Hello, fellow oenophiles!
It’s time for Pinot Days Chicago!  The Food Whores have been attending this event for the last 2 years and it’s become one of our FAVORITE events of the year.  Taste some truly amazing wines and food products while EDUCATING yourself about the lovely Pinot Noir grape. 
While the event space at Navy Pier is no-frills, trust us, these are some QUALITY wines!  I just love being able to taste Pinot Noirs from so many regions – you can really taste the difference in terroir.  Plus, you get some great face time with the …

Cityscape Bar, located on the 15th floor of the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, will host their May “Vino with a View” wine sampling on Thursday, May 19.
Guests are invited to sip and swirl an array of wines while enjoying stunning panoramic views of downtown’s River North.  All attendees of “Vino with a View” will receive a buy-one-get-one-free discount coupon for dinner in ItaliAsia Restaurant after the event or on a future night.  In addition, guests can enter to win a $100.00 gift certificate to ItaliAsia.
Hosted by Cream Wine Company, …

The 4th Annual Pinot Days Chicago was another success!  After Vivian’s glowing review of last year’s event, I was very excited to experience it for myself.  It might seem odd to dedicate a whole festival to just one varietal, but as you are sampling the wines, you can really taste the subtle differences from region to region.  I found that I prefer an earthier pinot noir, rather than a fruitier one.
This year’s event featured over 65 different producers.  Once again, there was not a bad wine in the bunch, but …

I had some very special friends come into town to visit but since we have a newborn baby arranged with a sitter, I didn’t want to trek too far from home to eat delicious food. I came across the website for downtown Geneva and found information for Niche listed under the Fine Dining section. I don’t know what it is, but when I think of “Fine Dining”, I tend to think of old school steakhouses in dimly lit rooms with red velvet booths. But the name caught my attention so …

I don’t want to say it, but I’m gonna say it because we have to be honest on this blog right? Ok –
 
“Chicago Gourmet was a disappointment this year”.
 
Note: I did not say “huge disappointment” but just “disappointment” compared to last year. 
This was the 3rd annual Chicago Gourmet and this year, it was a big hit with more visitors than ever!
All in all though, it was still a great show/event with the all the various foods we were able to taste, the selection of high quality adult beverages, the NEW …

Do you like champagne? I used to reserve it only for weddings and New Year’s Eve, but in the last year or so I have found that I enjoy a bit of bubbly to add a sense of occasion to an otherwise dull weeknight, or as a special treat in the form of a mimosa at brunch!
Our friends at Devon Seafood Grill have put together a fabulous Sparkling Wine Tasting Event, where you will be whisked away to France’s wine country by tasting a variety of champagnes, perfectly paired with …

Looking for someting to do this weekend?
Macy’s Culinary Council will be doing a food & wine pairing demonstration this Saturday, July 17 at noon.  Culinary Council Chef and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson will be showing us the basics of proper food and wine partners.  Andrea will also be introducing her new line of stemware called “The One”, which is suitable for both red & white wines.  Culinary Council Chef and restaurateur Takashi Yagihashi will demonstrate how to entertain using seasonal ingredients.  Andrea will be available to sign her new cookbook, …

As a foodie, people often ask me, “What’s your favorite food?”  This is an impossible question!  It all depends on my mood, the weather, or what my current obsession is.  However, there are a few things that I simply cannot live without.  If I ever get stranded on a deserted island, there had better be grapes and some kind of livestock, because I need my WINE and CHEESE!  These are 2 of my 4 main food groups – Wine, Coffee, Chocolate and Cheese. 
I had been watching the space now occupied by Vintage …

Attention all winos!
Devon Seafood Grill is hosting a wine face-off TONIGHT, where guests will taste a variety of wines from Napa and Sonoma and vote for a winner!
Guests will have the opportunity to taste 4 wines from Napa and 4 from Sonoma while snacking on some delectable appetizers.  Wine representatives from both regions will be on hand to educate the tasters.
Prep your palate and come join the sniffing & swirling fun!  Cost is $29 for 8 glasses of wine and appetizers. 
Reservations are recommended, as space is limited.
Wine Battle: Napa v. …

The third annual Pinot Days Grand Festival tasting is under way this weekend at Navy Pier. If you’re a purveyor of great wines and food, don’t miss out on this event!
This year will feature 50 producers of wine and will offer up to 300 tastings of Pinot – let’s not forget the food that will be served to pair with these delicious wines!
This is a casual affair designed to attract wine lovers of all levels – learn from industry professionals and the people who make these wines!
www.pinotdays.com

Here at CFW, we are always interested in exploring new wines from different regions. I’m recently had a great interest in New World wines, particularly those from Australia! There’s no better way to learn about different varietals and regions than to TASTE!

Winemaker Dean Hewitson from Hewitson Winery out of South Australia released his latest Shiraz – the 2006 “Mad Hatter” Shiraz on October 6, 2009. In doing so, the winery will be going on a “Mad Hatter Tour” around the US. For the Chicago stop, the winery will …

It’s hard for me to convince my husband to go out on a school night but with the help of my two friends who just started dating one another, they were able to get him out for dinner at the Tasting Room at Randolph Wine Cellars! Even better that you can park your own car in a free lot. There’s also a beautiful patio in the front which gets a lot of sun nearing sunset. Inside, I highly recommend the upstairs dining area with views of the …