Wine Tasting at Friar Tuck’s Lets Guests Choose the Tavern’s Next Wine List (sold out)

NOTE: This event has sold out.

Wine Tasting at Friar Tuck’s Lets Guests Choose the Tavern’s Next Wine List Saturday, Sept. 26, turning an afternoon tasting in downtown Mystic into something of a public audition for the bottles that will make the cut.

From 4 to 7 p.m., guests won’t simply work their way through a predetermined flight. Friar Tuck’s is pouring more than 60 wines, asking participants to taste and score them, then using those votes to help build the tavern’s new wine menu.

That’s considerably more ambitious than the original event announcement, which advertised more than 30 wines. Friar Tuck’s has since updated the event to say the selection has grown to more than 60.

And the $35 ticket includes a substantial spread of small plates to go with them.

Sixty-Plus Wines, One New Menu

The basic idea is simple: taste, rate and help decide what Friar Tuck’s should pour in the future.

The wines receiving the highest scores in their respective categories will earn spots on the new wine list.

For guests, that turns the tasting into a chance to compare wines side by side rather than ordering a single glass and wondering how it stacks up against everything else on the menu.

It can also make wine tasting a little less intimidating.

There isn’t necessarily a “correct” answer when deciding whether one bottle deserves a place on a restaurant’s list. Acidity, tannins, sweetness, body, aroma and finish all matter, but so does the most straightforward question of all: Would you want another glass?

On Saturday, enough people answering that question the same way could determine what Friar Tuck’s serves next.

Filet Mignon, Scallops and Crab Cakes Are Included

The food goes well beyond crackers between pours.

Friar Tuck’s says the ticket includes an assortment of elevated appetizers featuring filet mignon crostini, pan-seared scallops, mini crab cakes, lemongrass ginger chicken satay, pasta and the tavern’s charcuterie board.

That’s worth emphasizing because Friar Tuck’s has earned some recognition for this side of its menu. Connecticut Magazine’s food experts included the Mystic tavern among the state’s notable restaurants for appetizers in its 2025 restaurant selections.

The regular menu reflects the pub’s British and Irish identity with dishes such as Ploughman’s Lunch, fish and chips and other tavern fare, but Saturday’s tasting menu moves in a different direction, using small plates that can work across a range of red and white wines.

That gives guests another variable to play with. A wine tasted by itself can land very differently once it’s paired with beef, seafood, cheese or something carrying ginger and lemongrass.

A Different Kind of Night at Friar Tuck’s

Friar Tuck’s sits at 12 Water Street, a short walk from the Mystic River and downtown drawbridge.

The tavern is better known for its casual Irish and English pub atmosphere, craft beer, whiskey, cocktails, live music and trivia than for formal wine tastings. That contrast is part of what makes this event interesting.

Saturday afternoon essentially hands part of the beverage program over to the people sitting at the tables.

The event also falls early enough to make it the beginning of a night in downtown Mystic rather than the entire night. The tasting ends at 7 p.m., while Friar Tuck’s remains open until 2 a.m. on Saturdays and its kitchen stays open until 10 p.m.

There is one important planning detail: tickets must be purchased before the event.

At $35 per person for more than 60 wines to sample and score plus the accompanying appetizers, the evening offers plenty to explore. But the unusual part is what happens after the glasses are cleared.

The favorites aren’t simply winning bragging rights. They’re competing for a place behind the bar.

More information is available at the Event Website link below.

To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.

Details

Event: Wine Tasting at Friar Tuck’s Tavern
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Time: 4–7 p.m.
Venue: Friar Tuck’s Tavern
Address: 12 Water Street, Mystic, CT 06355
Admission: $35 per person
Tickets: Must be purchased in advance
Wine: More than 60 wines available to taste and rate
How It Works: Guests score the wines, with top selections helping determine Friar Tuck’s new wine menu
Food Included: Filet mignon crostini, pan-seared scallops, mini crab cakes, lemongrass ginger chicken satay, pasta and charcuterie
Saturday Tavern Hours: 11:30 a.m.–2 a.m.
Saturday Kitchen Hours: Until 10 p.m.

Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.