New 90-Pt Wines You Don't Want to Miss!

The only thing better than finding a great tasting wine is finding a great tasting wine that you can afford to buy as an everyday wine... We've picked up a few of those lately that we think you'll love. They include a great little blend known as Crimson and Clover and a wonderful 90-point Garnacha called Evodia and more. Stop in and check out our 90 under $20 rack for more.

We've taken parties to a whole new level at the Grape Life in Rock Island!

We recently remodeled tht upstairs loft and hosted our first parties there and the reviews have been terrific. It's a nice, quaint little spot for groups of up to 25 people and should be great for holiday parties and gatherings. Call us if you're interested and we'll work out the details.

Yes, we've opened in Rock Island and the reaction has been terrific! Located at 1623 2nd Ave. (just down the block and across the street from Bennigan's) the new store and lounge is in a 129-year-old building that has lots of character, but still that great, chillin' Grape Life vibe. It also has sidewalk and courtyard seating you're sure to love. Of course, we also have a great selection of wine by the taste, glass or bottle. You'll find some familiar brands, but also a lot of new stuff you've never seen in Davenport! So stop on by and give it a look!

Yes, we're headed to the Illinois side with a great new store at 1623 2nd Ave., Rock Island. We're very excited and we think you'll love it. We're targeting a mid-June start, but stay tuned for more specifics!

 If you're new to wine and want to learn more, there's no better way than with one of our wine classes. Over the next month our local wine guru, Fred Smith and I will be holding basic wine classes and a wine and food pairing class. If you're interested give us a call soon. These classes can fill up quickly...

Wine 101 Class: This  beginning wine class will be held on Thursday, February 17 and is aimed at helping the new or novice wine drinker develop a better appreciation and understanding of wine basics, including a review of various varietals, the effects of tannins and aging, how to read a wine label, etc. The cost is $30 or $25 for Grape Life Wine Club members. Light snacks will be served.

Wine 201 Class: For more experienced wine drinkers or those who have already taken Wine 101, this class on Thursday, March 3, looks more in-depth at wine making, the importance of terroir, classic food and wine pairings and more. The cost is $30 per person or $25 for Grape Life wine club members. Light snacks will be served.

The Art of Wine and Food Pairing: Taught by Grape Life owner Jim Renkes and Quad City wine enthusiast, Fred Smith this class will be a more in-depth look at matching wine and food and include a tasting of a wide range of foods, each matched up with both a red and a white wine. The cost for this class is $40 or $35 for Grape Life Wine Club members.

Happy New Year Fellow Winos!

We had a great time at our New Year's Eve Party (website photos to come soon) and, not suprisingly it made us think back on 2009 and look forward to 2010.

Yeah, it was a pretty good year at the Grape Life as more and more wine lovers found us for the first time and discovered the joy of sharing great wine, music and conversation with friends. 

Also new in 2009...

* The Black Watch Room was the site for our first annual Grape Life Wine Fest and nearly 200 peopls showed up for that.

* We've gotten great feedback for Saturday night "Live at the Life" series featuring free music by a wide-range of local musicians. We'll be continuing that in 2010. If you haven't been here on a Saturday night you're missing a real treat.

* We also added "Wine Down Wednesdays" where customers could come in, buy a glass of wine and get a FREE chair massage. A great way to get over hump day!

* More than 140 Quad Citians have joined the Grape Life Wine Club and were treated to some exceptional wines. In November many of them attended our free holiday party at the newly-remodeled Thunder Bay Grill and enjoyed great tapas and a tasting of more than 50 wines!

Still, we're really looking forward to 2010 and hope you are too. We'll soon be announcing a new series of wine classes and tastings, more music and much more.

Have a great year!

Oh, what a year it was!

We had a great time at our New Year's party. A great crowd and lots of great wine... ok make that lots and lots of great wine!

Thank you so much to all our wonderful customers who made 2010 a fantastic year for the Grape Life. We really appreciate your support and hope that 2011 proves to be fantastic for each and every one of you!

All the Best...

Jim and Nancy

We've got some bloody good wines including Big Red Monster, Incognit, Phantom and others lined up for our menu for this Saturday's Hallow-Wine Party....but that's not the only reason to come and visit us. We'll also have some great desserts on hand, and the fantastic music of Danika Holmes. Danika is a phenomenal talent and you're going to take great pride in saying ..."I saw her when..." someday. Costumes are not necessary, but we'll also be giving some nice prizes for the best costumes... so feel free to dress up.

 See you then boils and ghouls!