The Good Drop Wine Shoppe is the new wine place that moved into the old Chocolat et Gateaux space on Minnesota in Downtown Bend. They’ve been open almost a month and are having their grand opening celebration the beginning of December. Here’s the press release:

The Good Drop Wine Shoppe, which opened Oct. 2 in downtown Bend, is hosting a Grand Opening celebration over the entire week of Dec. 5 – 12. The new wine store and tasting venue will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for anyone who wants to come downtown to taste "bubbles" and unique wines for free, and shop for unique gifts at special, grand opening prices for the wine lover on their list.

In addition, a portion of the proceeds from sales over the week will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon.

"This will be a truly special week-long wine event like no other," said The Good Drop’s owner Chris Oatman. "We’ll be pouring free tastings of bubbles, but also at times will bring out vintage wines that are probably out of stock everywhere else or extremely hard to find. It will certainly be a memorable celebration of great wine and good times. And while the event and tastings are free, any sales made during that time will benefit a great cause."

Throughout the week, Oatman, a vintage and rare wine specialist, will greet guests, answer questions, and have wine tastings available as they peruse the unique selections of wine and wine-related gifts.

For years, Oatman has collected, sold, and shipped wines to wine connoisseurs across the world. Now these same wines are available in downtown Bend at its new store a 141 NW Minnesota Avenue, and through www.gooddropwineshoppe.com. It carries vintage, hard-to-find, rare, and everyday fine wines at affordable prices.

According to Oatman, "Being so close to the Willamette and Columbia Valleys, Walla Walla, Yakima, and the California wine regions, means we can offer a wide selection of well-rounded, diverse, and high-end wines at a price that’s often lower than wine connoisseurs might expect."

See www.gooddropwineshoppe.com or call 541-410-1470 for wine store location and hours, wine selection, and for more information about the latest offerings.

I don’t really know anything about the shop, but free wine tastings are always an intriguing start.