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Some of the hottest wine bars this side of Napa Valley.

Wednesday Aug 29, 2001.     By Erin Brereton

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Okay, Chicago, quit your wine-ing -- for a minute, anyway, so we can tell you some of the hottest wine bars this side of Napa Valley.

Forget meals. Forget pretense. If you're looking for a good glass of wine in a good setting, the following bars are great stopping points in the quest for a good Chardonnay. Or Merlot. We're not talking Boone's country here, kids. Some grapes had to DIE and it is time to make that mean something.

Webster's Wine Bar
1480 W. Webster
(773) 868-0608

Nope, we're not talking about TV's adorable Emmanuel Lewis -- we're talking about one of the city's best wine bars (but hey, we'll raise a glass to the fine Papadapolis family anytime). Webster's Wine Bar offers wine by the glass or bottle and a great regional selection. Truly for the wine enthusiast -- and movie goers may like it, too: It's just steps away from the Webster Place theatre.

404 Wine Bar
2856 N. Southport
(773) 404-4619

For a little less fancy and a slice more of fun, this border-of-Lincoln-Park bar pours a nice glass of international wine in a cozy setting (three fireplaces throughout the bar and adjoining restaurant, 404 Wine Bar). The sofas are almost as inviting as the aged drinks. And in summer, there's outdoor seating and the front window/doors are wide open to let you enjoy some breeze with that berry concoction.

Pops for Champagne
2934 N. Sheffield
(773) 472-1000

Put on your Sunday best and pop on over to Pops for Champagne for a classy glassy of wine (there's more than champagne, really. But if you want some, there's like 130 different varieties). A slight charge applies (between $5-10) but you get music. Live jazz is played nightly and munchies include appetizers, desserts and caviar. Hey. We said it was fancy.

Goodbar
2512 N. Halsted
(773) 296-9700

Goodbar has good prices -- try $6 a glass, whatdoyouthinkaboutthat? Good atmosphere (most of the room is candlelit) and good beer (20 on tap, aw yeah) make goodbar a good... well, you get the drift. There's grub, too -- pizzas and sandwiches until 11.

Bacchus Nibbles
20817 N. Quentin Rd.
(847) 438-3212

If your wine quest gives you suburban urges, head out to the Northwest burbs' answer to France (well, sorta) -- no, it's not the mispronounced Des Plaines (we sure got the French wrong on that one, didn't we?), it's the yummy road stop Bacchus Nibbles. Prices are good and so are the nibbles -- French appetizers that so great they'll curl your crepes.