I have been to this place quite a few times for different occasions. I know you will start to wonder why I keep going back if I name this as a dishonest place. Reason is simple, cos' I think every place deserves a second chance and I do truly believe I have given them enough second chances. To make sure this is not a biased comment, my friends do know one of the owners very well and have already provided feedback numerous times but I guess they are just looking at short time rather than long time. Anyway, I will never go back to that place.

Anyway, enough intro and let's start from the good bit cos' it's easy and short. They do have a fairly decent variety of wine to choose from before the Watson's Wine Cellar has installed the wine dispenser. Whilst the atmosphere at Tastings is definitely better than that of Watson's Wine Cellar, this place is totally ripped off and staff has no kindergarten knowledge on wine. Reason I am saying that is simple. Let's use a bottle of Chateau Monbousquet 2002, you could properly buy it in the HKD300.- range, Four Seasons charge you HKD1,200.- plus 10% and Tastings charge you HKDnearly HKD1,000.- plus 10%. Com'on, I perpared to be ripped off by Four Season's as it's a hotel with top notch service and wine knowledge but Tastings ...

Moving onto the dishonest part, first time I went there with my friends, I have no clue how it works (as you could give them your credit card whilst they give you a card for the wine dispenser). The waiter is nice enough to get us a table and show us the dispenser and advise that he will get the wine for us. I thought decent service but no, when we get the bill, there was service charge! I checked with the waiter and he said there would be no service charge if we did it ourselves whilst there would be service charge if he did it for us! So why don't you say it in the first place.

There was another time when we went for happy hour, we got sat down on the tall stools and we got our wine by OURSEVLES (learned from mistake) and they provided us with a small platter (we didn't order it), so it's intuitive that it's on the house! Guess what, we got charged and plus 10% again, cna you believe this?

Anyway, enough said. To be frank, price is not the service, it's the dishonesty the way they do business. I would still pick Four Seasons (depsite I don't really like it) over this place.

This place is only mediocre.

We arrived at this longe at around 11.

-Not too comfortable seating and too noisy.
It is mostly bar tables and stools. Lively chatting is good, but lack somforatble seating to really enjoy the wine.

-Wine is more expensive than others.
Its more expensive than other places with enormatic machinese. I don't mean that it has more expensive wine, its just more pricey.

-Wait staff not too knowledgable with wine.
There maybe only 1 or two staff who can suggest wine and cheese pairings. Other staff are just servers. This is ok in a restuarant, but not in a wine bar.

-Good cheese selection but not as good as cheese rooms in Central.
If you've been to other cheese room, you'd know.

Overall, the reason I'd return here is because someone else might not have tried this place. For those who have, we preferr the wine bar down the street at LKF or the cheese room up at Hollywood road. (But for the HK curse of popularity, since that place got mentioned in Time magazine recently, its service might get snobby too, just a thought)

09年1月5日晚（星期一），當日女友正式收到信升職加薪，能夠在「金融海嘯」和經濟低潮下有人工加，應該值得開心。下午時份和女友商量在哪兒慶祝時，女友突然話想去設有自助紅酒售買機的Tastings Wine Bar 去喝杯酒，我十分錯愕！女友解釋說是想看我喝酒的樣子和因為上次我們去到碰釘（當晚包了場），心想難得女友有如此雅慶，就當是為慶祝升職加薪而去。接完女友收工就一起去，去到的時候祇有一檯客（三個男人），但操英語的女侍應卻堅持祇讓我們坐高椅，初時我見到梳化旁的檯全部放了「留座」的牌，以為真的可能有客人訂了位就坐在高椅的檯。是晚女友喝了一杯Rose & white wine（各25ml），Rose我沒有喝過，白酒我不太欣賞，女友兩者都覺得不錯，更說白酒比Rose好喝。我就喝了三杯半杯份量的紅酒，名字不記得了，祇記得第一杯的出產地是法國，第二杯是南非，第三杯是意大利。雖然喝了紅酒的日子不短，但要形容喝過的紅酒如何，始終不太懂，通常祇用易入口與否和憑感覺去分。第一杯口感豐富，果香芳郁；第二杯較易入口，比較dry，女友都覺得不錯，始終我們都喜歡南非出產的紅酒；第三杯則感覺尚可！反而我最喜愛和驚喜的是小食，mini pizza 很薄、很脆，餡料不是太濃味，三文魚上的“青豆”頗咸，但伴著淡味的三文魚來吃，恰到好處，至於吞拿魚則一般，墊底的脆多士size剛好，就連女仕也可以一口吃到，作為佐酒小食，可以稱得上一流！（P.S.：我們離開的時候也沒有客人來到「留座」的梳化位，而且女侍應到了某個時候就收了那些牌！）
把酒談心期間，女友坦言擔心升職後的將來，由於我們是不同職業的，未能完全明白她的憂慮，祇能分享經驗和說些鼓勵說話。
不管將來發生甚麼事，我也願意在妳的身邊分享妳的一切，在背後支持妳！

It's quite interesting to go there and have a look of that wine machine. But is quite expensive and over price.
I don't think i'll go there again.

