How to Find Wine Events Near You (Even the Unlisted Ones)

Some of the best wine moments happen when you stumble upon a pop-up pouring from a family-run winery in a local park, or at a cozy wine bar doing an under-the-radar tasting on a Tuesday night. The trick? Knowing where to look for these wine events.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re always hearing about wine events after they’ve happened, this one’s for you. Here’s how to sniff out vino happenings near you, even the ones that never make it to Google.

1. Your Wine Shop Is a Goldmine

Your neighborhood bottle shop isn’t just for last-minute Pinot purchases. Many host weekly or monthly tastings, and they often know about other wine events around town. If they’ve got a chalkboard, a bulletin board, or a wine nerd behind the counter, you’ve got an in.

Pro tip: Ask, “Hey, do you guys know of any other tastings or events coming up?” Chances are, they do.

2. Follow the Pourers, Not the Brands

Wineries and wine bars post about events, sure—but so do the reps, sommeliers, and distributors behind the bottles. Find them on Instagram. They’re the ones posting “I’ll be pouring some gorgeous Gamay at XYZ wine bar this Thursday.” This is the backdoor to cool, small events that never make it to Eventbrite.

Search trick: On Instagram or Facebook, type in your city + “wine tasting,” “natural wine,” or “pop-up” and follow the people, not just the places.

3. Befriend a Wine Bar

We’re talking your favorite spot where the staff actually knows your name—or at least your grape of choice. Wine bars are often the first to get invited to host release parties, winemaker meet-and-greets, and “oh hey, we just got this limited case in and we’re pouring it tonight” moments.

Go in. Ask questions. Linger. Tip well. Get on the text list if they have one.

4. Skip Google, Try These Instead:

• The Vivino App – Think of it as Tinder for wine tastings. You swipe, it suggests tastings near you.
• Local Facebook Groups – Search “[Your City] Wine Lovers” or “Natural Wine [City Name].” Goldmine.
• Reddit – Subreddits like r/wine or your city’s subreddit often have event threads.
• Meetup.com – Yes, it still exists. And yes, there are wine tasting meetups with real humans.
• Nextdoor – More for suburbanites, but you’d be surprised how many “wine walks” and neighborhood tastings get posted here.

5. Talk to Your Server

Next time you’re at a restaurant with a solid wine list, ask your server or sommelier if they host any tasting nights, or know places that do. A lot of staff work events on the side or attend tastings themselves. One casual convo could lead to your next favorite sip.

6. Wine Clubs = Event Invites

Even if you’re not a wine club member, sign up for the free newsletters. Wineries and importers often host members-only events—but guess what? They also do a bunch of public ones and announce them via email.

And if you do join a club, pick one that’s local or has events in your area. Those member pick-up parties? Instant social calendar.

7. Trust Word of Mouth (Still Works!)

Your wine-loving coworker. Your friend who just did a trip to Sonoma. Your cousin who thinks pét-nat is pronounced “pet gnat.” Ask them. Wine people love sharing their finds.

And honestly? Most of the best wine events aren’t the ones with big marketing budgets. They’re the ones you hear about from someone who went, loved it, and is still talking about the goat cheese they paired with that chilled Syrah.

Final Sip:

Finding great wine events near you doesn’t have to mean scrolling through stale calendars or overpriced tours. With a little curiosity and a few insider moves, you can tap into the world of local wine happenings like a pro.

Because the best wine events are the ones that feel like a discovery, even if someone else technically found them first.