Windy City Wine Festival, Naperville Wine Festival & Chicago Gourmet

Summer's end brings more opportunity to enjoy the rest of 2010 and all that Chicagoland has to offer.  Great weather, food and drink is what's on the menu for the next three weekends so get your fall outfits and taste buds ready!

Windy City Wine Festival (Sept. 10 & 11).  Over 300 different wines will be onhand to sample along with food, beer and music.  You will also love the new location- 500 S. Columbus at Buckingham Fountain!  Tickets available for $25 online or $35 at the door.

Naperville Wine Festival (Sept. 17 & 18).  If you live out in the burbs or just want to travel outside the city, this is the perfect venue for you located in the historic Naper Settlement.  Tickets are available for $25 online or $35 at the door.

Chicago Gourmet (Sept. 24-26).  Featuring the best of the best in Chicago's rich culinary scene along with amazing wine tasting.  A weekend full of demonstrations, seminars, food and beverage featuring great names like Rick Bayless, Cat Cora, Jose Garces, Stephanie Izard, Tony Mantuano, Marcus Samuelsson and many more.  It begins with a Hamburger Hop Friday Night Burger Competition (tickets available online for $75) hosted by Allen Bros. Steaks and Blue Moon.  It continues through the weekend with tickets available online starting at $150. 

Also available this month is Dine Around, where special prix-fixe menus will be available at some of Chicago's best restaurants like NoMI, Mercat a la Planxa, Piccolo Sogno and many more.  This gives you a chance to check out some Chicago restaurants you've been dying to try on a budget.  You can also earn yourself a free ticket to Chicago Gourmet by enjoying five different meals at participating Dine Around restaurants.  I can't think of a better way to get the most out of Chicago culinary!

Chicago Gourmet Food Festival 2009

Chicago Gourmet is on the way- a food and wine festival taking place on September 26 & 27 in Millenium Park.  This is just its second annual occurrence, and it will be a celebration of our city's culinary culture and history, highlighted by Chicago's best chefs and restaurants.  Also, hundreds of wines, local sommeliers, and wine experts will be onhand for tastings and seminars.

Many Chicago personalities like Mayor Daley will be in attendance, along with Chicago's favorite chefs: Rick Bayless (winner of Top Chef Masters) of Frontera Grill, Jose Garces of Mercat a la Planxa, John Coletta of Quartino, Dirk Flanigan of The Gage, Marcus Samuelsson of C-House, Tony Priolo of Piccolo Sogno, Stephanie Izard (Top Chef winner) of The Drunken Goat, and lots of other local greats.

Awesome food is not the only think on the menu, as wines from Robert Mondavi, Mionetto (one of my favorite sparkling wine producers), and Gaja Wines presented by Gaia Gaja, will be there for tasting, along with famed importer and producer, Anthony Terlato of Terlato Wines International, and his amazing portfolio featured at the Festival's largest tent.

Tickets can be purchased beforehand for $150 for a single day, or $250 for the two day weekend.  There are also upgrades for those who don't mind spending extra, such as Grand Cru tastings for $175 featuring some of the finest wines in the world presented by Master Sommeliers.  Here is a little hint to avoid the ticket price, which may be worth your while: Chicago Dine Around.  Starting now through September 27, if you dine at five different restaurants using their special prix-fixe menu, and attach each receipt to the Chicago Gourmet Dine Around Passport (available at all participating restaurants), you will be eligible for a free one day pass to the Festival.

Make sure to plan ahead and get in on Chicago's greatest food and wine event!