Holiday parties mean hostess gifts, and wine, beer and liquor are always welcome. And if you can try before you buy? All the better because now your gift comes with a story. Check out these Birmingham shops offering wine, beer and liquor tastings in the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Classic Wine Co.

Classic Wine Company, 1831 28th Ave. S. Ste. 110, Homewood, AL 35209, December 2018 tasting event: Thursday, December 20, 5-7pm. Free champagne and wine tasting hosted by Rush Wines, plus a special treat from Ashley Mac’s.

Classic Wine Company, which offers an array of excellent wines at all price points, has been a Homewood tradition since Tony Meyer founded the store in 1988. Today, a new owner, Josh Terrell, continues the tradition. He first fell in love with wine when his father-in-law gave him a bottle of 1982 Lafite Rothschild in honor of his birth year and 22nd birthday.

Be sure to check out the fun wine bar in the back of Classic Wine Company, which offers cheese plates and charcuterie boards. While you sip and shop, peruse a fun pop-up by Ashley Tarver. She’s selling a trove of handcrafted textiles and goods she handpicked on her travels through South America.

4 Birmingham shops offering wine, beer and liquor tastings leading up to Christmas and New Year's Eve — *Handcrafted goods from Tarver’s South American travels at Classic Wine Co. Photo via Ashley Tarver*

LeNell’s Beverage Boutique

LeNell’s Beverage Boutique, 1208 32nd St. N., Birmingham, AL 35234, December 2018 tasting events:
•  Wednesday, December 19, 4:30-7pm. Champagne tasting.
•  Friday, December 21, 4-6:30pm. Mezcal and Sotol tasting.
• Saturday, December 22, 1-3pm. Charbay vodka and whiskey tasting.
•  Friday, December 28, 4:30-6:30pm. Bourbon barrel-aged beer tasting.

LeNell’s Beverage Boutique is a quirky liquor and wine shop tucked away in Norwood. It’s the creative brainchild of LeNell Camacho Santa Ana, aka “Lady Bourbon,” an Alabama native who previously owned a nationally renowned liquor store in Brooklyn. The shop features hard-to-find and specialty beverages and upscale liquors. She also has a selection of wines, bitters and glassware.

Hop City Craft Beer and Wines

image1 1 4 Birmingham shops offering wine, beer and liquor tastings leading up to Christmas and New Year's Eve — Hop City Craft Beer and Wines. Photo by Hilary Meares for Bham Now

Hop City Craft Beer and Wines, 2924 3rd Ave. S., Birmingham, December 2018 tastings:
•  Wednesday, December 19, 5-7pm. Samuel Smith beer tasting.
•  Thursday, December 20, 5-7pm. Beers for gift giving—a tasting with Juliana.
•  Friday, December 21, 5-7pm. Westmount and Black Station wine tasting.
•  Saturday, December 22, 1-3pm. Bell’s Dark Night tasting and wax capping class.

Hop City offers a bounty of wine and beer tastings leading up to Christmas Day. Plus, Saturday’s wax capping class will enable you to add an extra special touch to your gift presentation.

R&R Wine & Liquor

Birmingham, Alabama, wine tasting — Photo via R&R Wine & Liquor’s Facebook page

R&R Wine and Liquor, 81 Church St., Ste. 102, Mountain Brook, Alabama, 35213, December 2018 tasting events:
• Thursday, December 20, 5-7pm. Wine tasting.
• Thursday, December 27, 5-7pm. Wine tasting.

A Bham Now reader tipped me off to this one. R&R Wine & Liquor in Crestline Village has an upstairs room stocked floor to ceiling with wine. Wine bottles range from $14 to the really nice stuff, and the store hosts wine tastings from 5-7pm every Thursday.