Milwaukee has always been known as a beer town, but there are plenty of people who prefer a nice glass of wine. The chilly Wisconsin weather makes it perfect for the hearty reds to warm your insides, while there are plenty of days to enjoy the crisp whites, including the ever popular patio pounders for the warm summer evenings. Paired with any of Wisconsin’s artisan cheeses, you can’t go wrong. Here are my favorite wine bars in Brew City: Located on Milwaukee’s hippest street for dining and nightlife, Indulge provides a stylish yet casual atmosphere making you feel relaxed the moment you walk in. An extensive wine list features wines by the bottle or glass listed by category from Flirty and Frisky whites to Sensuous and Fierce reds. A variety of wine flights are available as well as wonderful pairings with charcuterie, cheese and chocolate, including hand-made truffles. Wednesdays are especially fun with Women’s Wine Wednesday specials. 708 N. Milwaukee St. Tuesday-Thursday 4:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Friday & Saturday 4:30 PM – 1 AM Sunday & Monday Closed except for Private Events Facebook // Twitter // Website // Contact Just off busy Brady Street, Balzac Wine Bar adds a bit of casual sophistication to the neighborhood. The atmosphere is cozy with two bars and plenty of table seating. Scoring a table on the patio is great for socializing and some of the best people watching in the city. Wines are available by the glass, bottle and on tap. The extensive wine list is well done with detailed descriptions indicating the wine buyer really knows his stuff. With the large wine selection, a delicious small plate menu and the cool atmosphere, Balzac could easily become habit forming. 1716 N. Arlington Place Monday-Sunday 4 PM – Bartime Facebook // Twitter // Website Pastiche Bistro is a very charming 10-table restaurant in the Bay View neighborhood much better known for beer bars than wine bars. The seats often fill up quickly with diners; however you can usually snag a seat at the bar or wander upstairs to the wine store to enjoy a glass of wine and chat with the sommelier.

Sitting at the bar has its incentive with happy hour specials from 4pm-6pm Monday through Thursday featuring half-price wine by the glass and half price appetizers only for bar patrons. You’ll also want to check out Tapas Tuesday with reservations recommended. Price Range: Dinner Entrees $12-$30 3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave Monday-Thursday 4 PM – 9 PM Friday & Saturday 4 PM – 10 PM Sunday 4 PM – 8 PM Ruby Tap has become a trendy neighborhood gathering spot in the Village of Wauwatosa. You start with a glass and a swipe card giving you access to self-service wine machines with around 30 different wine choices. The machines offer three different size pours, and then you start roaming at your own pace. If you find one you like, bottles are for sale to take home or can be opened at the bar for a corkage fee. For those who prefer to not play the self-serve game, you can also choose from several choices daily of wine on tap behind the bar. Events include International Nights with sampling of wines and appetizers from different countries such as South Africa or Spain for $20 per person. 

Food choices include cheeses, cured meats, desserts and the very popular truffle popcorn. You can also join the Ruby Tap Wine Club for monthly wine specials and private events. 1341 N. Wauwatosa Ave Monday-Thursday 3 PM – 10 PM Friday 3 PM – 12 AM Saturday 1 PM – 12 AM In the center of the bustling Milwaukee Public Market, Thief Wine Bar is an oasis for relaxing and enjoying a glass of wine. red wine audio 15Wines by the glass, carafe or by the flight are available at the bar. best wine for cheese pizzaIt’s a great spot to meet up with friends for Happy Hour which runs from 4pm-6pm on weekdays, including $4 Fridays. food and wine best fast recipesThe retail area has a wide selection to choose from with affordable pricing. the best wine with seafood

The service staff is knowledgeable and the owners are often there providing excellent recommendations. Historic Third Ward Neighborhood 400 N. Water Street Monday-Wednesday 10 AM – 8 PM Thursday & Friday 10 AM – 9 PM Saturday 8 AM – 9 PM Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM Facebook // Twitter // Website // ContactUnmarked doors that lead to mysterious corridors, secret cocktail lounges hidden inside restaurants, blue lights that act as signals: welcome to the world of hidden bars in the nation's capital. best wine list irelandIn the heyday of prohibition, D.C. was rumored to have over 3,000 speakeasies catering to everyone from the libation loving lowbrows, to the pearl-drenched elite. best wine dietNowadays covert bars are making a silent comeback. However, in a city known for keeping things confidential, you're going to need an in.