I can't decide whether I like Tastings or not.

PROS
Tastings is a fun, gimmicky place with a nice selection of wines to taste with a variety of prices. The slightly hidden location actually suits it well. Not being on street level gives it a little privacy and takes out the noisy traffic and pedestrians. The non-smoking environment is great. The low sofas in addition to the high bar type tables is a good mixture. The artisan cheeses are an excellent companion to some of the wines (though I feel that cheese is better paired with beer than wine).

CONS
It's too bright to relax. The bright lights are great for tasting wine, but not comfortable for prolonged sitting and chatting in the evening. Keeping it bright is not a bad idea for the type of business they're doing, but I wouldn't want to go there for a quiet drink after dinner. More suitable for a lively Happy Hour. I wonder if they would consider dimming the lights after 11pm.

The service is really hit or miss. A lot of that also depends on whether the awkward manager comes to talk to you. His fake smile is creepy and unfriendly at the same time (my friends tell me that he used to be nicer). A majority of the staff knows little to nothing about wine. They have trouble even giving simple explanations of recommendations. The manager is no help, because his demeanor makes you not want to trust him.

They are also quite disorganized. They made a mistake with my bill three times on three separate occasions. On one occasion, after I left the place, an employee chased after me claiming that I didn't pay. I tried to show her my receipt and signed credit card slip, but she insisted I return to the bar. The problem was eventually resolved after I had returned, and I received a very half-assed apology from the manager for my trouble. He promised to "buy me a drink next time", which he has already forgotten (I mean, don't say it if you're not going to do it).

My group was also denied entry one time. The place didn't look that full, but perhaps business was just too good.

CONCLUSION
It's a great idea and certainly a nice place. Service and efficiency could be improved though.

We went to check out this new bar last night. The location and the set up is very nice. Wine selection is better than Sheraton.
I thought we finally find an interesting place to hang out but I am so disappointed to say I will never go back as the service is terrible. It seems no one ever smile in the bar. The Manager's face is as stiff as a chopping board, no smile, impolite.
We saw a young lady chatting with friends and I believe she is the owner. It is sad to see the boss trying so hard to improve business but her staffs are turning away customers.
Economy is turning bad.....if one wants to survive this down cycle.......service and quality are the top requirements for bars and restaruants.

上次在Sky Lounge試不到個部紅酒販賣機, 聽朋友說中環有酒吧亦有這玩意, 趁在灣仔火鍋完後, 就一行數人來這裡試試這新玩意

星期六晚上人很多, 想找個位子坐也不容易, 就在等的時候拎著那紅酒咭, 聽侍應介紹怎用後, 雖未有位子, 但已急不及待去試試. 酒類選擇也不少, 當中以紅酒數量比較多, 朋友亂點的來了數杯, 看她由插咭, 至取杯, 再按鈕, 真的玩味十足. 雖已記不起那紅酒是什麼的味道, 但只要是心多, 或希望試試新玩意的你, 相信一定會喜歡這的

This wine bar is opened not long ago, introducing the Enomatic wine serving system (智能售酒機) similar to the one in Sky Lounge @ Sheraton Hotel. Tastings Wine Bar offers 40 varieties of wines (32 Reds, 7 Whites, 1 Rose) at one time from Old to New World wines.

You have 3 choices to choose from the system:-
(1) By the glass (150ml)
(2) Half glass (75ml), or
(3) Tasting portion (25ml) ~ (this is equivalent to ¼ Yakult).

The wine list will be changed regularly to enhance your wine tasting experience.

You will be given a ‘stored value card’ then simply put the card into the slot and choose the tasting portion you want.

Cost wise, for tastings portion (i.e. 25ml), price ranging from HK$14 to HK$170 with Penfolds Grange (Vintage 1997 at the time I tasted) at the top end. Half glass (i.e. 75ml) Penfolds will be sold at HK$384 whereas By the glass (i.e. 150ml) will be sold at HK$685.

It is cheaper than Sky Lounge as they don’t have minimum charge and no service charge too. Canapés will be offered free of charge during happy hour session.

Downside…seats are not comfortable and might be better to ‘stand one night’. Also smoking is not allowed inside the bar.