Boutique and biodynamic beauties tonight. Join us as we taste through 5 offerings from the special and unique Bodegas Bhilar of Rioja Alavesa in the Basque. Bhilar’s husband and wife team, David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman, focus on native varietals such as Graciano and Garnacha, Macabeo and Viura. With their a deep love for the soul of the land they till, Bhilar’s biodynamic and terrior-driven wines are sure to impress.

Bhilar Lagrimas Graciano

Bhilar Rioja Blanco

Bhilar Rioja Tinto

Bhilar Rioja Phincas

Eterea Kripan Rioja Phinca Hapa Blanco

$24/person. 6pm to 8pm.

Alert the press! We are opening on a Sunday!

Join us for a special Sunday for It’s a Wonderful July; a Thelma Carol Christmas Cocktail Soiree. Who does’t love a little holiday cheer in the sunshine? It’s Christmas in July, and we are throwing a cocktail soiree for you all.

The fete will embrace Frank Capra’s 1946 It’s a Wonderful Life, a favourite in the Button-Hall household. Themed cocktails, lite snacks, and festive cheer of course!

Vintage attire with a holiday twist is highly encouraged - get a little dolly for some festive fun in sun with us!

RSVP here today!

Join us tonight for our annual summer patio pounder tasting! These five wines are our choice for all your patio, boat, lake-side, or forest dwelling needs: Budget friendly, crushable, and delicious. Think whites, roses, a bubble, and perhaps a chill-able red.

On deck:

Filipa Pato 3B Sparkling

Chalmers Col Fondo Aglianico PetNat

Leth Roter Veltliner Klassik

Ostatu Rosado

Wonderland Ranch Red

$20/person. 6pm to 8pm.

We are turning FOUR this year, and we want to celebrate with all you friends and lovers!!

Join us for wine and cocktail specials, good tunes, and a few complimentary bites because we love you so much.

No tickets, just come as you are. We cannot wait to celebrate with you!

The heat may be a bit oppressive for us northerners, but that doesn’t mean your wine budget needs to be!

Join us tomorrow, July 9th as we taste through 6 delicious, budget-friendly wines for your summer sipper. ALL bottles will be $20 or less; the perfect little pick-me-up for an easy-summer day with friends.

Vignobles Simian Mon P’Tit Camion Vermentino

Balnea Rueda Verdejo

Two Mountain Rose

Zaha Calcaire Brut Reserve

Tenuta la Presa Montebaldo Bardolino

Subterranean Los Olivos District Pinot Noir

$17/person. No reservations needed.

6pm to 8pm.

*This tasting is replacing the Viognier tasting as previously planned.

Happiest July and happiest (early) birthday to the lady of the shop! Join us tonight for our first tasting of the month, 100% celebratory, 100% sparkling. Champagne, of course - & a few exciting new offerings to the shop.

$25/person. 6pm to 8pm. List to come soon!

Ok friends! Let’s party. Join us on the patio tonight to taste through 4 summer spanish wines, and take a crack at the fantastic and fabulously fun porrón.

Originating in Catalan, the porrón is a glass invention iconic to Spain, where each person may share the same vessle without touching it to their lips (very 2020 friendly, no?!). It is not the easiest, but it is certianly the most fun.

To add to the fun, Jerel will be grilling up Butifarra sausages, specially made for us tonight by the wonderful Adam of Groppis. Sausages will be served with fresh Romesco sauce & grilled bread. $7/order.

Wines on offer tonight:

Can Feixes Blanc Seleccio

Josep Grau Montsant Volador

Pere Mata Cava Cupada Rose

Bardos Verdejo

$18/person to taste. Free to try the porrón! No reservations needed. 6pm to 8pm.

We. Are. So. Excited. About. This. Tasting!!

Brand new to the MKE market, join us tonight to taste through 5 wines from beautiful Luxembourg. We have been waiting for bottle offerings from this special country for years, and we cannot be more thrilled they are here now in WI, and we get to share them with you tonight.

A few whites, a rose, one red - this will be a great night to explore offerings you may have never tried before.

$23/person. No reservations needed. List to come!

She’s easy, She’s breezy, She’s beautiful Vinho Verde. Join us on June 11th as we taste through 5 gorgeous little wines from this famous and special northern Portugal region.

