Sam's in Chicago

[quijote]

I can see why this place is so popular. I went there last weekend, and the selection and volume are really quite spectacular. There are some wine-tasting stations where you can fill up a small, disposable cup with featured wines, and--a good sign--a sauvignon blanc tasting was taking place in the back room. (I doubt I'll ever see a sauvignon blanc tasting in Milwaukee, but I'm hopeful.)

There were some disadvantages to this type of store (a wine superstore): the aisles are too narrow, the layout is cluttered, and frankly, for a newbie, the selection was so overwhelming that at first it seemed like I had never learned anything about wine. Given these drawbacks, there's a lot to be said about smaller wine shops that may not have the big volume, yet do more to help the customers while they shop.