Here's your guide to drinking undercover in Washington, D.C.. Faint lighting, antique bookshelves and secluded alcoves make this the perfect rendezvous point for a romantic tryst. 214 7th St SE, Washington, D.C. Yes, you can ask directions from the host at the Italian restaurant next door, but where's the fun in that? Channel your inner Sherlock and find the nondescript wooden door to the left of the entrance to Aqua Al 2. Emboldened by your sleuthing skills, open it, go up the stairs, and down the corridor to find another sliding wooden door on the left. Welcome to this intoxicating land of libations. How to get in: When this 28-seat bar first opened owners kept the number private with hopes that it would be dispersed organically. However, when the local press published the number (this is why we can't have nice things) the jig was up. Now guests can book a table the original way, by texting the number listed above, or they can reserve online. While the ambience is certainly worthy of Instagram documentation, do remember the house rules: no flash photography, no cell phones at the bar and soft voices are de rigueur.

The ever-changing cocktail menu is a delightful amalgamation of old standards and new favorites. Try the blossomy Beneath the Salt, a deliciously sharp concoction made with Cynar, an Italian bitter made with 13 herbs and plants, and finished fleur de sel. Craft cocktails in the poshest of settings make this a speakeasy for the upper crust. 728 King Street - Alexandria, VA 22314 Nary a sign is to be found at the corner of Columbus and King Street just across the river from D.C., in Arlington, Virginia. Take heart and look for the glowing blue light next to an unmarked red door and buzz the doorbell for entry. Gone are the days of private numbers, after all PX has established quite the cult following since opening in 2006. Reservations are only accepted online and the bar's decadent atmosphere is supported by its strict dress-code. Flip-flops, shorts, tanks and hats - yes, even that amazing Corina Haywood cloche - are not allowed. PX's cocktail menu serves merely as a suggestion, but the story behind many of the drink's names are worth inquiring about.

Oh My God Maria's Leg is on Fire was inspired by the time star bartender Todd Thrasher's wife sat a little too close to the fire on a camping trip. It's made with Maker's Mark whiskey, Cherry Heering and -of course-charred bitter oranges. Influenced by traditional Japanese cocktail bars, this intimate 10-seat space is a veritable event, not merely a destination. 1021 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 Photo Courtesy: Columbia Room Hidden in plain site is the best way to describe this most hospitable of cocktails bars. Tucked away in the back of the Passenger bar is a door which leads to this secluded and peaceful retreat. Ask the host at the main entrance to seat you. Reservations are required for Columbia Room's intimate prix-fixe drink tasting menu and can be made online. Guests are welcomed with an opening drink and then shown how to craft the perfect signature cocktail of the evening. The third drink is guests' choice and the right time to disclose your undying devotion to Chartreuse.

You can't go wrong at this cocktail cockaigne which has been named best bar by Food & Wine, GQ, Bon Appetit and USA Today. Bartender Matt Ficke focuses on drinks inspired by classics like the Getaway, a take on the standard daiquiri, made with Black Strap Rum, lemon, sugar and Cynar, a bitter Italian liqueur flavored with artichokes. "It's an original cocktail, blending ingredients from very different drinking cultures which gives it a totally distinct flavor." 2 Birds 1 Stone This whitewashed, 60-seat establishment is the epitome of chill; catering to those who seek perfectly crafted cocktails without the pretension. 1800 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 The staircase down to this lounge is located just off bustling 14th street behind Doi Moi, on S. Street. Look for the gold plated sign to know you've arrived. Reservations are not required at this come as you are lounge. The space invites patrons to perceive it as they wish: a hip bar, a secret place, a neighborhood gem.

However, what's not up for interpretation is the staff's dedication to creating perfectly executed drinks. Bar director Adam Bernbach is perhaps just as famous for his potent concoctions as he is for his hand-drawn menus. Ponder the meaning off it all as your peruse his menu of seasonal rotating cocktails and the punch du jour. Can't make up your mind? Talk to the staff for recommendation's catered to your personal taste, or don't be afraid to ask for a glass of wine. In tightly wound D.C. a bar this approachable is a welcome respite. Dim lighting, hidden booths and a mysterious entrance add to the appeal of this perfect rendezvous spot. 2009 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009 Look for the inconspicuous black door to the left of the entrance to Marvin. Call ahead for weekend reservations. The upstairs lounge is obliging to groups but for a truly intoxicating evening, ask for one of the intimate booths on the first floor. Leave the shorts and flip-flops at home, after all Gibson's seductive ambience practically begs for drop-waist dresses and long strands of pearls.