Yes, vinho verde means “green wine”, but it more specifically translates to “young wine”. Vinho Verde is a region, and has no specific single varietal - it may even be red or rose! Often coming in at a lower ABV, VV is an absolute perfect wine for patio sipping, dinner preparation, boat days, and beyond. Plus, the retail price is always easy, breezy when it comes to Vinho Verde.

Join us to taste through mainly the white version, plus one rose and red for diversity:

Arca Nova Rose

Quinta do Ermizio VV

Casa do Valle Branco

Mendes & Symington Alvarinho+Avesso

Casa do Valle Tinto

$17/person. No reservations needed.

Woot woot! Zee fresh and fun roses have landed and are here for our summer pleasure.

Join us as we taste through SIX new 2025 vintages. If you haven’t dusted off your patio furniture yet, perhaps this tasting will give you that patio pep-in-your-step you’ve been waiting for.

On deck:

Moreaux Sancerre Cuvee es Lys Rose of Pinot Noir

Domaine Dozon Le Petit Chemin Rose Cab Franc

Domaine de Cristol Cotes de Provence

Botanica Big Flower Rose of Petit Verdot

Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris

$20/person. No reservations needed.

Lou Bank is back! This time we’re talking through labelling regulations, laws, and rules across all agave spirits, including Tequila, Mezcal, Raicilla, and Bacanora. The tasting will highlight well-known, smaller producers and Lou will give an in-depth class on just how things need to be labelled to be considered “official,” what happens for producers who don’t follow the rules, and what to expect from the industry moving forward.

As always, a portion of the ticket sales and any bottles sold tonight will go directly to Lou’s non-profit, SACRED Agave.

$40/person. 21+ to attend.

Space is limited. Buy your tickets here today!

Sweet scents of the early morning dew creeping through the hilly vineyards of Piemonte. Rich waves radiating off the coasts near an ancient Calabrian village. The aroma of cypress and olives, sunshine and cornflower, orchids and vine - all lingering in the air. Spring has arrived in Italy, and here at Thelma Carol we are ready to celebrate.

Thelma Carol Wine presents Sera di Primavera - a very special spring event celebrating the wines of Italy.

Join us on the 30th of May for a decadent evening, featuring 20+pours from our favourite of countries; Italia. Tonight we will span as many northern and southern regions as possible, with a focus on fresh spring flavours and profiles. Whites, reds, rose, bubbles - this tasting will have them all.

$70/person includes all pours and lite bites. Advance tickets are required. Event runs 5pm to 8pm. 21+ to attend.

This event is sold out for 2026.

Our focus tonight is on the dynamic, edgy, and defiant wines of Raventos i blanc. Hailing from Penedes, the Raventos family was responsible for introducing the Champagne method to this region; wines now commonly referred to as Cava. The man in charge, Pepe, has also been making delicious still wines (Can Sumoi) from local grapes and we’ll taste these as well.

Come taste tradition made possible by a true rebel.

Blanc de Blancs

Brut Rose “de Nit”

Can Sumoi Ancestral Montonega

Can Sumoi Garnatxa Blanco

Can Sumoi Rosado “La Rosa”

Can Sumoi Sumoll / Garnatxa

$26/person. No reservations needed.

Join us for the first day of the TC patio 2026, with our girl Julia from Hazelwood Farm for a special Memorial Day weekend floral and seedling sale!

Julia will be bringing fresh cut florals and seedlings, including:

• Chamomile

• Snapdragons

• Viola/Pansies

• Everlasting Flowers

• Nasturtium

• Marigolds

• Cerinthe

• Orange

• Geranium

• Portulaca

• Hibiscus

• Pineapple Sage

• Hollyhocks

• Lavender

• Zinnia

• Bee Balm

• Assorted Herbs

We will also be revealing the first iteration of our summer spritz library, which was a huge success last year!

Floral sale runs 1pm to 4pm.

TC is open regular hours, 12pm to 9pm.

Since the 1940’s the Maculan family has been growing grapes and producing superbly-made wines in the hills of the Veneto. Located an hour northwest of Venice, Cantina Maculan makes a range of wines from indigenous varietals.

