Books

This Restaurant Has A 'Harry Potter' Wine Night

by Emma Lord

Right about now is a bad time to not have an Apparition license, because there is a Harry Potter wine night happening at a restaurant in Chicago — and I'm assuming the Windy City is not an ideal place to attempt to operate your broom without getting sighted by unsuspecting Muggles. Now that your FOMO is firmly in place, take comfort in knowing you're not the only one who's been left out in the cold. Initially, City Winery was only hosting the one night of this event on Oct. 24, but apparently it sold out faster than Gilderoy Lockhart's Magical Me. Now they're hosting a second night on Oct. 25 — and if you're willing to brave a mob of people scrambling for tickets that make the Triwizard Tournament look like a game of patty-cake, then you can be part of the ~magic~ as well.

So how exactly does one theme a Harry Potter wine night? After all, the most popular drink in the Potter-verse is butterbeer, the frothy, buttery drink that is now sold at Harry Potter World in Orlando and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London. According to the restaurant, the event will feature pairings inspired by each of the four Houses (Hufflepuffs gonna get LIT, y'all). In City Winery's own words, they'll "conjure up a prixe-fixe meal that not even "Obliviate" will make you forget."

Tickets for the second night go on sale for members on Sept. 27 and noon, and the public on Sept. 29 at noon, so have your wands at the ready, Potterheads. And for those of us who can't make it to Chicago in time for the festivities, never fret! You can always host your own pseudo-version of Harry Potter wine night with the squad at home. Here's what you need to get the ball rolling:

Harry Potter Wine Glasses

One for each House, which will, of course, each get their own separate wine. I imagine a Merlot for Slytherin, a Rosé for Hufflepuff, a Pinot Grigio for Ravenclaw, and a Chardonnay for Gryffindor, but I am also a gremlin who knows nothing about wine, so feel free to disregard.

Etsy, $9 each.

Harry Potter Printable Menus

For when you decide on all your cheese and pumpkin pairings, of course.

Etsy, $9.50.

Harry Potter Potion Wine Labels

*downs a bottle of Amortentia*

My bad.

Etsy, $2.

Images: Etsy, Giphy, Warner Bros