At Nick & Toni’s, Wednesday Night Is for Wine

Wednesday nights in the Hamptons can feel like a toss-up: stay in and keep telling yourself summer’s not really gone, or step out for dinner with the crowd. But starting October 21, you’ve got a third option — one that’s half sophisticated, half low-key. Head over to Nick & Toni’s, settle in, and let someone else pour the wine while you learn exactly why what’s in your glass tastes the way it does.

This fall marks the thirteenth round for Nick & Toni’s Wine Wednesday Workshops, a series that feels as much like a smart dinner party as it does a wine class. It’s not just for the hard-core wine geeks, either. If you sometimes freeze up over a wine list, or you’re just tired of bluffing your way through a bottle, you’re covered too.

The recipe is simple: great wines, people who’re actually plugged in and passionate, and a group that’s there to taste, ask questions, and maybe leave a little wiser. Every Wednesday, 5:30 to 7 p.m., an industry insider will take the crowd on a tour, which could be a country, a region, a style, or an idea that you had no clue even existed.

It starts October 21, when Adrian Chalk (who runs Adrian Chalk Selections) leads “Tour du France: The Great Wine Regions of France.” You could spend a lifetime with French wine and still not crack it, but this night promises a tighter, richer tour. Think all the big names, the quirks, and why French wine still matters.

Seven days later, October 28, John Rooney from Frederick Wildman grabs the reins for “Vinitaly Hamptons Edition.” Picture a brisk swing through Italy, minus the expense and jet lag. You’ll get a taste from Piedmont to Sicily, a whirlwind without any luggage.

November 4’s dark: Long Island Restaurant Week crowds out the calendar. But on November 11, things get a little wild. Daley Brennan from VIK USA brings in VIK Estate, the Chilean winery with cult status and a claim as the Best Winery in the World for 2025. If you’re the person who likes being ahead of the curve, this is your night.

November 18, Lyle Railsback steps in with “The World in a Glass,” going well beyond headline names and into the nooks and crannies of global wine. With his own import company and a résumé that’s anything but ordinary, Railsback is set on proving there’s more to wine than just the blockbuster labels.

December 2 is for the skeptics, the label-readers, and anyone who’s ever stared at a bottle and felt a little lost (most of us). Mary Taylor, the force behind Mary Taylor Wines, tackles “Demystifying European Appellations.” If the alphabet soup of regions and rules has ever thrown you off, this workshop is your cheat sheet.

After that, two more chances to round out your wine year: December 9 features a surprise guest, and December 16 closes the series with a special holiday workshop (guest still under wraps). By now, you’ll know the drill: $45 buys your seat, the wines, tasting sheets, fancy crystal stems, and bites from the kitchen. And if you want to stick around for dinner, you’re in luck, as everyone gets 20% off the bill.

Nick & Toni’s has been weaving itself into Hampton culture since 1988. It’s not just another restaurant, but one where Mediterranean cooking and local flavor have always played lead roles. The garden out back, the wood-fired oven up front, that attention to the glass — all these things are less decorative than they are a philosophy. The Wine Wednesday workshops just stretch that idea a little further.

Nick & Toni’s Wine Wednesday Workshops start October 21 and run through December 16. Each workshop lasts from 5:30 to 7 p.m., reservation-only. Tickets: $45.

Book by calling 631-324-3550 after 2 p.m., Wednesday through Monday. The wine — and the conversation — are waiting.