Tonight we are very lucky to have one of the owners, Angela, with us to taste through her fantastic wines.

On offer:

• "Pino & Toi" Bianco

• "Brentino" Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon

• "Palazzotto" Cabernet Sauvignon

• "Dindarello" Mosato Passito

$19/person. No reservations needed.

Hey yah, haters, we’re back! Join us for the third of the series, this time highlighting the delectable, polarizing Lambrusco.

Love it or hate it, Lambrusco hits the spot for many wine drinkers - it has for years, and will continue to. It is also amongst the best wines for pairing with salumi, bbq, and pizza.

Join us tonight as we taste through several drier iterations of this fabulous, frothy Emilia-Romagna staple. We can’t wait to change your mind about this sparkling oldie, but goodie.

Lini 910 Labrusca Bianco Secco

Cleto Chiarli Brut Rosé de Noir

De Vecci Reggiano DOC

Cavicchioli Vigna del Cristo di Sorbara DOC

Cleto Chiarli “Pruno Nero” Modena DOC

$19/person. No reservations needed.

We’re kicking off the month of May with another varietal focus: Chenin Blanc. This wildly diverse and adaptable French varietal, planted the world over, comes in many distinct and delicious forms. From crisp and refreshing to sparkling, to austere and intellectual: Chenin Blanc offers something for all drinkers and occasions. Join us tonight for 5 iterations of this special white grape.

Jean Michel Gautier Vouvray Brut (FR)

Beau Joubert Potter’s Wheel (South Africa)

Husch Chenin Blanc (CA)

Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc (FR)

Chateau de l'Eperonniere Savennieres 'Croix Picot'

$23/person. No reservations needed.

From Russian River and the Central Coast in California, all the way up to Oregon, Pinot Noir has become one of the most important grapes to the West Coast wine industry. We’ll explore the subtle changes in profile from location to location, and we’ll also ask/answer hard questions about how some US companies have used marketing and chemicals to redefine what Pinot can or should be.

Annabella (Russian River, Sonoma Co.)

Folktale Estate (Arroyo Seco)

The Paring (Santa Barbara)

Elevee Winegrowers Madrona Hill (OR)

Chehalem Willamette Valley (OR)

$23/person. No reservations needed.

This month’s winery focus is on Rioja Alavesa’s Luberri. What is Rioja Alavesa? It’s the smallest of the three winemaking regions of Rioja, situated at fairly high elevations. Luberri itself is helmed by Florentino Martínez Monje, and the winery is run with his wife, María José, and their two daughters. Truly a family undertaking…with amazing results.

Tonight we taste through 5 wines that will give you a perfect picture of the area’s character.

2024 Rioja Blanco "Zuri"

2023 Rioja "Orlegi" Joven

2023 Rioja "Seis"

2020 Rioja "Biga" Crianza

2015 Grand Reserva

$21/person. 6-8pm. No reservations needed.

Inky, robust, peppery, and floral: this is Zinfandel. Cookout season is now officially upon us, and Zin is easily one of the best reds for BBQ, especially ribs.

We’ll also taste the origin grape, Primitivo, hailing from Puglia in southern Italy.

Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel (Dry Creek, Sonoma Co.)

Turley Buck Cobb Zinfandel (Amador Co.)

Autre Monde Columbia Gorge Zinfandel (WA)

Cantele Primitivo (Puglia)

Masserina Surani Primitivo (Puglia)

$22/person. No reservations needed.

Tonight we host the opening festivities for Milwaukee Wine Weekend, sponsored by Milwaukee Wine Academy. A multi-event, multi-day festival celebrating the ongoing professional- and enthusiast-level wine communities. No tasting tonight, but come by and meet the MWA team, learn about the events, and share a glass!

Special event menu will include $13 glasspours, $12 cocktails, $5 beers. See you then!

“Eeeeewww, too sweet, I hate Riesling!”

Solving crimes against wine one tasting at a time, we continue the “For Haters” series with one of the world’s most misunderstood and misrepresented wines: Riesling. For many, whose limited experience may have stopped with Liebfraumilch in the dreaded blue bottle, chosing Riesling over almost anything else constitutes a breach of the “I’m a serious wine drinker” contract.

