I never write reviews, but felt others might benefit from our experience. We came into Chicago from out of state for the weekend. We made a special trip into Perman on the recommendation of our dinner server who suggested we would be able to find a sparkling wine we'd had during the meal. While we love wine, we'd never had this wine before and knew very little about the varietal. We were told the wine was hard to find and Perman was our best bet, so we gave it a shot. We were the only people in the store and Craig was very nice and informative. The shop did indeed have the wine and Craig told us the cost on it was great, so we took his word on it and bought 3 bottles. Later that day, we were walking past a Binny's and popped in to find a locally made liquor. While there, we happened to walk down the wine aisles and found the wine we'd had just bought for $10 dollars/bottle less! We literally could have bought 4 bottles for the same price as the 3 bottles we bought at Perman. In our area, wine prices really don't vary considerably, so we didn't even think to "shop around". A dollar or two, sure, but felt this was pretty considerable. Of note, on searching their website, Perman apparently does not do returns and does no price adjustments. Shame on us for not doing more research, but i guess we'll know for next time. read more

I did a phone order for a friend in Chicago - while on the call , I was so intrigued by the wines that I ordered myself 3 bottles!! Hannah and Craig were awesome and held my hand through the whole thing (And I have pretty good wine IQ) . Very knowledgeable and did not pressure - just made the whole thing really easy!! Def going to visit when i am in the windy city and would def use them again. !! read more

Was scouring the globe for a very specific botanical GIN from Barcelona Spain - BCN GIN (https://www.bcngin.com/en/). The producer suggested I reach out to Perman Wine. Communication and service couldn't be better. Looking forward our next chance to visit the windy city so that I can make an in-person visit, and deliver my personal gratitude for the service and selection. Thank you, Craig!! read more

Well, well. Quite the combo here with a swell little wine shop next to a bustling babe of a BYOB (Grocery Bistro). Stop in prior to dining, and they'll hook you up with some bottles that will tickle your fancy...they've got a well pondered selection of wine from all over the world (modest on the champagne), and a smattering of craft beers. I actually made a stop in AFTER dinner, just to check it out...and despite not really NEEDING anything, left with two bottles based on explanation alone. $15 a pop, doesn't break the bank...the prices run the gammut, and there is something for all, most def. Talk to Craig, if he's available. His passion for wine is evident. He's the brainchild. He explained that while he does a nice retail business, he is most keyed into private ordering...which where the newsletter comes in, with a frugal surprise (yay! my fav) Sign up for the newsletter...much care and devotion are swirled into this lengthy (yet, easily palatable) email. Bonus: It's mostly text, so you won't be inundated with crappy stock photography of wine bottles, grapes, vines or anything else random. I hate those...this is straight to the point, penned by the Permaster himself. My favorite diddy: Perman's 6 wines for $60. It just so happens I have room for 6 bottles in my perpetually-vacant wine rack. Problem solved by Perman, on the cheap. Announced via email, ordered via email, picked up in-store. Voila. (good news: metered parking is quite easy outside the store...) It's a very nice sampling of six wines...reds/whites, at a very good price, allowing even the most inexperienced vinophile (myself) to look at her wine rack and ask guests, "I have 6 or so bottles, what do you prefer to drink this evening?" Ahem, fancy. I like. Thanks for solving my "how to the hell do I pick out wine like an adult" dilemma... read more

Perman Wine Selections - a man sitting at a table - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I just want to say that this guy knows his stuff! Stopped by here to pick up a few bottles of vino to have with dinner next door at the Grocery Bistro tonight and I was impressed. I found Craig, the owner, who not only was highly knowledgeable about wines and finding me the perfect one (or two or three!)- but was also a good guy in helping me with the quarter situation for the meters (those darn meters again- getting in the way of my good times!) We talked for awhile about the wines that I like, and that my friends like and he ended up suggesting a couple that I had never heard of and one that I actually knew of. All were delicious and the perfect accompaniment to our dinner. He even has the whites chilled and ready to go! All in all the prices were reasonable- three bottles of wine were about $90 (one Pinot Noir that I picked ran $40 alone but was a great value for the vintage and is one of my favorites) The service was exceptional, and I find it hard to believe that this place has been here for about a year and a half and I didn't know it given the amount of time I have spent in the W, Loop! Craig also does wine tasting parties with cheeses brought in from Pastoral. His tasting room seats about 12 and seems like it would be a great way to kill an afternoon with some work colleagues. Parking is metered (I know, I know- bring quarters the next time) and you get about 15 minutes for your quarter. Just enough time to have Craig help you pick out that next great bottle of wine! Cheers! read more

