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From time to time, you hear about the opening of a new business that excites you. Something you patiently waited for. For me, that business was Vinette.
When you spend time in the near west suburbs of Chicago, you start to notice how often life revolves around the train line. People plan dinners and build routines around that familiar rhythm of trains coming and going.
So when I heard a tiny wineshop with a wide selection of thoughtful bottles was coming to Riverside’s historic Metra station, it immediately made sense. I couldn’t think of a better place for it.
It’s a big idea in a small space, in the best way possible. Because Vinette is both a boutique wineshop and a tasting room, you can stop in to pickup one of your favorite wines on your way home, or sit down and have a glass while you wait for the next train. Questions are encouraged. Ask about grapes, regions, labels, or what to bring to a dinner party when you don’t want to overthink it—and get an answer that makes you feel more confident next time.
Here’s why I love Vinette, and why I think it’s quickly becoming one of Riverside’s most charming new reasons to visit.
First, Meet Kristie Wagner, the Sommelier Who Wants Wine to Feel Approachable
Vinette is Kristie Wagner’s shop, and the more you learn about her, the more you understand the space.
She became a sommelier in 2020 because she wanted to satisfy her own curiosity and legitimize something she was already doing: building community through wine. Her YogaQuench events blended yoga and wine in a way that felt relaxed and inviting.
A certified yoga teacher, Kristie has hosted classes through the park district and in people’s homes. That background shows up in how she talks about wine. Her goal isn’t to perform expertise but to help people relax into their wine-sipping experience and appreciate all the flavors without feeling they need to know the right thing to enjoy themselves.
She told me something that stuck: She’s always been the person friends texted and called with wine questions. That’s a real kind of credibility. It means people trust you because you’ve helped them before, in regular life, in the middle of a grocery store aisle or while standing in line to check out. Vinette feels like a permanent home for that same energy.
It’s a Little Wine Shop with Big European Energy
Vinette is 435 square feet, which means you sense everything, from what’s being poured to what someone else is raving about, the moment you walk in. The tables are cozy and close, and there’s a bar where you can sit right up and talk as if you’re in someone’s kitchen.
The small footprint shapes the entire experience, and it’s what gives Vinette its bijou European wine bar feel. And the setting only adds to it. There’s something special about being inside a train station in a historic town, just steps from the tracks and right in the center of daily life. You can stop in solo before or after the train or meet a friend at one of the small tables.
Because not everyone wants a loud bar. Not everyone wants a full restaurant experience. Sometimes you just want a glass of wine and a bit of conversation.
Vinette makes that easy.
Wine Education Without the Judgment
One of the things I loved most is that Vinette is built around tasting and education, but it never feels intimidating.
Kristie’s philosophy is that wine doesn’t have to be unapproachable. You should be able to look at a label and understand what you’re buying or try something new without feeling like you’re taking a risk you’ll regret.
That’s what makes the shop different from a lot of other wine buying experiences. Instead of having to walk in with a plan, you can walk in with a preference—“I usually drink sauvignon blanc” or “I like reds but not too heavy”—and let the conversation do the rest.
Kristie has a way of explaining wine that keeps it grounded. One of the best comparisons she shared is that wine is like produce. Apples don’t taste the same every time you bite into one. Bananas vary too. Wine is an agricultural product, and variation is part of the point, not a flaw you need to correct.
That mindset takes pressure off instantly. You stop chasing the perfect bottle and start paying attention to what you actually like. Over time, you build a mental list of your favorite wines and feel more confident choosing something new.
A Curated Selection of Small-Production, Mostly Organic Wines
Vinette is dedicated to small-production, family-estate wines from around the world, and more than 85% of the selection of wines is organic.
This is where Kristie’s perspective really comes through. She cares about the farming practices, the winemaking process, and that wine comes from real places with real rules and deep histories.
Small production matters because it keeps the farmer and the craft in the center of the story. In many cases, the farms have been owned by the same family for generations, and family members still hand-pick grapes and follow region-specific standards that protect what makes a wine taste like where it came from.
Kristie sources from all over the world, including Italy, France, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Slovenia, and Uruguay, plus producers in California and Oregon, so the shop has a true global reach. You’ll find a carefully curated selection that spans everyday bottles, premium wines, and classic styles like such as cabernet sauvignon for when your craving something familiar.
And the contrast with mass-market wine is clear. Large-scale production often involves manipulation designed to make every bottle taste identical. That might be convenient, but it strips away the point of wine in the first place, which is that it reflects a place and a set of choices made in the vineyard and the cellar.
At Vinette, you truly feel the curation.
The Wine Club and Regular Tastings
One of the easiest ways to get to know Vinette is through the Little Wine Club.
Members receive 10% off retail purchases, and on selected Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m., there are complimentary wine tastings where you can explore featured wines, ask questions, and buy bottles you connect with.
It’s exactly the kind of setup that makes wine feel like something you can learn over time. It’s low-pressure, and you’re not committing to a class or a formal event. You’re simply showing up, tasting, and building a mental list of what you like.
And Kristie is great at making connections for people. If you love sauvignon blanc, she might introduce you to Soave, an Italian white that offers a similar freshness but with more depth. If cabernet is your go-to, she might pour you a Super Tuscan, in which cabernet plays a starring role alongside Tuscany’s traditions.
It’s her guidance that makes you feel that you’re expanding your taste without leaving your comfort zone.
It’s a Missing Piece in the Local Wine Scene
There are only a handful of wineshops in the near west suburbs, and Vinette adds something unique: a broader, small-production, global lens with a strong emphasis on organic and sustainable producers.
Kristie saw a gap in Riverside and the nearby communities. There wasn’t a true home base for wine, and she wanted there to be a place to taste, learn, and gather without needing a special occasion. Vinette fills that gap and creates a space where curiosity is encouraged and good wine is part of the weekly routine.
It’s a little wineshop that feels like a neighborhood living room, built for anyone who wants to move beyond big-name bottles and start choosing wine with more confidence and curiosity.
How to Visit Vinette
Vinette is located inside Riverside’s historic train station at 90 Bloomingbank Road.
Current hours are:
Tuesday–Thursday: 1–7 p.m.
Friday–Saturday: noon–8 p.m.
Closed Sunday and Monday
The best way to experience it is the simplest one: Stop in and tell Kristie what you usually drink. Then let her introduce you to something you wouldn’t have picked on your own but will probably want to buy again.
Because that’s what Vinette does best. It doesn’t make wine feel like a test. It makes it feel like something you get to actually enjoy.
Cheers to fine wine and cozy spaces.