Upcoming Posts

Hi everyone!  Spring is here and for wine that means new life in the Northern Hemisphere and Harvest and Crush in the Southern Hemisphere.  There’s alot going on, it’s been a very busy month and I have so much to share.  Here’s a little bit about what you can expect from the Windy City Wine Guy in the next week:

WBC or Bust!

I’m always up for a challenge, and wineCHATr.com is putting it out there: 12 citizen wine writers are being given the opportunity to catch a free ride across Washington to attend the Wine Bloggers Conference.

I will now be writing about Washington wine for the next month plus to try to win my behind a seat on that bus!  I’ve been crazy about Washington wines for quite some time now and for many reasons: good quality, great value, wide range of varietals and numerous subregions.  So I will be sharing my enthusiasm with all of you about this great state for wine.  We’ll run through the regions, producers, history and my favorite wines.  So sit back, put your reading glasses on, pop open a bottle and get ready to learn about Washington!

Open That Bottle Night 2010

Every year on the last Saturday of February is “Open That Bottle Night“.  This is a night where you can take that special bottle of wine you’ve been holding for a special occasion and uncork it!  Enjoy it with a special someone, friends, family or by your self.  It doesn’t matter what type of wine, where it’s from or how much you spent on it, as long as it’s special to you. 

This creative evening was started in February of 2000 by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, wine critics formerly with the Wall Street Journal.  They’ve been celebrating it ever since, and though they aren’t affiliated with the OTBN website, many stories full of special bottles and nights are listed.

Now here’s a little about what the Windy City Wine Guy has in store for tonight:

Women and Wine Lists: Take Charge!

I’ve worked in my share of restaurants where countless times you’ll see a large group, mostly business diners, seated and presented a wine list.  If they aren’t wise, they will hand the list to an individual (it should always be place in the center of the table), and it almost always ends up in the hands of a man.  Though it doesn’t really mesh with current civil rights standards, it is unfortunately very normal and customary.  Now ladies- this is only one of many reasons why you should empower yourselves with wine knowledge and snatch that menu out of the hands of men!

The Arboretum of South Barrington: Uncorked from the Heart

The Arboretum of South Barrington is Chicagoland’s newest outdoor playground.  You can dine, shop and play in the company of trees and gardens out in the ‘burbs.  On Thursday, March 4th, you can also catch a special event: Uncorked from the Heart.  For $40 in advance ($50 at the door) you can experience wines from around the world and cuisine prepared from six Arboretum locations : Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, L’Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie, Gold Class Cinemas, Pinstripes, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and Acquisitions for the Home.  The evening starts at Pinstripes, an awesome space which features 18 bowling lanes, 10 indoor/outdoor bocce courts, outdoor patio and fireplace, Italian/American food and wine, and blues and jazz bands.  The fun moves from there to the other venues with shuttle service all night long.  Come out and enjoy an awesome suburban wine and food evening!

Wine Grapes and the “Dirty Dozen” Foods

I recently received an email from a reader asking about the “Dirty Dozen” of top 12 foods you should buy organic and how this affects wine.  Imported grapes are on the list at #10.  Vineyards can be sprayed by multiple pesticides and no matter how much you wash them, the contaminants have already penetrated their thin skins.  Another point to remember about this is that it does not only apply to imported grapes.  Domestic grapes are still on the EWG‘s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides (at #21).  Also, this applies mainly to grapes grown for food and juice.  As for wine,

Chicago Semifinalists for James Beard Awards

The Semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards 2010 have been announced and the list is littered with Chicago establishments and professionals.  It’s always exciting to see how well Chicago does with these awards and to bask in the fame that is given to our culinary scene. 

Now for those of you who don’t know, the James Beard Awards are a BIG deal.  They’ve been called “The Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine.  They are named after one of the biggest names in American culinary history, Mr. James Beard.  Mr. Beard was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1903.  His mother ran a boarding house and began an 81 year culinary journey into American food.  He was dubbed “dean of American cookery,” by the New York Times.

Now let’s get to our Chicago nominees:

Gary Vaynerchuk on Today Show for Super Bowl Wines

I woke up early this morning, grabbed my vitamins and water, and turned on the Today Show to find Gary Vaynerchuk giving out his Super Bowl wine picks.  This comes a day after I gave out my Chicagoland available wines and favorite carryout/delivery spots for pizza, wings and chili.  Needless to say, I’m always interested in what @garyvee has to say about pairings, plus he’s pretty entertaining to watch.  So here’s what dishes were picked and what to pair with them:

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions, Weight Loss & Wine

OK, so we’re finally done with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, etc. (though the Super Bowl is coming up!) and it’s time to undo some of the damage that’s been done and lose some poundage.  Hit the gym, pound the pavement, eating right, yoga classes, whatever gets you to sweat it out.  But all of this does NOT mean you have to give up some of your favorite beverages; namely wine and beer. 

Studies have shown the redeeming health benefits of

Birthday Wines

So it’s that time of year again, when everyone you know sends best wishes for you chalking up another year of life, and you start getting ready for a new one.  It’s your Birthday!  This is a time to reflect upon the life you’ve lived and to imagine the life you still have yet to live.  In that same frame of mind, it’s also a time to reflect upon all that you have tried and still have yet to.  This applies to travel, food, wine, experiences, etc.  But now it’s time to celebrate, so pick out your favorite meal and your favorite bottle(s) and share them with the people you love the most!  I put together a list of some of my personal favorite affordable wines, as well as