Clubby ways to enjoy wine and build friendships through Meetup events.
Believe it or not, there are lots of people who enjoy tasting and drinking wine. And that is evident in the many wine-based Meetups in our area.
For those not familiar with Meetup, you can search online by topic for groups sharing any common interest, like “wine.” Once you’ve identified a group you’d like to join, most require you to fill out a brief online survey and submit a photograph. Your membership is subject to approval by the group organizer.
Once a member, you have access to the membership list and calendar of events. RSVP to events you’d like to attend and then simply show up. You don’t need to know anyone in the group because you’ll quickly make friends because of your common interests. Some groups require attendance and small membership fees to help offset the cost of managing a Meetup group; others host events where tickets are required. But most just ask you to RSVP so they can get a good head count.
The number of members indicates how many people have joined the group, but not how many will show up for each event. You can see how many people are signed up by event on each group’s calendar. Be aware of attendance limits and waiting lists for some events.
Ready to join? Let’s look at some of the ways you can gather with other wine enthusiasts through area Meetup groups and clubs.
Drink Wine and Make Friends in Northern Virginia
The Virginia Wine Club
Open to anyone interested in enjoying wine, whether they are new or an expert. The goal of this group is to provide a fun, casual, snob-free environment where people can learn about, enjoy and share good wine. 2,712 members. www.meetup.com/wine-16
Herndon/Reston Wine Meetup
Touted as a meetup for “Wine Lovers and Wine Snobs,” this group organizes trips to local wineries and other fun things to do in Northern Virginia. A once-a-year chartered bus tour visits local wineries. 246 members. www.meetup.com/Herndon-Wine-Lovers-Snob-Meetup
Northern Virginia Deductive Wine Tasting
Members enjoy blind tastings and build up the skills to understand how to identify and enjoy wines without knowing what they are until the end. Playful humor and coaching help ensure future success and camaraderie for wine drinkers from novices to pros. 148 members, but limited to 15 per event. www.meetup.com/Northern-Virginia-Blind-Wine-Tasting
Centreville Area Happy Hour Group
You don’t have to live in Centreville to join this active group that holds weekly Friday night Happy Hours. Visits to wineries, breweries and distilleries are also on the calendar for various Saturdays and Sundays. 147 members. www.meetup.com/CentrevilleAreaHappyHourGroup
Wine Lovers in the DMV
Enjoy the fun of exploring new wines at beautiful wineries throughout the DMV area. This group explores a new (to the group) winery the 2nd Saturday of each month and occasional other wine events. 394 members. www.meetup.com/Wine-Lovers-In-The-DMV
Northern Virginia Wine Lovers
A group to experience wines and wineries in Northern Virginia and the surrounding area at monthly meetups. 50 members. www.meetup.com/Northern-Virginia-Wine-Lovers
Play Games
Strategy Board Games & Wine at Whole Foods Fair Lakes, Fairfax, VA
This group meets in a quiet wine bar located at the very rear of the Whole Foods store and up the back stairs. You’ll find wine vending machines, bottles, and can even bring your own wine to enjoy while playing board games with others. 91 members. www.meetup.com/Board-Games-and-Wine-At-Whole-Foods
Enjoy Activities
South Riding Wine with Wonderful Women
This neighborhood group invites women to relax, unwind and meet new friends while sharing good wine, good food and good times. 213 members. www.meetup.com/South-Riding-Wine-with-Wonderful-Women
Loudoun County Women’s Wine and Books Meetup
If you have an interest in wine, especially Loudoun County wineries, and enjoy talking about a good book and hanging out with other women, this group might be for you! A relaxed and fun Meetup. 345 members. www.meetup.com/Loudoun-County-Womens-Wine-and-Books-Meetup
Hindi Karaoke & Wine Meetup
A mix of professionals from all walks of life who enjoy Hindi music mainly from India, Pakistan, Nepal and other nearby countries. Members can participate as singers, instrument players or both, and members host events at locations where music can be played loudly! They are asked to bring a bottle of good wine and a dish to share. 25 members.www.meetup.com/Hindi-Karoke-Wine-Meetup
Washington, DC Wine Meetups
DC Wine Tasting Group
Fellow wine enthusiasts gather to learn about wine through wine events for every kind of taster, from beginners to experienced palates. Wine events include Super Tastings, and meetings with winemakers, wine importers and wine journalists. 8,672 members. www.meetup.com/The-DC-Wine-Tasting-Group
Blind Wine Tasting DC
This group focuses on improving your skills at guessing what a wine is without seeing the bottle. The more you do it, the better you get at identifying the distinctive qualities of various wines. 322 members. www.meetup.com/Blind-Wine-Tasting-DC
Classical Music Listening and Wine Appreciation
Meets at members’ homes to listen to a classical work while sampling wines; the work and the wine styles are preselected. Past meetups have featured CPE Bach’s Orchestral and Keyboard Works along with Dry Germ Whites, and Schumann’s Orchestral Works along with South African Reds. 202 members. www.meetup.com/Classical-Music-Listening-and-Wine-Appreciation
DC Wine & Words Book Club
Women ages 21-34 are encouraged to join this group that opens members up to new genres and authors, creates challenging and engaging discussions, and provides opportunities to meet new people. Group guidelines and an attendance policy enforced. 66 members. www.meetup.com/Wine-Words-Book-Club
