You ordered a $15 entree. So how did your bill get to be more than 50 bones? Must be that pesky wine habit of yours — you can’t seem to say “no” to a little vino with your dinner. But relief is in sight. We’ve rounded up wine deals that will help you keep your check in check every night of the week.
Monday
Got the back-to-work blues? You won’t be feeling a deeper shade of cobalt for long at Bucktown sushi spot Blue Fin (1952 W. North Ave. 773-394-7373), where every Monday is half-price wine night. All glasses and bottles of wine are 50 percent off, which gives you license to put in another order for that white tuna maki ($12) you crave. The concise but varied list of reds and whites spans the globe. Try the sushi-friendly 2005 Coopers Creek sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It’s regularly $32 by the bottle, so you’ll be saving $16.
Tuesday
You know what they say: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Gruppo di Amici (1508 W. Jarvis Ave. 773-508-5565) in Rogers Park isn’t quite Rome, but we’re willing to use our imaginations — and the Romans do like their wine. Gruppo makes it easy for you to fit in, with 50 percent off wines available by the glass on Tuesdays. Many options are from fair Italia, but you can choose from a few reds and whites from France, Germany, New Zealand, California and Oregon too. We like the 2004 Cuvee de Pena, a versatile French red that pairs well with Gruppo’s wood-fired pizzas and goes for just $3.50 a glass on Tuesdays.
Wednesday
Hit your midweek stride in Streeterville with half off all glasses and bottles on the extensive wine list at Viand (155 E. Ontario St. 312-255-8505). A regularly priced $50 bottle of Cotes de Nuits-Villages, a French burgundy, is a steal at $25, and a 2004 Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara chardonnay will total just $26. Now that you’ve saved some cash, you can have your wine and eat your dinner too; chef Steve Chiappetti recommends the burgundy with his mushroom-and-northern-bean stuffed pork chop ($22) and the chardonnay with the seared whitefish with fingerling potatoes, roasted peppers, arugula and lemon vinaigrette ($18).
Thursday
The weekend is within your grasp — you can almost taste it — and this calls for an early celebration. Before you take a seat in the dining room at Chinatown’s swanky Mulan (2017 S. Wells St., Chinatown Square, East Gate. 312-842-8282), sidle up to the bar, where all drinks — including wine — are 50 percent off on Thursdays. Our suggestion: Pop open a bottle of sparkly South African Pearly Bay for just $15 (regularly $30).
Friday
OK, so Water Tower Place isn’t usually our first choice for a Friday happy hour. But we’re willing to skip the bar scene on the first Friday of the month for an amazing new wine-tasting deal. Make your way to Foodlife (835 N. Michigan Ave. 312-335-3663) to sample 20 different wines for just $5 from 6 to 9 p.m. The selection varies, but possible samples include a 2006 Martin Codax Albarino, a Spanish white and a 2004 Avila Syrah from Santa Barbara.
Saturday
It’s not easy to find wine deals on Saturday, but Lakeview’s Socca (3301 N. Clark St.773-248-1155) offers three impressive wine flights for $15 each. Chef Roger Herring recommends pairing the pinot blanc/Cotes du Rhone/Bordeaux flight with the braised rabbit risotto ($18). Try the hangar steak ($19) with the sancerre/Masi Campofiorin/syrah flight or the pan-roasted salmon ($20) with the gewurztraminer/meritage/pinot noir flight.
Sunday
You’ve got a little more time to seek out a good deal on your day of rest, so why not take a leisurely drive up to Stained Glass (1735 Benson Ave. 847-864-8600) in Evanston? The wine bar and bistro’s more than 100 bottles are 50 percent off on Sundays. And at a restaurant known (and named) for wine, you’re in for some fantastic deals. Nab a $65 bottle of Stolpman L’Avion, a California white, for just $32.50, or Capannelle Chianti Classico Riserva for $34 (regularly $68). The deal doesn’t apply to wines on the reserve and cellar list, nor to wines by the glass.
———
[ Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. ]metromix@tribune.com
