Trying an unacquainted wine can be a costly journey - especially difficult for those who wrestle with the big C word. Yes, commitment. You like what you like and ordering a glass of vino that you're unfamiliar with when dining out simply is not an option.

Fear no longer, my commitmentphobes. If you're feeling like indulging in the finer things in life, and what to try something a little different than the norm, Maxwell's Speakeasy and Lounge has the weekly special for you.

Every Tuesday, Maxwell's serves two chef's choice appetizers and two house wines or draft beers for $15. Chef Hudson Slater tells me, "It's nothing over the top but keeps things fun and fresh."

Chef Slater and server extraordinaire and wine pro Kent Bolden sample wines weeks in advance, mull them over, discuss possible pairings, sample more, then create a new Tuesday experience.

"We sip something tasty and we play with it," says chef Slater.

MAXWELL'S SPEAKEASY AND LOUNGE, 4-10 P.M. MONDAY-THURSDAY, 4 P.M. TO MIDNIGHT FRIDAY, 5 P.M. TO MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, 454 ST. HELEN'S AVE., TACOMA, 253.683.4115