending eight years waiting tables at fine dining establishments. But many of my husband's questions stumped me; some of them I could answer but couldn't articulate; others were just plain over my head. When I searched for answers to his questions in books on wine, oftentimes the information was convoluted or vague. Little did I know that my decision to hire a sommelier to get to the bottom of things would evolve into one of the best birthday celebrations my husband ever had. I discovered Michael Bottigliero via a simple Google search, and the more I poured through the pages of his site the more convinced I became that he was our guy. Approachable yet knowledgeable and experienced, here was a sommelier trained to respond to the most complicated wine queries in graspable terms. I emailed him right away about my idea regarding a "Demystifying Bordeaux" wine tasting / bIrthday party and he responded the next afternoon with enthusiasm. From that point on we worked together to plan for the event. I leaned heavily on his guidance, but he also gave me room to slightly alter my wine and food selections, providing ample feedback regarding the new directions I was taking. Not surprisingly, on the night of the event, Michael patiently and deftly opened the World of Bordeaux to our eager group of 12. He was an absolute asset to the party, and my husband and my guests still rave about the breadth of the things they learned about Bordeaux."
"When my husband expressed an interest in wine from the Bordeaux region I was ready and willing to teach him everything I knew; after all, I'd gain a great deal of wine knowledge from spending eight years waiting tables at fine dining establishments. But many of my husband's questions stumped me; some of them I could answer but couldn't articulate; others were just plain over my head. When I searched for answers to his questions in books on wine, oftentimes the information was convoluted or vague. Little did I know that my decision to hire a sommelier to get to the bottom of things would evolve into one of the best birthday celebrations my husband ever had. I discovered Michael Bottigliero via a simple Google search, and the more I poured through the pages of his site the more convinced I became that he was our guy. Approachable yet knowledgeable and experienced, here was a sommelier trained to respond to the most complicated wine queries in graspable terms. I emailed him right away about my idea regarding a "Demystifying Bordeaux" wine tasting / bIrthday party and he responded the next afternoon with enthusiasm. From that point on we worked together to plan for the event. I leaned heavily on his guidance, but he also gave me room to slightly alter my wine and food selections, providing ample feedback regarding the new directions I was taking. Not surprisingly, on the night of the event, Michael patiently and deftly opened the World of Bordeaux to our eager group of 12. He was an absolute asset to the party, and my husband and my guests still rave about the breadth of the things they learned about Bordeaux."
- Cheryl H.
Aalia's Birthday Wine & Cheese Tasting
"My birthday party, the most important event of the year for me, was made extra special this year by the presence of the sophisticated, knowledgeable, helpful professional sommelier Michael Bottigliero. The selections of wines and cheeses that he recommended for my party were absolutely delightful, unique, and accessible cost-wise to all of my friends. His flexible attitude allowed me to suggest that we organize some wine trivia for the party and he came up with some great question that stumped everyone! Many friends made special notice of Michael's passion for wine and wine education - he was open to receiving any number of questions and responded to each one with much enthusiasm. Overall, my party was exactly what I wanted. A relaxed, casual environment, wine education, socializing and mingling and all while slowly but surely getting a little tipsy!"
-Aalia T.
Creation of Wine, Beer & Tequila Menus plus Initial Bar Inventory
“When we moved our restaurant to a larger location with a full bar, we contacted Mike to help us create a wine and tequila list that would work well with our contemporary Mexican cuisine. After two months, his wine and tequila selections have received overwhelmingly positive reviews from our customers. He also helped us create a beer list that would please more discriminating beer drinkers and an initial bar stock. His beer list has also been very well received.”
“When we moved our restaurant to a larger location with a full bar, we contacted Mike to help us create a wine and tequila list that would work well with our contemporary Mexican cuisine. After two months, his wine and tequila selections have received overwhelmingly positive reviews from our customers. He also helped us create a beer list that would please more discriminating beer drinkers and an initial bar stock. His beer list has also been very well received.”
-Mark Challenger, Guanajuato Proprietor
Birthday In-Home Wine & Cheese Tasting
"Thank you for the fantastic job you did at our place on Saturday night. We received great feedback from our friends - they said that they had a great time, learned a lot and that you were very knowledgeable and answered all of their questions. Ryan and I were so happy with the way you interacted with our friends/guests and we would absolutely recommend you to others and hope to host another event in the future."
-Esther B.
Wine Inventory Creation for New Business (Over 200 Sustainable/Organic/Biodynamic Wine Selections)
"Kudos to The Windy City Wine Guy! I started a retail wine shop/wine bar in late November. Having to choose my opening inventory was a daunting task - especially since I didn't have my liquor license until two weeks before I opened! I hired Michael to be my
wine consultant and help me in choosing which wines to carry. I knew I wanted the majority to be organic, mid-priced and from smaller, lesser known wineries. The choices he made for me were great! My customers (and I) love them and the store has been successful since the day it opened. His knowledge of the wine industry was invaluable."
-Catherine Williams, Catbridge Wine Cellars
On-the-Spot Wine Recommendations
"I was in a real pinch. I am no wine expert by any stretch of the imagination and I had a holiday party to attend where I know the people there would know the difference between good and bad wine. I reached out to Michael via Twitter (@WCWineGuy) and asked for a recomendation. He got back to me right away with the perfect Pinot Noir for under $25. I got at least 5 compliments on the wine, it was awesome! Thanks Michael!"
-Scott M.
"What a fantastic evening, and what a beautiful location! Jeff and I really did learn a lot, I had no idea that chianti was so strictly regulated. Plus, the wine and cheese pairings were phenomenal. I never particularly enjoyed a sauvignon blanc, but the goat cheese really changed how the wine tasted. I never would have tried that on my own. Really glad we came and definitely looking forward to the next one!"
-Carolyn T.
"Thanks Michael – The event provided me with an opportunity to ask the novice questions I always am afraid to ask. Removing the snobbery from wine and enjoying eats with friends is definitely a worthwhile evening.Look forward to the next event."
-Andy A.
windycitywineguy at gmail dot com or 312.380.9463