You have a few really nice things here: Craig - I'm assuming he's the owner. Good selection and variety. When I came in he was helping someone else, he greeted me and you can tell that the other customer was a regular and appreciated his help and I could tell by the comments that Craig had never steered him wrong! I was going to a BYOB dinner. I told Craig where and he knew the menu well. Not wanting a red and white (only a red - can't drink both) he picked a wine that would pair well with a variety of dishes, not too heavy with good fruit. A really nice wine from Sicily. He chose 3 wines from me to choose from (I had given him my price point) - then I asked him what wine HE would choose. He chose the one from Sicily - not only did we LOVE it (actually loved the wine more than the dinner) it was the least expensive of all three. I loved and appreciated the service and knowledge. read more

Interesting place to pick the perfect wine for any event. I passed by a few times and decided to stop in to see what Perman was all about, Glad I did. All I had to do was tell him what I was exactly looking for and they guided me to a few selections and I was sold. All their wines are reasonable priced between $20 to 40. read more

Let me start by saying if I had a better experience with the personnel based off the wine selection and price point I would've certainly been a return customer. However, my experience is as follows: I came in to buy bottles of wine for my co-workers as gifts. I was a bit overwhelmed and Perman had great reviews so I decided to visit. When I came in i told Hannah what I needed and she diligently picked out 12 different wines for me. I had no clue what I wanted nor did I really mind what she chose. I gave her the price point and she worked within that to find 12 good selections for me. At some point during our exchange I had to ask her if she was okay because her energy seemed either tired, annoyed, or disinterested. I'm unsure but it did prompt me to ask if she was ok and was the store closing and was I a bother? She said "No, I'm just waiting on you." Ok, fine. I continued forward. Mind you I'm the only customer in here and the store wasn't scheduled to close for another 2 hours and our entire interaction couldn't have been more than 20mins. Back to the shopping- as we were picking she mentioned a magnum bottle might work for my needs and when I thought about it- I said "actually you're right I can do 3 big magnum bottles for all departments as opposed to trying to specifically choose for each person. GREAT idea!" Now, the actual problem. When she goes to ring me up for the $375 purchase she says can you also show me an ID. That makes me cringe a bit but I oblige as this can occasionally happen. THEN she proceeds to ask to call my credit card company to also verify its me. I look at her blankly for a few seconds before asking how will a CC company know it's me? They cant see me. Hannah and the owner Craig say they do this all the time. I have NEVER had a company ask to call my CC company BEFORE there's even an issue and I let them know as much. The owner says because it's because its a small business, etc. At this point I'm offended and appalled at their audacity and in my heart I say just leave this stuff here- they are out of line, but then I also dont want to have to go look elsewhere after Hannah has helped me with this current purchase. I say fine if you do this all the time call the CC company and get whatever info you need as a vendor. The owner Craig calls and my CC company is confused. They respond with "this is not something we can help you with and transfer him to another department." The owner then asks me for my CC again and at this point I've had enough. There is not enough of a discount or glasses of wine you can offer me to atone for this offensive behavior. He tried to say it was common for new customers but I can't help but wonder if it's only those of a darker hue. read more

