adjective
1. A structural component of wine that provides character and texture and frames your drinking experience.

noun
2. A wine shop and tasting lounge in Portland, Maine.

our story

Grippy Tannins’ mission is to make wine more approachable by creating a space to learn about and taste small production wines from all over the world before taking them home to enjoy.

Through a thoughtfully curated selection, we hope to introduce you to exciting new wines and passionate emerging winemakers that will keep you curious and wanting to taste more.

In addition to our core offerings, Grippy Tannins is now home to a highly curated cellar program designed to make rare and cellar-worthy wines more accessible to the wine-curious.

The Library Selection at Grippy Tannins is focused on sourcing allocated and age-worthy wines and presenting them with a sense of producer and place through a series of events and special offerings.

Find us at 16 Middle Street in Portland’s East End neighborhood.

TASTE

A wine shop and tasting lounge in Portland’s East End neighborhood featuring a curated selection of wine from classic wine-growing regions from around the world. Our selection is available for enjoyment in the lounge or for purchase to go.

For lounge tastings, we have a rotating list of wines available by the glass and 1/2 glass and feature a curated flight that changes weekly. The current flight themes can be found here.

Looking for nibbles? Cheese and charcuterie boards are offered in the lounge.

Custom tastings are available for groups of 4 or more and must be reserved at least 24 hours in advance. For these tastings, the lineup is customized based on your group’s preferences and you are formally guided through your flight.

To make a reservation or to order a curated selection of wine for pick-up, please call the shop at (207) 747-4524 or email lindsey@grippytannins.com.

GIFT CARDS CAN NOW BE PURCHASED ONLINE.

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EVENTS

DAILY TASTINGS

The retail shop and lounge are open for tastings Monday through Saturday from 1 pm – 6 pm and after 6 pm by reservation. Wine by the glass and half glass are available when the lounge is open. Reservations are not required before 6 pm, but are recommended for larger groups. To make a reservation call 207-747-4524 or email lindsey@grippytannins.com.

Custom tastings are available for groups of 4 or more. Custom tastings include a guided tasting through a line-up of 5 wines plus a spread of cheese and charcuterie. The line-up is pre-selected based on the group’s preferences or interests. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. To make a reservation call 207-747-4524 or email lindsey@grippytannins.com.

WEEKLY FLIGHT THEMES

week of Sept 14 – Fall Favorites
week of Sept 21 – Exploring Tuscany
week of Sept 28 – Exploring South Africa
week of Oct 5 – Exploring Willamette Valley

Themes are subject to change based on wine availability. The cost for 4 x 1/2 glasses ranges from $34-$40.

LOUNGE UPDATES

Thursday, Oct 8 | The Shop and Lounge will close at 5 pm for a ticketed tasting – The Many Faces of Riesling

Thursday, Oct 15 | The Shop and Lounge will close at 6 pm for a private event

Thursday, Oct 22 | The Shop and Lounge will close at 5 pm for a ticketed tasting – Fresh Air: The Role of Oxygen in Cellaring and Serving Wine

Saturday, Oct 24, 11 am – 1 pm | Champagne Brunch: Growers and the Special Club learn more

Monday, Nov 2 | A sensory series where wine meets movement: Yoga Flow & Wine Sensory Class

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM | Purchase tickets here.

Discover the parallels between mindful movement and intentional tasting. The session offers a foundational yoga practice followed by a guided wine tasting. Light snacks are included.

THE LIBRARY SELECTION EVENTS

Thursday, Oct 8 | The Many Faces of Riesling: Austria, Alsace, and Germany learn more

6 – 8 PM | Purchase tickets here.

Riesling is one of the world’s great white grape varieties, and arguably the one with the greatest ability to translate place into wine.

Join us for a comparative tasting across Germany, Alsace, and Austria to explore how climate, soils, vineyard sites, and winemaking shape the endlessly varied personality of Riesling. We’ll taste multiple wines from each region, ranging from bone-dry and mineral-driven to richly textured and layered, discovering the distinctive signatures of both the region and the vineyard.

Thursday, Oct 22 | Fresh Air: The Role of Oxygen in Cellaring and Serving Wine learn more

6 – 8 PM | Purchase tickets here.

Fine wine is a living, breathing thing. One of the most fascinating things about fine wine is that it changes, both when we lay bottles down to age and when we open those bottles and serve them. What changes the wine in both cases is oxygen. Understanding the most important ways oxygen impacts wine helps us determine which wines to age, how long to age them, and the best ways to serve. For this event, we will focus on four aspects of wine structure and production in order to better understand how oxygen impacts different wines and the choices we make about when and how to enjoy them. Each aspect discussed will be illustrated by two samples of the same wine: one that was opened just before serving, and one that was opened and double-decanted 24 hours earlier.

Saturday, Oct 24 | Champagne Brunch: Special Club learn more

11 – 1 PM | Purchase tickets here.

Thursday, Nov 5 | Conversations in Burgundy: The Case For Cru Beaujolais learn more

6 – 8 PM | Purchase tickets here.

In this Conversation in Burgundy, we’ll look beyond Beaujolais Nouveau and explore the ten Crus of Beaujolais, where diverse granite, diorite, and alluvial soils; varied elevations and exposures; and thoughtful cellar techniques let Gamay Noir express itself in strikingly different ways. From ethereal and haunting to dark, structured, and cellar-worthy, Cru Beaujolais offers a remarkable range of styles and often at remarkably accessible prices. We’ll taste wines from four important producers while exploring the grape, geology, winemaking, and distinct personalities that make Cru Beaujolais one of Burgundy’s most compelling and overlooked underdogs.

Past Library Events

Sept 26, 2026 | Conversations in Champagne: Monovarietals learn more
Sept 17, 2026 | Sadie Family Wines and the Swartland Revolution read more
Sept 3, 2026 | Conversations in Burgundy: Exploring Côte de Beaune read more
Aug 20, 2026 | Traditional Method Sparkling Wine read more
Aug 6, 2026 | A Tour Through Mt. Etna read more
Jul 23, 2026 | Exploring Volcanic Islands: The Azores and Canary Islands read more
Jul 9, 2026 | Conversations in Burgundy: Exploring Chablis read more
June 25, 2026 | Discovering Northwest Spain read more
June 11, 2026 | Barolo Fest – a cross-section of cru Barolo from 2021 read more
May 28, 2026 | Winemaker Tasting with Mark Wentworth read more
May 14, 2026 | Portfolio Tasting with Peter Weygandt read more

PRIVATE EVENTS

This modern, relaxing tasting lounge was designed to make you feel like you’re in your own living room. Surrounded by wine and fellow wine enthusiasts, it’s a welcoming space to host your next celebration, team building event, or networking function.

Your tasting experience can be customized to fit your needs. We provide wine, education, nibbles, and a place to mingle and shop. Email lindsey@grippytannins.com or call the shop at (207) 747-4524 to see how we can enhance your next event.

Pricing varies depending on party size – contact us for a quote and availability.