Well, folks, let’s fix this. Tonight we dive into the world of serious Riesling for serious wine people. We’ll focus on fresh, crisp, dry versions from some of the world’s most renowned production sites, explore the grape’s ability to age, and examine how acid and sugars play with one another to form a complex organoleptic experience.

Seven wines this time, all! Bring your “A-game".”

Manni Nossing Sudtirol Eisacktaler (Sudtirol/Alto-Adige)

Immich-Baatterieberg, Mosel Extra Brut Riesling ‘Detonation Bubbles’ (Mosel, Germany)

Fuhrgassl-Huber Riesling Ried Preussen Nussberg (Vienna, Austria)

Weingut Brand Trocken (Pfalz)

Marietta NADI Riesling (Cienega Valley, CA)

Gonzales (Columbia Valley, OR)

Donnhoff Westhofener Trocken (Nahe, Germany)

$24/person. 6-8pm.

Thelma Carol Wine will be on a mini spring day pause Friday March 27th. Back open March 28th, 3pm to 9pm.

It is the last Thursday of the month, so a winery focus it is! Tonight we will taste through four wines from a brand new Italian producer to the Milwaukee market: Vigna Lenuzza.

Set in the northern region of Colli-Orientali, Fruili, Vigna Lenuzza is a certified organic winery with a third generation winemaker at the helm; Daniel Lenuzza, and his wife Tanika. On their 8ha farm you’ll find indigenous grapes like Friulano, Ribiola Giala, & Schioppettino di Prepotto, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Come taste through four of their offerings here at Thelma Carol Wine. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and the DOCG protected, unique Schioppettino di Prepotto.

$17/person. No reservations needed.

Hosting a special evening with friends this evening shopside (but still open to the public!), so we are skipping a tasting this week. Join us on the 26th!

Hard to believe we are going on four years of tastings & yet have never featured one of our absolute favourite varietals: Albariño.

This beauty hails from NW Spain, but you may find her planted the world over. A lucious coastal white, rich in stone fruit and mild salinity- Albariño is a special varietal that can be enjoyed in every season.

High Camp (CA)

Quinta da Calcada Terroir Alvarinho (Portugal)

Granbazan (SP)

Morgadio (SP)

Botanica Flower Girl (South Africa)

$20/person. No reservations needed.

Join us for our sixth(!) night of foot-stomping live traditional music by T.S Pivari, Milwaukee's premier Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian folk group. This is a beautiful evening full of love, music, and of course... wine. The bar will be serving a killer lineup of delicious wines from Balkan countries, and of course, plenty of slivo!

Advance tickets are $15 - grab yours today as these sell out every time!

Živjeli!

This event is sold out for March 2026.

Our first tasting of March has arrived & we are heading back to France in anticipation of Spring.

Beaujolais has long been a beloved region for serious wine drinkers who treasure finessed, well-made, and sturdy wines flaunting a temptingly low price-tag. Join us as we taste through 5 wines from the region…100% gamay, 100% french. C’est magnifique!

Michel Dupre 1940 Village

Laurent Gauthier Morgon Côte du Py

Richard Rottiers Moulin-à-Vent

Pascal Aufranc Les Cerisiers Juliénas

Domaine Robert Perroud “Pollen” Brouilly

$21/person.

Join us for our second winery focus of the year tonight. This time we are highlighting a fantastic winery from Australia, Dandelion Vineyards. Since 2007, Bulgarian native Elena Brooks has been crafting delicious wines sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards from across Australia’s key growing regions. We are pleased to present the following from this outstanding producer:

2022 Eden Valley Riesling

2023 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc

2022 Barossa Valley Shiraz

2020 Menagerie Barossa GSM (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre)

2021 Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon

NV Pedro Ximenez (late harvest)

$22/person. 6-8pm, no reservations needed.

Grab your furs and cozy wool sweaters - we are heading to the Alps for an apres-ski evening featuring rich Winter White wines.

From Switzerland, to France, to the northern tip of Italy - the Alps provide a fabulous variety of sultry winter whites that are perfect for the season. Whether you are cooking a rich and delicious supper, lounging in hot tub on a snowy day, or binge-watching Game of Thrones for the 109th time, these pours will not disappoint.

$22/person. No reservations needed.