Girls

Swirls for girls

Uncork your inner wine geek on your next girls' night out

Forget Blue Moon and cosmos. Real women drink wine--and they know where to go to enjoy it. Ready to start exploring? Grab your girlfriends and head out for wine-filled week. If you're savvy, you won't even have to break the bank doing it.

Monday: Weeknight sip session
We'll let you relax on Monday. On Tuesday, head to Swirl Wine Bar for $3 wine tastes and $10 flights. The loungey new River North spot has just the right atmosphere for relaxing and rehashing the weekend with the girls. Choose from some 25 available glasses or quartinos, then pair 'em up with Swirl's tasty small plates.

Wednesday: Books and bottles
If your book club meetings always seem to devolve into merlot-fueled gossip sessions, it's time to take the girls on a fieldtrip. Since drinking in a public library usually doesn't go over so well, we suggest local author night at Lincoln Square lit-and-wine spot The Book Cellar. The evening includes readings by five authors, including Neal Samors, author of "Chicago in the Sixties: Remembering a Time of Change," and Kevin Edwards, author of "Thoughts to Stop Thinking" and "A Drop in the Ocean." Most bottles run about $30. Also on offer: delish baked goods, a few soups and sandwiches, and a cheese plate ($9).

Thursday: Grape lesson
Do lengthy wine lists leave your head spinning? They don't have to. Become an expert in at least one varietal with a 90-minute lesson in cabernet sauvignons at the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago. The class covers a dozen cabs from several countries, plus you get a crash-course in food pairings.

Friday: Happy hour
Start your weekend off right by hauling the gals from the office to Citizen Bar for some wine-based afterhours bonding. It may not be the season for the spot's patio or rooftop deck, but indoors you can relax on red leather booths and watch the world go by through floor-to-ceiling windows. Plus, it's hard to resist the lure of Citizen's $8 food and wine deal, which includes a glass of wine and a choice of appetizers such as bruschetta and crostini.

Saturday: Sniff and swirl
Skip brunch with the girls and head instead to the weekly tasting at Wine Discount Center for sips of 10 wines featured in the center's monthly newsletter. Friendly pourers won't make you feel as if you should offer snooty observations, and you're free to buy what you try. The monthly specials include bottles for every budget.

Sunday: Buy the glass
Ready to take wine appreciation to the next level? Grab your most daring girlfriends (or just your or wealthiest), and head to a weekend wine auction at The Adventurers Club The group behind the auction, Edward Roberts International, claims novice participants are welcome, so here's your chance to bid against the big boys. Warm up with a pre-sale tasting, which includes dozens of bottles dating as far back as 1955. Whether or not you bid, a complimentary breakfast buffet runs the length of the event.