Wine Wednesday: Your Weekend Wine Events

By Caitlin Klein in Food on Oct 10, 2012 6:20PM

The weather is getting colder and we're finally ready to switch from those crisp, chilled whites to big glasses of hearty reds. Here are our picks among Chicago's wine events this weekend. Get out there and sip!

Thursday, Oct. 11: On the corner of Randolph and Halsted, Nia Restaurant is hosting a wine tasting at 7 p.m. featuring wines from northern Greece, the Peloponnese peninsula, and the Greek Islands. They’ll provide meats and cheeses to snack on, too. The tasting is $25 (or $20 if you pay ahead with Paypal). Guests will have the opportunity to purchase their favorites after the tasting, and guests who stay for dinner will receive 20 percent off their bill. Seats can be reserved online.

Nia Mediterranean Restaurant is located at 803 W. Randolph St.

Friday, Oct. 12: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will have their 9th annual “Uncork the Cure” fundraiser at Galleria Marchetti. Regular tickets are $75, which gets you in for the 7-10pm tasting and hors d’oeuvres. You can snag a VIP ticket for $150, which allows you entry to the 6-7 p.m. VIP reception with premium wine tastings, priority seating, and a VIP gift bag. The event will include a silent auction. You can buy tickets online.

Galleria Marchetti is located at 825 West Erie St.

Saturday, Oct. 13: Internationale II, Chef Markus Ford’s “pop up” restaurant series, is back this Saturday at the Centered Chef. This is a one night only event showcasing Chef Ford (of Élever Chicago) and his travels around the world. There are two options for dinner: the “Economy Class,” which is $65 for a four-course meal, or “First Class,” which is $160 for a seven-course meal, vintage wine pairings, champagne, and specialty cocktails. (That sounds like a lot of booze to us.) Seatings for Economy Class diners begin at 5 p.m. and go every hour until 9 p.m. Seatings for First Class diners is at 7 p.m. only. You can buy tickets online.

The Centered Chef is located at 177 North Ada St.