Hi. I have a confession to make. *sigh* My name is Rob L... and I... I... I have a addiction. (audible gasps) Yes! Yes! I have an addiction! Its one I have been trying to fight, yet I seem to keep losing. I need to purge and bare my soul in hopes of redemption. My addiction.. is buying wine. No! Not drinking it, although I have enjoyed many glasses many a time.. but this is serious. I keep finding all these wonderful little wine shops and I get a little crazy. Oh look, a Verdejo for $12, this Txakolina only $10? Cripe this Malbec is only $15!! I plan on buying one or two.. then walk out with eight or nine. Its a serious problem. If I drank as much as I buy? I'd be plastered from here until 2012! Take for instance Perman Wine Selections. A sampler case of 6 for $60 that comes out the last Friday of the month. Some fine wines, some hard to find wines all wrapped up in a pretty little package of a deal and then... then made totally affordable by many standards. Oh you don't want to buy six? Perhaps you might just want to buy two? A sampling of some serious selectionphobia happens. Wines every where and the conundrum of which to buy sinks in... that is where Craig, (the owner), comes in. Soft spoken but excited and well spoken of his wines that he has. Of course when I said I was thinking of adding another bottle to my six pack, we went on a small international tour, taking what I like and what I was interested and skewing the line and sending me in a new direction. And home with three more bottles. Ugh. See this is my problem. I can't commit to just going in and trying one bottle. No! I have to try this one and that one and I think that sounds interesting so I will take that and what a great deal that is I will take that one too.... it goes on and on my friends, where this merry go round ends, I don't know. What I do know is, Perman has some darn good deals and prices, a friendly and informative owner, a variety of interesting wines to buy and well... he isn't helping me with my little problem. Maybe I just need to go to a lot of BYOB's through the rest of the year... and next year too. read more

Craig Perman never disappoints. His taste is impeccable. Many of his wines are not sold at big box retailers like Binny's. I have tried many of his picks, and they have all been dead-on. Prices are incredibly reasonable. I will never buy wine anywhere else!! Craig Perman is a wine genius!!!!!!!!! And Harold's Chicken is opening next door in the old Grocery Bistro space. Champagne and fried chicken, anyone? read more

I haven't actually bought wine at Perman Wine Selections (yet). But I am, nevertheless, posting a 5-star review for Craig Perman. From a past membership in a wine club, we had, stashed in storage at home, OVER THIRTY case-sized wine boxes with... styrofoam inserts. You can't recycle styrofoam. We had asked other wine/liquor stores near us to take the boxes and reuse them, and they all refused. On the spur of the moment, I walked into Perman Wine one day, explained my plight to a bemused Craig, and asked if he would take our boxes... and he said YES. He even helped us carry them in from the car on three separate trips. Perman Wine is a friend to me and a friend of the environment! Thank you! read more

"I just called... to say... I love you...." This is what I felt like singing when I came back for the second time tonight. Yes, second. I came here twice in one night, WHAT. I met up with a friend at the Grocery Bistro next door for dinner tonight. It was 5:58, we had a reservation at 6, I had no idea what wine she was bringing so I popped in here to grab a bottle. I walked in and was immediately greeted by Craig, the owner. I told him I was dining next door and wanted a bottle of white. I had glanced around and didn't see anything familiar... but you know, I am wine-retarded, so that should be expected. He asked me some questions, we determined I was in the mood for a nice pinot grigio and he took me over to the cooler and explained my options. He showed me bottles in every price range, and he described the tastes so adequately that I wanted them all. I finally went with a nice Austrian white that he made sound so good I couldn't pass it up. And for $13, it was a steal. When we opened the bottle at dinner, my friend and I both immediately loved it. Even our server was checking it out! I wanted more. I had to have more. So the minute we were done with dinner we came back and I bought another bottle to take home. A couple of guys were in there at the same time and saw my enthusiasm and ended up picking up the same bottle. After I paid my friend and I chatted with Craig a little bit and got the scoop - he's been open for about a year and a half, and he is definitely loving the new found business from the Grocery Bistro next door. His shop is small, but the selection is really good - if you need wine, bubbles, liquor, and even beer, he has it all in every price range and can get it quickly if he doesn't have it. In the next room he has a table set up for tastings - he holds these about once a month and you can sign up, or you can rent the space out for a private party. Cost will depend on what you want to do, but he said it averages around $40-60 a person and he even brings cheese in from Pastoral. Um, sold. My friend and I immediately signed up for his mailing list. He really likes to get to know his clients and their tastes, and will let you know if he's getting something you might like. Hell, he remembered my name from our brief encounter two hours prior and I thought that was nice and straight up good customer service. LOVE. He also does this monthly wine pack called "6 for $60" with different wines every month - just reading the chalkboard about it was making me laugh. The guy has a sense of humor on top of having a fabulous little shop. I will definitely be back, and don't judge me if it's twice in one night. Again. read more

