Have you ever used meetup.com? Since moving to London I have used it as a way to get out of my flat, explore the city, and make some friends. I’ve gone out with an expat spouses group a number of times and the women I’ve met have been just lovely. (I know men can be expat spouses too, but I haven’t met any yet.)

Anyway, a few weeks ago I went to Vagabond Wines on Charlotte Street (there is more than one location) with the expat spouses and had a blast. Wine and girl talk is always a lot of fun, but having friends to go out with also helps make London feel more like home. The surrounding area is really cute with lots of other shops and restaurants. Vagabond itself has large wooden tables, fat leather chairs, and a cozy vibe. This location isn’t too far from the British Museum, so it is a perfect place to go to unwind if you’re tired after sightseeing.

They have food there too, but their tasting machines are what really makes them noteworthy. You can see the machines in the first picture at the top. When you go in to the store, you buy a card and can put whatever amount on it that you like. I put on £20. In the back of the shop there are tables and about 100 wines on “tap.” The wines are arranged in categories like “spicy” or “bold” or “citrus.” Then above each particular wine there is a little card with more specific details about the flavors and smells of the wine – and if you like it you can take the info card (or buy a bottle).

To taste the wine, all you do is put your card in the machine, place the glass under the spout and press the button. And the best part is that there is a choice to buy either a taste or a full glass! No need to commit when you aren’t sure what you like! The cheapest taste I had was a bubbly rosé for 65p. The most expensive taste I had was somewhere between £3-5, which might seem like a lot, but the bottle itself cost over £100. That was my absolute favorite part! I would never buy myself such expensive wine, but I loved being able to try the high end wine without blowing my budget.

Over the course of the afternoon I bought 2 full glasses and maybe the equivalent of a third glass in tastes. It was a really cool and fun experience. I don’t know anything about wine, I always buy based on label design, and  usually when I go to the store I feel like I have to make choices. This time, I could try a little bit of everything and see what I really like. It was great fun to spend a leisurely afternoon, tasting wine, and having some girl talk. I loved it and highly recommend it.

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