Here are free tasting hours at some local stores (check with your local fave if it’s not listed):

   Aurora: 2-6 p.m. Saturdays, beginning in mid-February.

   BrightWines: Regular tastings for newsletter customers (sign up at www.brightwines.com).

   Byerly’s (St. Louis Park): 4-7 p.m. Fridays and noon-6 p.m. Saturdays.

   Cellars: Seminars/tastings noon and 1 p.m. Saturdays at Woodbury store, 7 p.m. Thursdays at St. Paul and Roseville, 7 p.m. Fridays at Shorewood.

   Dolce Vita: 5:30-9 p.m. Fridays and noon-8 p.m. Saturdays.

   Excelsior Vintage: 4-7 p.m. most every Friday and Saturday.

   1st Grand: Four wines are available during all store hours.

   France 44: 4-7 p.m. Fridays and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays.

   Haskell’s:  (4-7 p.m. Fridays and 1-4 p.m. Saturdays at all stores; Bloomington store also ahs a class/tasting from 1-3 p.m. Saturdays with room for only 20 people; sign up at the store or www.haskells.com.

   Hennepin-Lake: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

   Kowalski’s (Eagan): noon- 5 p.m. Saturdays.

   The Little Wine Shoppe: 4:30-7:30 p.m. every other Wednesday.

   McDonald’s: 4-7 p.m. Fridays and 2-5 p.m. Saturdays.

   Solo Vino: 5-7 p.m. Fridays.

   Sorella: 2-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

   South Lyndale: 4-7 p.m. most Fridays and Saturdays.

   Surdyk’s: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

   Thomas Liquors: 5-8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

   The Wine Market: 3-7 p.m. Fridays, 2-5 p.m. Saturdays (both stores).

   The Wine Shop (Minnetonka): 2-10 p.m. Saturdays.

   The Wine Thief: 5-8 p.m. Fridays and 3-7 p.m. Saturdays.

   WineStyles: 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Shakopee, 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Champlin, 5:30-8 p.m. Thursdays at Medina, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at Woodbury.

   Zipp’s: 3-7 p.m. or thereabouts (hey, it’s casual there) Fridays and Saturdays.