The best wine (and spirits) shop in Chicago, period. I've gone to Perman's multiple times, and whether I'm buying a dry white, easy drinking red, or any spirit, they have an abundance of knowledge and a truly unique selection to get you to the best place. The helpfulness of the staff and the uniqueness/variety/quality of their selection is truly unmatched. And while high quality usually means high price, I've found that they are just as happy to sell you a $14 bottle of Cotes du Rhone as a $75 of Champagne. I'm happy to go out of my way to get the majority of my wine, spirits, and even beer here. read more

I heart Perman wine! Craig is the absolute best at finding the exact type of wine I am looking for every time I go in there, and it never disappoints. Every bottle of wine I've bought from Craig has been excellent. And the prices... they cannot be beat. He must not have much overhead because his prices are really great. He always finds me a delicious bottle in my price range. Craig also sends out these occasional emails if you sign up for them that are very informative about wines I've never even heard of! He is extremely knowledgeable about wine. If you are in the West Loop and looking for a great bottle of wine in your price range, definitely check out Perman Wines! read more

I've been coming to Perman's for several months now and just realized that it had yet to be added to the Yelp canon. Seeing as work is slow (tip of the hat to our terrible economy) I felt it was up to me to remedy this unjust exclusion: Perman's is a small wine shop with a fantastic selection. Craig Perman runs a lean operation which saves him the indignity of having to push mediocre wine on customers just to move inventory. He has tasted every wine he sells and is by far one of the most knowledgable people I have come across in the Chicago wine scene. His encyclopedic understanding of what makes a great wine leads to the customer's discovery of some wonderful bottles from around the world. Craig has a weekly newsletter that he emails out to his clients in which he highlights some of the wines he has on hand and informs customers of new arrivals. Orders can then be placed via email either by the Bottle or by the Case. He is currently putting the finishing touches on the new Tasting Room, which he hopes to have ready around the end of July/early August. Once this room is complete he will also be hosting tastings as well as other events. Judging by the quality of wines I have had thus far from Perman's I am sure that the tastings will be a great time. The store itself is laid out nicely and Craig also has a very solid selection of craft beers and stemware for sale in addition to the many fine wines on site. Whether you're looking to spend $10 on a bottle or $2000 on a case this is a great store to check out, and I'm sure that Perman's will continue to garner attention and accolades when the Tasting Room is completed. Make sure you sign up for the mailing list when you're there. ( I was actually the first person to review Perman's but for some reason Yelp wasn't having it show up when I pulled up the page. Yelp, what's the deal?) read more

Perman Wine Selections is conveniently located right next to Grocery Bistro (a BYOB restaurant), but it is worth it to check this place out next time you're in the market for a nice and unique bottle of wine. The owner helped us pick out a bottle for our dinner, and took the time to ask us what we did and did not like, and tell us about each of the wines he picked out. People probably assume from the look of this place that it only sells expensive wines, but this is not the case -- actually, every bottle he picked out for us was under $15, and FAR more unique and delicious than your average bottle of Yellowtail that can go for like $10 itself in a normal grocery store! Definitely worth a trip to the West Loop. read more

