Your Home. Your Wine. Your Private Sommelier.
Bottles Nation brings sommelier-led wine tasting experiences to your living room, backyard, or anywhere you gather. Available in-person in Detroit and Chicago, or virtually nationwide.
What Is an In-Home Wine Tasting?
An in-home wine tasting is a private, guided tasting experience held in the comfort of your own space. A certified sommelier comes to your home—or your office, Airbnb, hotel suite, or private event venue—and leads your group through a curated selection of wines, providing expert commentary on each pour, sharing the stories behind the bottles, and making the whole experience interactive, educational and genuinely fun.
Think of it as having your own personal wine expert for the evening. No crowded tasting rooms. No standing in line. No rushing between pours. Just your people, carefully selected wines, and a sommelier who adapts every detail to your group - from complete beginners to seasoned collectors.
In-home tastings have become one of the most popular ways to entertain because they combine learning, socializing, and celebration in one effortless package. Whether it’s a birthday, bachelorette party, book club, date night, or just a Tuesday with friends who love wine - this is an experience that makes any gathering unforgettable.
How It Works with Bottles Nation
Step 1: Tell Us About Your Event
Fill out our simple inquiry form or contact us directly. Let us know your date, approximate group size, any themes or preferences, and the vibe you’re going for. Casual and fun? Educational deep dive? Competitive blind tasting? We’ve done it all.
Step 2: We Design Your Custom Tasting
Michael Bottigliero, our lead sommelier, personally designs every tasting. He’ll build a flight tailored to your group’s interests and experience level, provide a wine shopping list with specific bottles and where to find them locally, and outline the full experience plan. Because we’re fully independent and never sell wine, every recommendation is purely about what will make your tasting extraordinary. If Michael cannot personally run your tasting, one of our partner sommeliers, mixologists or cicerones will be onsite.
Step 3: We Come to You
On event day, we arrive with everything needed to transform your space into a tasting room. You provide the wine (purchased from your preferred shop using our curated list), the glasses, and the guest list. The typical experience runs about 90 minutes, though we can adjust for your schedule. We also rent glassware and can provide a charcuterie board or desserts.
Step 4: You Enjoy
That’s it. You’re a guest at your own party. Michael and the team handle the pacing, the education, the entertainment, and the energy. You just sip, learn, and have a great time.
Why Choose Bottles Nation
WSET Advanced Certified Sommelier
Michael Bottigliero holds a WSET Advanced certification—one of the most respected wine credentials in the world. He’s not a hobbyist with a corkscrew. He’s a trained professional who has led thousands of tasting events across the country.
Completely Independent
Bottles Nation does NOT sell wine. We don’t represent any winery, distributor, or brand. This is rare in the tasting world—most “in-home wine tasting” companies are actually selling you wine through a multi-level or direct-sales model. We’re the opposite. Our only product is the experience, and our only agenda is making sure you have an incredible time.
Thousands of Events, Nationwide Reputation
From intimate date-night tastings to 200-person corporate events, Michael has done it all. He’s appeared on The Steve Harvey Show, worked with Fortune 500 companies, and built a loyal following across Detroit, Chicago, and beyond.
Not Just Wine
While wine is our flagship, Bottles Nation also offers whiskey tastings, beer tastings, and cocktail experiences. If it comes in a bottle, we can build a tasting around it.
Who Books In-Home Tastings?
Our clients span a wide range, but the most popular occasions include: bachelorette and bridal parties, milestone birthdays, holiday parties, housewarming celebrations, book clubs and social groups, couples’ date nights, dinner party add-ons, girls’ nights and guys’ nights, corporate team outings, and client entertainment events.
There’s no minimum expertise required. Some of our best events are with groups that have never done a formal tasting before. Michael meets every group where they are and makes everyone feel comfortable.
In-Person Service Areas
Detroit & Metro Detroit
Our home base. We serve all of metro Detroit including the city proper, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Grosse Pointe, Ann Arbor, Northville, Plymouth, Dearborn, and surrounding communities.
Chicago & Chicagoland
Where Michael built his career. We maintain a regular schedule of Chicago-area events spanning the city, North Shore suburbs, western suburbs, and NW Indiana.
Virtual Tastings — Nationwide
Can’t be in Detroit or Chicago? Our virtual tastings bring the same expert-led experience to your screen, with wine kits shipped directly to participants anywhere in the US. Perfect for remote teams, long-distance celebrations, or groups spread across multiple cities.
In-Home Wine Tasting FAQ
How much does an in-home wine tasting cost?
Pricing varies based on your group size, location, and the complexity of the experience you want. Contact us for a custom quote. We work with a range of budgets and can tailor the experience accordingly.
Do you provide the wine?
We provide the expertise—you provide the wine. Michael curates a specific wine list for your event and tells you exactly what to buy and where to find it. This keeps costs transparent and ensures you’re never paying a markup on bottles.
How many people can attend?
In-home tastings work best with groups of 6–30. For larger events (up to 200), we offer walk-around tasting station formats at venues. There’s no minimum group size—we do intimate date-night tastings for two.
What do I need to provide?
Wine (from our curated list), glassware (we’ll advise on how many and what type, but you can also rent from us), and a space to gather. We bring everything else.
Can you do tastings with spirits, beer, or cocktails instead of wine?
Yes. Bottles Nation covers everything in a bottle—wine, whiskey, beer, and cocktails. Let us know what your group is interested in and we’ll design accordingly.
How far in advance should I book?
We recommend 2–4 weeks for most events. Peak seasons—wedding season, holidays, and fall—book up faster.