Wine Away the Evening

It’s Friday evening and your weekend has officially started. What better way to kick it off than to sip a few fine wines alongside a selection of tasty canapés? As luck would have it, Macau has three regular wine tastings that offer just that.

Photo: Azul offers an intimate venue for tasting wines on offer

To start, there is the weekly wine tasting at Azul Bar in the Four Seasons. From 6pm to 8pm, you can “sample” (we say sample because to our delight the bartenders are pretty heavy handed when it comes to pouring) a variety of wines from across the globe. They change each week to keep you on your toes, but there will generally be a few whites and a few reds with the occasional bubbly or even rose from time to time. Port has even put in an appearance previously. The selection is good with six or seven wines most weeks. The canapés on offer usually includes a few types of cheese, crudités, crackers, dips, nuts and dried fruit. Each person will also get some hot canapés. To see what wines are on offer this week, click here.

Pros: You’ll walk (or teeter) away with a few very decently sized glasses of wine in you by the end of the night Cons: Although trendy and well decorated, Azul is quite dark and doesn’t have any windows which would be our main gripe. Cost: MOP150 + 15% service charge and tax

Photo: Sands offers the longest tasting of the three

Next is the bi-monthly tasting at Sands’ Paiza Lounge. Offered from 6pm to 9pm, this wine tasting can get pretty packed (we’re sure the three-hour time frame has something to do with that) so it’s a good idea to call ahead for reservations. The wines on offer are spread across three different rooms which helps ease congestion at the bar. The pours here are something you would get if you visit an actual winery - just enough for a few sips. Guests can help themselves to the canapés and sweets on offer that are located in every room. To see what wines are on offer in May click here.

Pros: As the longest tasting it is a good opportunity to meet up with friends and make a night of it Cons: You may finish your “glass” of wine before you even make it back to your table Cost: MOP158 net

Photo: Vida Rica offers guests great views of Macau

The monthly Mandarin Oriental wine tastings are the most refined out of the three. The wine distributors are always very professional and like to greet guests and speak with them. Mirko De Giorgi, assistant director of food and beverage, is responsible for conceptualizing and executing tastings and is on hand to recommend which wines to start with. Tastings run from 6pm to 8pm and usually offer half a dozen wines which often include a sparkling, a few whites and a few reds as well as a few canapés that are passed around by servers. Of course the main draw at Vida Rica Bar is the view which offers a great vantage point of Macau as the sun sets. To see the selection of wines that will be available at May’s tasting click here.

Pros: A great opportunity to speak with experts and actually learn a thing or two about wine Cons: Although this is a wine tasting we have become acustom to the "free-flow" canapes at Sands and Azul. The canapes here, even though delicious, arn't quite as free flow. Not exactly fair to call it a con however. Cost: MOP150 net

At all tastings you have the chance to purchase wine direct from the distributors often with good discounts if you place an order that evening.

Photo: SOHO's Shelter, Pinball and 777 Bar all offer free-flow wine on Friday evenings

For a more casual and laidback affair, you may want to consider heading to SOHO on Friday evenings where you can enjoy as many glasses of wine as you like from 7pm to 9pm for only MOP150. There are over 20 varieties, including one sparkling. Read more about it here.

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