With the continued consolidation of mega-retailers in the wine business, and lobbyists pushing for restrictions on wine delivery, it is heartening to know that on the opposite end, there are boutique wine retailers who are intensely passionate about what they do. Craig Perman is one of them. Perman Wines is a small shop in the West Loop. For a while, it was sort of the de-facto place for diners going to Grocery Bistro, given that they are next door to each other. I first heard of it through a good friend, at a wine dinner co-hosted by Perman Wines and X-Marx. You sign up on the mailing list, and most information is disseminated through email newsletters. There are regular features where Mr Perman would introduce new and exciting products. There are the 6-for-$60 and 6-for-$120 samplers. These are sets that Mr Perman selects and puts together. There are also myriad tasting events at the store that are extremely popular and sell out quickly. What do i like about Perman Wines? For one, the passion about wine. Mr Perman takes extended trips to source interesting wines. In one way it eliminates the whole tangle of importers, distributors, and wholesalers. I've been introduced to very interesting wines and vitners. For example, Domaine de L'Hortus is a label I've now given as gifts, drank at home, and also served at gatherings. I just also recently tasted a very fantastic syrah from Morocco. Morocco! Who knew? I also like that the small store provides for a very close interaction with Mr Perman. This is not a store with sales staff who only rings the register. Why 5 stars? Great selections. Exceptional service. Always something new to learn from. Most importantly, there would be occasions for someone's house wine, but as Perman's company credo states -- Life's too short to drink average wine. read more

Take advantage of Chicago's best Personal Wine/Booze Consultant! Whether it's pairing the perfect wine with a $4 Tombstone pizza or shopping a rare $2,000 scotch, head to Perman Wine Selections. It is a definite must before any BYOB dining. Highlights: - The epitome of beauty and brains, Craig Perman. - Unique selection of wines, sakes, craft beers and spirits at all price points. Try the monthly 6 for $60-something! - Shopping to the best of Hip Hop, Rap, R&B and Neo Soul. read more

Wow, what a terrible experience! You would think customer service would be key, as the restaurant and wine shop industry are about to take a huge hit. I went to stock up on wine and was greeted by a disgruntled woman who told me to read the sign outside the door. They are only allowing one person in at a time due to health precautions. I actually prefer that. The sign mentioned pick ups only, so when I asked if I could still come in, I was told to "read the sign again." Wow! Despite that lovely greeting, I still went in because it was a necessity. Although, it was pointless because you can't look at any of their wine or touch it. Instead, you get a condescending woman telling what she thinks you might like. Hmmm okay. When I asked if they have a few specific wines, she says "we don't go by names we do things differently here". Okay, so without seeing wine how am I supposed to make a selection? Perhaps they go off of the wine point scale like most wine spots. Nope! They feel that's very subjective, so instead you should listen to their rude employee tell you what to pick. Not subjective at all. When asked if they have their inventory online I was told "do you want me to help or not?" NOT! If this is how they treat the small number of customers venturing out right now, imagine how they act when it's business usual! read more

Okay, so I've fallen in love with wine and I know what I like when I taste it, but going to a "normal" wine store is something of a challenge. I don't know all the things that "wine people" are supposed to know. Like what? The list seems never ending: grape varietals, wine regions, flavor profiles, etc. It's intimidating, enough to get you buying the stuff you know over and over and over again, if for no other reason than to not embarrass yourself and 'out' your non-wine knowledge to some lackey at Sam's. What's a wine lover anxious to learn what to buy (and drink new things!) to do?! Enter Craig Perman. This guy knows so much about wine; he loves the stuff, and it shows. He'll ask you what you like and suggest new things, tell you about the places where they come from, like a little story for each bottle. The prices range from low low to moderately high, at least from what I saw. Once a month (I think) he offers a '6 for $60' sampler of all different stuff, which is what I got early this month. I've gone through 2 of the bottles so far, and they've both been great. He has a newsletter that comes out once a week that talks about the offerings, which is also how I learned about the sampler I got. This place is a gem...definitely worth checking out! read more

I cannot say enough great things about this place. More often I've dealt with Sheb at the shop, and she's great. She really knows her stuff. I love that between her and Craig I feel like I have my own personal wine buyers. I also love the 6 for $60 so much. I'd say on average it's more like 6 for $65, but it's still a great deal. I love trying new wines and tend to get overwhelmed at how many options are out there, so this is a really fun way to try some new and interesting stuff that I never have heard of at great prices. And they encourage you to try some things you maybe wouldn't want to try (of course they let you swap out if you KNOW you don't like it). I tried a Sherry for the first time, and I didn't love it, but I don't think I would have tried it, or known what the best pairing for it was, without their recommendations. Support small business and get yourself over to Perman Wine Selections today! Even if you don't live in the area (I live on the Northside) it's worth the effort to get down there. read more

