Shanghai’s Vino Venue: A unique wine tasting experience

If you are a business traveler or an expatriate in Shanghai who is also a wine lover, the Vino Venue offers a unique wine sampling experience. Unlike other wine bars or venues, Vino Venue takes a self service approach when it comes to wine sampling which it refers to as “wine by interaction.” Under this concept, patrons move from one metal wine dispenser station to another and have the option of choosing a half glass or a full glass from each after inserting a card into the dispenser. On offer are about 40 different wines ranging from reds to whites with prices for samples starting from 4 Yuan (50 cents) and after deciding on a sample, patrons can then move onto glasses with prices ranging from 80 Yuan (US$11.75) to 24 Yuan (US$11.75). At the end of the night, patrons then submit their cards to the cashier to discover just how much wine they have sampled.

Although sampling wine via a card operated dispenser for later payment may sound a tad bit tacky, the Vino Venue actually turns it into a fun and hip way to taste a variety of wines from around the world at your own leisurely pace. Moreover, the venue hosts wine and art related events that are geared towards expatriates and offers a number of wine related gift ideas.

The Vino Venue is located about 15 minutes by taxi from downtown Shanghai at 1970 Hongqiao Lu in the Hongqiao neighborhood. For more detailed directions, their website contains a simple map that includes Chinese characters or simply ring them at 21-6261-1995.