Ever bought a bottle of wine that you absolutely hated? Just Grapes, a new West Loop wine shop, has a solution–try it before you buy it. Owners have installed an automated self-serve tasting system (one of two in the entire U.S.) that lets you sample 16 red wines for $2-$5.40 a pop. Sorry, no free samples here: You have to purchase a rechargeable ATM-like card ($10-$50), which you then insert in the machine and make your selection–the machine dispenses a tasting portion and automatically deducts the price from the card (prices are posted above each wine). Each month features a different wine theme–February’s is major varietals. Bonus: Head here on Mondays through the end of April for a 50-percent discount on all tasting portions. 560 W. Washington Blvd., suite 100, 312-627-9463.