I live nearby and wanted to check it out to grab a bottle for a nice meal I was having and Perman blew me away! I normally drink red wine and asked for a recommendation for a white from Sheb. She immediately recommended 3 that she thought I may like and I went with her first suggestion. I absolutely LOVED this wine (Rall White 2013). I already plan on going back to buy more. I also picked out a cheaper bottle which we also enjoyed. I'll be doing all my wine shopping at Perman from now on! read more

I LOVE this place. Every time my boyfriend and I have gone in, the owner has taken the time to chat with us about wine. I always learn so much! We are especially fond of his 6 for $60 deal--he chooses excellent wines for this deal and I can't wait to go back and get our next box. I would love to see some wine tastings in the near future here...I am on the look out! read more

I, too, trekked to Perman before a fantastic meal at Grocery. It was a busy Friday night, but we didn't mind waiting a few minutes to be rung up --- all b/c the owner was rather delightful in his recommendation/explanation of different Rieslings in stock. A few moments later, we walked out with a lovely bottle (Donhoff?) and walked into Grocery Bistro for a fun Friday night dinner. read more

We feel lucky to have this place in our neighborhood. We've walked by a bunch of times and we always mention that we want to check it out. We finally ventured in this past weekend and I'm glad we did. During our time there, Craig had several regulars come in and it was obvious they considered him a friend and were longtime customers. He took his time with everyone, including us, and could not have been friendlier and more informative. His selections were spot on and he's curated a great mix of great Price to Quality Ratio wines as we well as high end bottles. He also has a great monthly sampler program of inexpensive daily drinkers that he curates himself. We're definitely purchasing that to give ourselves an opportunity to try different wines that we'd normally not think to try. One of my goals of 2016 is to really learn more about wine and it seems like Craig's selections will be very helpful towards that! read more

Perman Wine Selections is simply excellent. It has become the only store in Chicago I frequent for wine. Craig, the shop's namesake, has done an exceptional job assembling a highly audited selection of wines in a rather pleasant store front. To name a few things I really enjoy about the store... -Craig knows more than you could possibly want to know about any wine in the shop. He demonstrates a deep understanding of each product he sells and has the desire and patience to explain things that may not be apparent to the average wine consumer. Wine snobbery and name dropping would seem out of place here. -The wine selection is rather broad in terms of the variety of varietals. If you're tired of California chardonnay, etc, this store is what you're looking for. Your wine horizons will expand. -There are quality wines for every budget. In my experience bottles range from $10ish to however much you could possibly want to spend on a bottle. -For the interested, there are wine tastings every so often. If you have a group you would like to have a private tasting with; one can be scheduled. -The last Friday of each month the store offers a selection of six bottles for $60. This is great for stocking up on everyday wines. If you go and enjoy what you see, be sure to get on Craig's email list. With appropriate frequency he'll update you on new wines coming in and schedules for wine tastings. Go here, you won't be disappointed. read more

Same story as everyone else. Late for my reservation at Grocery Bistro so didn't do the usual Dominick's run, stopped by Perman's and was shocked that the prices were very reasonable. The owner was very nice and helpful in a low-key kind of way. I was disappointed by my most recent trip to Grocery Bistro, but the wine the owner recommended was perfect (and I'm usually a wine-hater). read more

This is a tiny shop, but it's amazing what interesting wines Craig Perman is able to pack into it. He's a great guy to talk to, always helpful and knowledgable, and will never steer you wrong. Craig loves wines that are a little off the beaten path, and uses his connections in the business to get good deals and to plan fun events. This is a great shop, and I'm so glad to live in the same neighborhood! read more

