I tried Elkhart Lake’s Wine-O-Matic, and it made wine tasting way less awkward

Vintage Elkhart Lake’s Wine-O-Matic setup lets you sample global wines without the awkward tasting-room pressure.

Wine tastings can be a little intimidating.

Not always, of course. But I’ve definitely been in tastings where you feel like you’re supposed to say something smart after every pour. Something about tannins. Or oak. Or a “nice finish,” even though you’re really just trying to decide whether you like the wine enough to buy a glass.

That is why I liked Vintage Elkhart Lake so much.

This tasting was not stiff or overly formal. I didn’t have someone hovering over me while I tried to come up with polite wine commentary. This tasting was relaxed and one of the easiest tastings I’ve done in a while.

How the Wine-O-Matic Wine Lounge works

At Vintage Elkhart Lake, the tasting happens in the Wine-O-Matic Wine Lounge, a self-serve wine tasting setup that lets you try a rotating selection of wines at your own pace.

You buy a prepaid card at the counter, then use it at the machines. You put the card in, choose the wine you want to try, press the button, and the machine dispenses your pour. You can choose a taste, a half glass, or a full glass, so you’re not committing to a full bottle before knowing what you actually like.

I loved this because it took so much pressure out of the experience. You can try something outside your usual comfort zone, compare different styles, or move on quickly if a wine is not for you. No feeling like you need to explain yourself.

And I should clarify: when I say wine tasting in Wisconsin, I know some people immediately picture very sweet fruit wines. Those have their fans, but they are not exactly everyone’s cup of tea.

Vintage does carry some bottles from Wisconsin-based wineries, but the selection is much broader than that. The shop has more than 250 wines from around the world, and my favorite tasting pour was actually from a unique winery in Switzerland.

The expertise is there, but it does not feel stuffy

What makes this even better is that Vintage has real wine expertise behind it, but the experience still feels approachable.

Vintage Elkhart Lake is owned by Jaclyn Stuart, an award-winning certified sommelier and author. She is the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine & Food Pairing and has wine credentials through groups including the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers, and the French Wine Society.

In 2011, she won TopNewSomm in the Great Lakes Region from the Guild of Sommeliers. In 2016, she became the second person to earn the WSET Diploma in Wisconsin.

So yes, the wine knowledge is absolutely there.

But the experience still feels easy. That was the part I appreciated most. Vintage has the expertise if you want to ask questions or get a recommendation, but it does not make the tasting feel formal or intimidating.

That is a hard balance to pull off.

It is also a fun shop to browse

Vintage Elkhart Lake is more than a wine tasting stop. It is a wine and fine foods shop with olive oils, local cheeses, craft beers, spirits, snacks, chocolates, cigars, gifts, and plenty of other browse-at-your-own-risk items.

You can also relax outside or at the wine bar with a glass of wine or a craft beer, which makes it an easy stop before dinner or a low-key afternoon break. We stopped here for a tasting before a wonderful dinner at Lake Street Café, and it fit perfectly into the evening.

Why I would go back

For me, the Wine-O-Matic setup made wine tasting feel fun instead of formal. I would absolutely go back, and next time I’m bringing a few more friends.

If you go, Vintage Elkhart Lake is located at 100 E Rhine Street in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I would check current hours before stopping in.

I also featured the Wine-O-Matic Wine Lounge in my Elkhart Lake YouTube video (below), if you want to see how the tasting setup works before you go. The guide also covers the rest of the weekend, including Road America, the lake, Aspira Spa, pottery, cheese, restaurants, golf, and places to stay.