Great wine selection, fair priced. This is a great place to go if you are looking for a pairing or to try something new. This is not the place to go if you're looking for a particular wine as their selection is small. They have a great 6 for $60 deal to try new wines. With friendly knowledgeable staff I'll definitely be back. read more

A wonderful place to find some great-tasting boutique wines. We gave Jamie our tasting profile and she was spot on with her recommendations! read more

I came in here last night before dinner to pick up a bottle because it's conveniently located right next door to the restaurant (Grocery Bistro - a BYOB). This place had really interesting wine selections and the owner was super nice. He helped us quickly pick out a great versatile wine for dinner since we didn't know what we would be eating exactly. What I also thought was great was that he didn't try to sell us his most expensive bottle; instead, he gave us several options in all price ranges. We ended up with a $10 Cab/Merlot mix, and it was delicious! I'll definitely be back. read more

Yes I'm another patron who discovered Perman's while looking for wine to take to the Grocery Bistro. However I was more than pleasantly surprised by the helpfulness of the owner and the fantastic selection. There was a great array of varietals and a flexible price range. I joined their email list for their tastings and events as soon as I got home. Check it out! read more

Great neighborhood wine shop. Craig was very helpful in selecting a wine for this evening. He really knew his stuff! Stopped by for a "wine to go with everything" and he made the perfect pairing. I'll be back! Both for wine, and for the special events. read more

Great little wine shop near the west loop area of restaurants. Unique selections of wine, and the owner is extremely knowledgeable, having worked in the wine industry for quite some time, also working in some of the best restaraunts in chicago including Alinea, Blackbird, and Avec. Great for private tasting parties, was just there for a friend's birthday party as the room was just opened a few months ago. The previous review also makes mention of the newsletter deal, and I agree, it is a great way to try different wines at an affordable price. read more

unpretentious. reasonable. knowledgeable. boutique-y without having only "weird" wines from virtually unknown vineyards. craig is consistent with his inventory...great selection of varietals at every price point..though, thankfully, you won't find any 2BuckChucks here. i swear he knows every byob tasting menu of every worthwhile place in the city because he has never steered me wrong. i called him from work the day of a reservation knowing i didn't have any whites chilled at home. i trusted him to choose a couple for dinner and he stuck them in the fridge so that they were ready to pour and drink when i picked them up. pretty sure jewel, dominicks, or the like wouldn't be so accommodating. ...yet another reason to support small businesses. the service is personal and impeccable. read more

Great place with reasonable prices and expertly picked selection of booze. Note they have beer and liquor (limited selection) as well. They will never frown on you asking for a specific price range either. I have added this to my list of places that don't suck. read more

Perman has never steered me wrong. He runs a clean and sophisticated shop but offers competitively priced bottles. The real value however is in the Perman himself. He has a wealth of wine knowledge and is very willing to help you find the right selection. I, admittedly, am no wine aficionado but my taste buds still function and they keep me coming back here. read more

Our favorite little wine shop! Craig is the best and always goes out of his way to make sure you're getting a wine that's exactly what you're looking for. If you a bit of a wine nerd, just ask a few questions and be prepare to be amazed by Craigs knowledge. I don't mean, "this is a blend of malbec and cinsault". I mean, "this producer only created 300 cases in 2005 and the vineyard is located in this quaint mountain village that is set atop cliffs that overlook the ocean that bring the cool, briny breeze the keeps the grapes cool so they don't ripen too quickly" level of detail. I love it! But, on those occasions when I just need a quick chilled bottle of white for dinner Craig can get me in and out in no time! Check out the 6 for $60. It's a great way to try a lot of different wines; some familiar some new. A new mix of 6 wines comes out each month. read more

Craig Perman knows what he's doing on selection and food pairing. His selections are brilliant and his price points give fantastic value. His monthly samplers offer 6 selections for around $60, and they have never left me disappointed. He also offers higher end selections like Barolos, scotches, and even craft beers. This is one of my favorite shops in town. read more

For a small store, hard to imagine a better selection, or better advice. So not the warehouse woohoo, but the small superb curation in a perfect west loop location. read more